Chief Political Reporter

The Austin American-Statesman/statesman.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, is looking for a reporter to lead our franchise coverage of Texas politics.

The chief political reporter will cover Texas government and politics with an emphasis on accountability reporting. The reporter will be responsible for covering the governor and major political trends and helping to lead a team of reporters covering the Legislature, state agencies, other statewide elected officials and appellate courts, with an eye toward watchdog, accountability journalism.

We seek a passionate storyteller with an eye for detail and who can develop good sources and loves to beat the competition.

The reporter will be part of a team that will serve Austin and all of Gannett's statewide newsrooms, a network of daily and community sites, with comprehensive political reporting.

The ideal candidate has a proven track record of explanatory and investigative reporting and is skilled at networking, building trust and getting to yes when government says, "no." This role will collaborate with the Texas Politics/Education Editor in shaping coverage of state government and politics.

The focus of the beat is enterprise reporting — unique, revelatory stories that haven’t been unearthed – but also big, breaking political stories, especially involving the governor and executive branch.

The reporter will also use social media and other platforms to build audience and loyalty to the Austin American-Statesman.

Responsibilities:

Creates coverage that accurately informs, engages, and entertains specific audiences and platforms using metrics.
Write local news stories to be consumed by a national audience. Be aware of Gannett properties and work with them on a regular basis. Focus on story production details.
Work with editors to experiment with new ways of informing and engaging audiences on social platforms and alternate story forms. This includes experimenting with long-tail (evergreen) content.
Help lead/develop state reporting team, and manage projects.
Provides thoughtful analysis of complex issues.
Work toward becoming the community’s leading voice in area of expertise.
Serve as a public ambassador for our brand through connecting with the community via social media, on camera, in forums, community leadership, etc.
Works with content strategist to evaluate what's working and what's not and develops ongoing plans to better satisfy audience needs.
Collaborates with content team to provide all appropriate elements for stories (i.e., photos, videos, and graphics). Captures basic photos and video as needed.
Promotes personal brand, the brands of colleagues and the institutional brand.
Provides great customer service, helping readers find answers and solutions.

Requirements:

Bachelor's or master’s degree in communications, journalism or related field preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least five years of reporting experience, including in political reporting.
Works collaboratively within a cross-functional environment.
Strong command of AP grammar and style.
Strong copy-editing skills and the ability to produce content that is clean, accurate and publication-ready.
Is passionate and enthusiastic about news and content that will work well with audiences on social platforms.
Is comfortable using social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to enhance reporting and promote stories.
Understands reporting ethics and sourcing.
Excels in a fast-paced news environment and understands the digital first mission.
Works weekends and nights as needed.
Collaborates well with others and can work with a team on the biggest stories.
Attend news conferences, hearings, meetings and other relevant events in person.
This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
Ability to speak Spanish is a plus.
Employment is contingent on passing a post-offer, pre-employment background check, drug screen and motor vehicle record check.

How to Apply:

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

Your resume – one to two pages.
A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you’ve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.