California Governor Reporter

The Sacramento Bee Capitol Bureau is seeking a competitive reporter to break news and develop exclusive reporting on one of our marquee beats: California’s governor.

We’re seeking a hard-charging journalist to cover one of the most high-profile governors in the country. Gov. Gavin Newsom is grappling with housing costs, climate change, criminal justice, budget shortfalls and more during his second term in office, all while very publicly endeavoring to raise his national profile. We’re looking for a reporter who can deliver coverage that interprets Newsom’s role, holds him accountable for his words and actions and keeps a close eye on his future political ambitions.

This journalist will be part of The Sacramento Bee’s Capitol Bureau, a group of aggressive reporters who cover the policies and politics of the largest state in the nation and the fourth-largest economy in the world. We’re seeking an enterprising reporter who can deliver both quick-turn daily coverage and more in-depth accountability journalism.

This journalist will be based in Sacramento, one of the most compelling political cities in the country, and will have opportunities to collaborate with experienced journalists in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., as well as with colleagues in other McClatchy California newsrooms.

Candidates should have exceptional reporting and writing skills, along with experience in government reporting and a talent for explaining complex information in terms that are engaging and easy to understand. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to fairness and accuracy, in fact and in tone, and a strong grounding in journalism ethics. Like all McClatchy journalists, the reporter must have demonstrated the desire and skills to build audience loyalty, engagement and growth around compelling public service journalism.

At The Sacramento Bee, the reader comes first. Serving readers in a crowded media marketplace means being the best and most relevant source of journalism that matters to them — and ensuring that our work reaches them, wherever they are. This will require a keen understanding of what’s important to readers, developed through reporting on and familiarity with the region; through the extensive use of audience analytics such as social media referrals and time spent on a story; and through awareness of what people are sharing and talking about on social media.

The anticipated annual salary for this position is between $70,000 and $85,000. Individual base pay may vary within that range depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and relevant education.

What you'll bring:

At least three years of reporting experience

Strong writing and reporting skills and excellent news judgment

Unwavering commitment to accurate, ethical journalism

Demonstrated ability to use social media platforms to reach and engage with audiences

Fluency in the science of readership and engagement, including an understanding of how to use analytics such as page views, time on site, referral sources and “shares and likes” to help determine which stories resonate with which audiences

Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy and the ability to take and give constructive criticism.

Demonstrated ability to work comfortably in a job that will be fast-paced, data-driven, shaped constantly by feedback and experimentation

Willingness to live in the Sacramento region