Equity Reporter

The Sacramento Bee is seeking an ambitious journalist who can develop exclusive reporting on a defining issue for our community and state: equity.

We’re looking for a reporter to break stories on systemic inequities in Sacramento and its suburbs. We take a broad view of equity. We want to investigate inequitable outcomes in health, public safety, access to quality education and economic opportunity. This reporter can dig deeper on climate change and what it means to Sacramento neighborhoods. The reporter will also explore inequality in expensive California.

This journalist will bring an enterprising and solutions-focused approach to this beat, shining a spotlight on public policy issues and writing about and for people living in underserved neighborhoods. This journalist will combine the experiences of Sacramento residents with data-driven reporting, elevating policy discussions and highlighting opportunities to provide marginalized groups such as communities of color and low-income workers with a more equitable future.

It’s a pivotal moment to cover equity in Sacramento. The city and the state of California are undertaking groundbreaking efforts to address equity in underserved communities, such as universal basic income programs. California could be the first state to provide reparations to the descendants of enslaved people. Sacramento’s mayor has appointed a chief equity officer. The city also put forward an equity task force that aims to lift up neglected communities. Meanwhile, California’s high cost of living contributes to gentrification and new challenges for diverse neighborhoods.

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, last and always. Serving readers in a crowded media marketplace means becoming 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 the region, extensive use of audience analytics, and a constant awareness of what people are talking about on social media.

It will require not just the ability to build sources and ferret out facts, but also a talent for framing, writing, producing and promoting a story via search and social media to ensure that it reaches and resonates with our readers. It will require a demonstrated commitment to change – constantly adapting to the ever-evolving ways in which readers seek out and interact with our journalism. And it will require enthusiastic participation in conversations about what’s working and what’s not, and an equally enthusiastic commitment to adapting accordingly.

The anticipated base pay range for this position is between $30.00 and $35.90 per hour. Individual base pay may vary within that range depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, relevant education, department equity, training, geography and local wage and hours laws.

Requirements:

At least 2 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 social shares to help determine which stories resonate with which audiences
Skill in telling stories using a variety of tools and platforms, including capturing and editing video
A demonstrated ability to learn new skills and technologies, including content management systems; social media platforms; video editing software; and analytics and storytelling tools
Excellent interpersonal skills, including empathy and the ability to take and give constructive criticism
Ability to flourish in a job that will be fast-paced, data-driven, shaped constantly by feedback and experimentation

What we’ll bring: As a journalist at McClatchy, you will join a supportive, flexible, collaborative team. McClatchy strives to be an employer of choice, and our benefits package is made with this goal in mind. With a focus on health, well-being, wealth and daily life, our package options includes healthcare coverage for employees and their families, financial protection from expected and unexpected expenses, multiple no-cost wellness resources and even coverage for four-legged friends. Our overall benefit package also includes a 401(k) with employer match, competitive paid time off and corporate holidays, and a variety of mental health benefits. With an excellent support team and with focus on your well-being as a top corporate strategy, McClatchy provides benefits to support you and your family in achieving your health and wellness goals.

To apply, include a cover letter, your resume and examples of your work.