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Under the direction of SFGATE’s Deputy Managing Editor, the Senior California Politics Reporter will be a versatile journalist with a deep understanding of the state’s complex political landscape — both in major cities and rural towns — and an even better understanding of how the legislative and executive branches could impact future policy in the Golden State. We’re not looking for someone to cover Sacramento in this role exclusively, but instead want someone capable of turning over fascinating political stones all over the state that no one else has considered looking under. The Senior California Politics Reporter will have enough intellectual curiosity to want to tell stories that matter to both politics junkies and everyday Americans — no matter where they live in the state — plus fully understand the issues and ideologies that dominate the region and affect everything from local drama to actual policy. They’ll understand that political news is not just laws and elections, but rather everything the government does to affect people's lives, no matter where they live in the state. They'll be able to toggle between fast-paced daily stories and the well-sourced, deep-dive features that help people better understand the state they live in and the interesting politics at play at every level of government.
Why SFGATE?
Launched in 1994, SFGATE.com was one of the first large-market media sites in the world and served as the exclusive digital home of the San Francisco Chronicle for 19 years. In 2019, the Chronicle (which can now be found online at the paywalled sfchronicle.com) and SFGATE officially became two separately run entities with their own editorial staffs and independent newsrooms.
Today, SFGATE is a digital-only publication that drives around 30 million visits a month and tells the stories of the people, places and ideas that make San Francisco, the Bay Area and even California at large, the weird and wonderful place that it is. We help readers navigate their day, whether it’s by keeping them updated on big breaking news, guiding them to interesting enclaves and destinations or sharing a part of the Bay or the state they haven’t seen before.
The site is home to nine verticals: Culture, offering a unique mix of the entertainment news you actually need and the underground stories from hidden corners of the Bay Area you want; Local, the premier destination for everything that life in the Bay Area encompasses (from wildly expensive real estate to schools to what it’s like to live above a raucous bar); Sports, covering the intersection of sports and culture; Tech, covering the intersection of tech and culture; Travel, covering everything from travel news to hotel hacks and under-the-radar day trips; Politics, where we keep you up to speed on interesting political news throughout the state; Food + Drink, where we tell you the backstory of the people behind the bar and in the kitchen; Cannabis, where we cover the sprawling industry of legal weed in California, good, bad and ugly; and News. Plus, the site has a full-time editor covering California trends, Lake Tahoe and the Central Coast as well as satellite editors covering the state’s North Coast, California Parks, Los Angeles, Hawaii, and Disneyland.
What you’ll do:
- Consistently have ideas — you’ll be given a blank canvas to tell stories that matter across a broad range of categories for a state that many people care deeply about. This is the first time we’re hiring a dedicated journalist to cover state politics, and we want someone who can nimbly toggle between story types in response to audience interest. That means you will need to have a constant stream of ideas and be eager to experiment.
- Be autonomous — this is a new position that comes with a lot of trust, to both keep an editorial calendar, meet deadlines, understand analytics and communicate with the audience, copy and photo desks in SF.
- Have a fantastic network — a big part of this role is being someone who already has the network to be able to tell these stories. We want someone who deeply understands the community they write about, who already knows which people and what places offer political curiosity in the state and what topics will hit a chord with readers.
- Be consistent — we want someone who can move the audience with every single piece, and have the planning foresight to make sure they have something really great lined up for weeks to come.
Who you are:
- You have 7+ years of relevant experience at a publication or in a digital media environment
- You have a deep knowledge of the state of California’s political landscape and already have a laundry list of ideas you’ve always wanted to write
- You have a passion for journalism and telling stories
- You live in the San Francisco Bay Area or are willing to move here
- You’ve read SFGATE and have an understanding of the brand and voi
In accordance with applicable law, Hearst is required to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role if hired in California. The reasonable estimate is between $80,000 and $85,000. Please note this information is specific to those hired in San Francisco. If this role is open to candidates outside of San Francisco, the salary range would be aligned to that specific location. A final decision on the successful candidate’s starting salary will be based on a number of permissible, non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to skills and experience, training, certifications, and education.
