If you’re a skilled editor who moves seamlessly from daily news stories to long-term projects, gets the best out of experienced journalists while coaching newer ones and care about California in all of its diversity – from its geography to its people – you might be the next news editor at CalMatters. 

We’re looking for one or more full-time editors available for various assignments. 

Does that sound like you? Do you know the intricacies of policy and politics coverage and how to make important topics accessible for the people they affect? Do you help reporters own their beats? Do you have excellent writing and editing and analytical skills? Do you bring in-depth stories to life with text, photos, graphics, data visualization, audio and video? Do you have at least three years of professional editing experience? Are you familiar with California’s unique history and diverse communities? And are you known for integrity, high energy, a can-do attitude, flexibility and unflappability? 

In six years, CalMatters has become the largest newsroom covering California policy and politics. We’re a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, and we reach millions of Californians on our website and our more than 250 media partners across the state.

Our team has been recognized and honored with top state, regional and national awards from ONA, the Society of Environmental Journalists, the National Press Club, the Public Media Journalists Association, the Institute for Nonprofit News, the Edward R. Murrow Award, SPJ NorCal, Best of the West and California News Publishers.

With you on the team, we’ll build on that success with deeper coverage and impactful projects. Most of our team is in Sacramento, so that’s the ideal place for these positions, but we are flexible. 

Responsibilities for our editors include: 

• Work with reporters to brainstorm, develop and produce lively coverage — from timely briefs to rigorously reported projects — that tells Californians what’s going on in state government and how it affects their lives.
• Encourage and exemplify a culture of innovation in storytelling.
• Excel in improving writing to make it sharper and more compelling.
• Be committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion both in coverage and for the staff you will mentor.
• Have an understanding of diverse communities across California and aim to shape our coverage to reflect those communities.
• Produce editorial packages in our WordPress publishing system.
• Work with our product, data, graphics, photography, social media, partner relations and public events teams to produce the best presentations for the biggest audiences. 
• Be part of the newsroom management team, developing story plans, maintaining calendars, coordinating with other staffers and freelancers, setting and evaluating goals, and managing expenses

About CalMatters

CalMatters is an award-winning nonprofit, nonpartisan news venture dedicated to explaining the policy and politics of America’s biggest state and the world’s fifth largest economy. We produce vivid, original journalism and data-driven news analyses and watchdog reporting, and distribute our work to more than 250+ media partners, on calmatters.org, and via Apple News, SmartNews and other platforms.

Since we launched six and a half years ago, CalMatters has carved out a leadership role at the center of the media ecosystem in California, establishing ourselves as a trusted brand and “go-to” hub for in-depth news and information on statewide issues. Our work has led to changes in policy, new legislation, investigations and discussions at the Capitol, in political groups and beyond — and created an awareness of important issues that aren’t getting covered anywhere else. 

Our team has been recognized and honored with top state, regional and national awards from ONA, the Society of Environmental Journalists, the National Press Club, the Public Media Journalists Association, the Institute for Nonprofit News, the Edward R. Murrow Award, SPJ NorCal, Best of the West and California News Publishers.

Why work at CalMatters:

You get to join a talented and diverse team of more than 50 media professionals dedicated to telling the stories of what happens in the state Capitol. Every team member has a significant hand in determining our direction and success. We have the financial backing of smart, politically diverse funders and foundations who strongly believe in and support our work. Plus, we offer:

• Excellent health and retirement benefits, including a 401k match
• Regular workshops and trainings
• Annual professional development stipend

We are an expanding and collaborative newsroom, successfully forging a new model for sustainable, intelligent, nonprofit journalism. We’re committed to diversity and especially encourage journalists of color and members of other communities underrepresented in journalism to apply. If you’re interested, please provide a resume, a cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job and links to samples of your work. 

Apply here or by email to jobs@calmatters.org with the job title in the subject line.