Do you find the opinion section to be the best part of a news publication? Are you inspired to read a variety of perspectives on important issues from advocates, experts, policymakers and thoughtful voices with personal experience? Do you have experience as an editor? Then you might be the next Commentary Editor at CalMatters.

CalMatters commentary has become one of the state’s most influential forums for a wide variety of voices and perspectives on California’s most important issues. It is closely followed by state decision makers. It attracts a regular flow of submissions, including top-level contributors from throughout the state. Its work is shared for republication with media statewide. And it generates a healthy share of the traffic to CalMatters.

This editor will closely follow California’s important issues and explore the voices and topics most important for public consideration. Many of our posts come from a subset of our submissions. Others we solicit with a budget for freelance work. This editor will be a discerning journalist who can balance the CalMatters forum in a way that displays important issues, ideas and perspectives as well as a diversity of voices, with special focus on those that are underrepresented.

This is a full-time position, possibly with an opportunity for the editor to also write commentary articles.

Responsibilities include:

• Culling through submissions with a keen eye to choose those most appropriate for posting. CalMatters posts roughly half of what is submitted.
• Identifying new voices and writers from throughout the state to expand the forum beyond regular contributors. Special emphasis on seeking a balance of racial and ethnic contributors who reflect California’s diversity.
• Working with contributors, editing commentary submissions for clarity, accuracy, fairness, and collecting author photos.
• Preparing each post within our CMS including photos, summary, author photo and bio, and optimizing each post for search. 

Required:

• At least three years of professional journalism experience.

These would be a plus:

• Familiarity with California issues
• Contacts with opinion leaders and writers

We are an expanding and collaborative newsroom, successfully forging a new model for sustainable, intelligent, nonprofit journalism. You 'll 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. 

We’re also committed to diversity and especially encourage members of underrepresented communities to apply. If you’re interested, please provide a resume, a cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job, and links to at least six online samples of your work.

More 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.

Apply here or if you prefer to apply by email, write to jobs@calmatters.org with the job title in the subject line.