Gannett/USA Today seeks an election opinion writer

Gannett is looking for a talented, creative, and thoughtful election-focused opinion columnist to join our nationwide election team.

As an Opinion Columnist covering the 2024 election, you will play a vital role in shaping public discourse and engaging our audience in meaningful conversations about the political landscape, candidates, and key issues of the upcoming election. You will provide your unique insights, analysis, and commentary on the unfolding events, trends, and developments related to the 2024 election.

The ideal candidate should have experience following and writing about both candidates and issues while putting the voter at the center of their focus. Your work will be featured in USA Today and across our network of more than 200 publications. The work you create will have an enormous impact on our audiences across the nation. As one of our election columnists, you will need to be laser-focused on the pivotal races and issues across the country. You will collaborate with other columnists from around the network to ensure that your columns are unique and additive to the broader conversation.

You must have a proven track record of deeply reported opinion journalism that changes lives, ends the careers of the corrupt, and advances the ball on local issues of significance to our readers, viewers, and listeners. This writer will have a passion for the mission of independent journalism that is essential in our communities and serve and will understand the value of creating a space for civil dialogue that leads to solutions.

Reinvigorating local, regional, and national opinion – that is deeply reported and moves at the speed of news – is a central piece of Gannett’s transformation plan to engineer a sustainable business model, providing our readers with the information they need to make informed decisions about their communities and critical issues.

The person in this role must be focused on outcomes and impact. As a columnist, you should be comfortable with using data to help you understand what the audience needs and wants, and whether your approach is working to expand the reach of your journalism. In this role, you will have the opportunity to make a real difference in your community and across the country. You will be able to use your voice to raise awareness of critical issues, to challenge the status quo, and to inspire change. You will also be part of a team of talented journalists who are passionate about their work and committed to public service. This role reports directly to the Deputy Opinion Editor for Gannett.

This full-time role runs from January 2, 2024, to December 27, 2024, and will pay $38.46 per hour. The start date can be flexible for the right candidate.

This is a remote position, and you can be based in any state except for Alaska and Hawaii. If you are looking for your next challenging and rewarding career move, we encourage you to apply for this position.

Responsibilities: 

• Research and Analysis: Stay well-informed about the latest developments in the 2024 election, including candidates, policy positions, campaign strategies, and major events.
• Conduct in-depth research to support your opinions.
  Column Writing: Write compelling, thought-provoking opinion columns regularly, offering a fresh perspective and informed commentary on various aspects of the election. Your columns should be engaging, well-researched, and articulate your viewpoint clearly.
• Editorial Calendar: Contribute to the creation of an editorial calendar focused on the 2024 election, ensuring that your columns align with important election-related milestones and issues.
• Collaboration: Collaborate with other members of the editorial team, including reporters and editors, to provide a comprehensive and balanced coverage of the election.
• Social Media Presence: Maintain an active and engaging social media presence, sharing your columns, and participating in online discussions related to the 2024 election.

Requirements:

• Has proven experience in a digital news environment filing accurate, concise, and clean copy on deadline.
• Has a robust understanding of what’s happening in politics and across the country to create conversation-starting journalism.
• Is infinitely curious and always has a story idea ready to go.
• Can manage time wisely, balancing short-turn stories with deeper investigations.
• Enjoys collaborating with editors and writers across the network on breaking news and special packages.
• Ensures our coverage includes a diversity of ideas, perspectives, and voices.
• Upholds Gannett’s standards of journalistic rigor, accuracy, and fairness.
• Will have a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
• Employment is contingent on passing a post-offer pre-employment background check.

Application Instructions:

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

1. Your resume – one to two pages. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job. Links to 3-6 online samples of your work.
2. Show us what you’ve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.
3. It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.

For more information click here.