The Oregonian is seeking a lead state politics and government reporter to cover our governor, Legislature and other state politics and government powerbrokers, keeping an eye on the real-world implications of policy and spending choices on Oregonians. As a member of our highly collaborative politics team, this reporter will break news on a competitive statewide beat while also preparing frequent weekend take-outs on key contests, personalities, trends, failings and successes.
We are looking for a profoundly curious person with experience and skills to develop deep and diverse sourcing. The ideal candidate will bring an enterprise-driven approach to the beat, with the skill and energy to deliver hard-hitting agenda-setting coverage on a regular basis.
The reporter should have a track record of, or demonstrated interest in, shining a light on the influence of powerful interests in shaping politics and government. They will pay particular attention to opportunities for state government to do better by those with the least political power.
The reporter will be expected to:
- Become the authority on state government including deep expertise on state budgets, legislative processes and state politics and government data sources (such as campaign finance and lobbying databases).
- Work collaboratively with other reporters in beats including education, homelessness and business to uncover news and report on ongoing issues.
- Provide unrivaled coverage of primary and general election campaigns, including for governor and secretary of state, parsing policy differences, campaign finance and voter turn-out.
- Publicly represent The Oregonian/OregonLive in limited situations, including political debates and possibly on national news programs as an expert on Oregon politics and government.
- Regularly file public records requests and generally seek the transparency necessary to hold powerful leaders accountable.
The reporter will be expected to consistently elevate the voices of people of color, those navigating poverty or disability or others rarely heard by those in power or reflected in news coverage.
A candidate who can speak Spanish or another world language spoken widely in Oregon (such as Mandarin, Vietnamese or Russian) fluently enough to do interviews and write stories would be considered a tremendous asset, and we will ensure the skill is used meaningfully. We will also give extra consideration to candidates with advanced data analysis skills.
The ideal candidate will have:
- Degree in Journalism, Communications or related field are a plus, or commensurate experience.
- Minimum of 2 years of journalism experience with a proven ability for clear, engaging writing, fresh story framing and diverse sourcing
- Excellent time management skills with ability to work under tight deadlines when needed
- Skill at using social media and digital platforms to drive traffic and engage readers, including experience with search engine optimization practices
- Ability to take photos, video and audio on assignment as needed
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