State Government Reporter Job at Minnpost in Minneapolis

MinnPost is hiring a state government and politics reporter to produce both quick-turn and in-depth enterprise reporting on critical issues affecting people throughout Minnesota.

This reporter will frequently collaborate with the MinnPost audience team and a data journalist. The person in this role will illuminate and explain complex issues in creative ways that will engage audiences, influence public discourse and have real impact on policy and the people working to address a range of challenges our state faces.

We’re looking for someone who is both a self-starter and a great collaborator, a reporter who can pivot quickly to address audience needs, who can go beyond the daily headlines and explain what the news means and who it will affect. By adding context, new voices and perspectives and by uncovering trends and key developments, this writer will improve Minnesotans’ access to high-quality journalism on state government and equip them to make better decisions and engage in policy-making. Through republication partnerships, outside appearances on other media platforms and occasional MinnPost events, this writer’s work will help grow MinnPost’s reach and impact while solidifying our place in the broader Minnesota media ecosystem as the trusted, go-to source for in-depth, explanatory journalism on state government and politics.

The reporter will be based at the Minnesota State Capitol during legislative sessions and will be expected to regularly attend meetings and events in person, developing sources and story ideas through regular engagement with people working both within and outside of state government. The writer will also be expected to regularly engage with colleagues and editors, contributing to a collaborative team keen on ensuring our journalism engages audiences on multiple platforms through great writing, data visualizations and multimedia elements.

Minimum Qualifications

• Outstanding writing and reporting skills
• 3+ years of journalism experience preferred, with at least some experience covering a beat
• Ability to multitask and work on deadline, turning stories quickly to maximize reach and impact
• Data literacy, especially with government data and documents
• Self-starting, proactive attitude and a track record of collaborating with colleagues
• An interest in engagement and willingness to extend reach of core reporting through other formats, including participation in MinnPost events

There are great candidates who might not check all these boxes or who hold important skills we haven’t listed. Don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

To better reflect the communities we serve, we seek to recruit staff members from many backgrounds and with diverse identities. We strongly encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities.

This position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement with TNG-CWA 37002, the Minnesota Newspaper & Communications Guild.

This position’s minimum starting salary is $70,040 for candidates with eight or more years of professional experience, and $64,890 for those with less than eight years of experience. MinnPost employees are eligible for merit increases on an individual basis.

Benefits

• Health insurance (80% for employees / 50% for partners or dependents)
• Dental insurance with employer paying 80% of premiums for employees
• 401(k) dollar-for-dollar employer match up to 3% for all 401(k) contributions or eligible student loan payments
• Monthly phone stipend
• Generous time off: 15 days vacation per year to start, 8 paid holidays, 4 floating holidays, 12 days sick time
• Paid birthing person health leave (100% up to 6 weeks) and paid family leave (100% up to 8 weeks)
• Short-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Options for employee-paid, vision, long-term disability, and supplemental life insurance

We’re committed to maintaining a healthy work-life balance and providing a place for staff to feel supported in their professional growth and achieve ambitious goals.

The priority deadline is February 16. Applications submitted after the priority deadline will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

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