Breaking News Politics Reporter (Sacramento Based), The California Post

This is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: The California Post will bring The New York Post’s DNA of powerful, agenda-setting journalism to the West Coast and be a fresh and fearless voice for common sense.

Our focus will also go well beyond hard-hitting news and iconoclastic opinion. The nationally recognized Page Six will bring its sassy and brassy attitude directly to the entertainment capital of the world. The California Post Sports department will deliver muscular coverage of the biggest teams in town, from the locker room to the front office. Our Tech team will reveal the latest innovators and innovations that will shape the nation’s future.

Los Angeles is one of the great cities of the world, and it’s time L.A. – and California at large – had a bold, new voice. The California Post will be that voice. California, here we come!

As part of this bold expansion, we are looking for a Sacramento-based Politics Reporter to join the California Post team.

Reporting into the Politics Editor, the Politics Reporter will cover the fast-moving world of California politics and government, breaking down how decisions in Sacramento, Los Angeles, and beyond impact communities across the state. This role will require a journalist who is quick on their feet, able to dig deep into political stories, and skilled at turning complex policy into sharp, accessible reporting for a wide audience.

The Politics Reporter will be expected to move quickly on breaking stories, build and maintain a strong network of political sources, and balance day-to-day coverage with enterprise and watchdog reporting. This role demands a journalist who is deeply engaged with California’s political landscape, understands all levels of government and knows how to break the stories that matter most to readers.

Application Instructions: Applicants should submit a cover letter or a short video cover letter. If submitting a video, please include a link to the video in your cover letter or as part of an additional document. We do not accept direct video file uploads.

Responsibilities:

• Research, report, and write breaking news and enterprise stories on California politics and the actions of government.
• Cover local and statewide political developments including legislative battles, policy shifts, protests, elections, and key political figures.
• Break exclusive stories and identify fresh angles on widely covered issues.
• Develop and maintain a robust network of political sources, from lawmakers and staffers to advocates and community leaders.
• Monitor political developments in real time, ensuring the California Post is first and authoritative on the biggest stories.
• Analyze and explain how government decisions impact communities across Los Angeles and the state.
• Leverage social media, public records, FOIA requests, and multimedia platforms as reporting tools.
• Monitor and analyze press conferences, legislation, court documents, and other public records.
• File timely updates while also developing in-depth enterprise pieces.
• Collaborate with editors and fellow reporters to shape sharp, fast, and engaging coverage, and provide national context to local political stories.
• Produce fast, accurate copy that captures the nuance of California politics with the Post’s signature voice.

Requirements:

• At least five years of newsroom reporting experience, with a strong focus on Californian politics.
• Proven track record of breaking news, cultivating sources, and producing original, high-impact reporting that advances the story.
• Strong editorial judgment and the ability to move quickly on breaking news without sacrificing accuracy or context.
• Ability to file clean, clear, and engaging copy under tight deadlines, with an eye for both speed and depth.
• Experience leveraging social media, digital tools, and open-source reporting techniques to surface and verify stories.
• Familiarity with FOIA requests, public records, and other accountability reporting methods.
• Comfort analyzing and interpreting polling, election results, budgets, and other datasets to strengthen coverage.
• Proficiency with WordPress or similar CMS platforms is required; data literacy and multimedia familiarity strongly preferred.
• Strong writing and reporting skills are the core of this role. On-camera experience is strongly preferred, as we’re looking for reporters who are comfortable discussing and presenting their stories on video to help extend our journalism across digital and social platforms.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and irregular hours as news demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, with experience working across teams in a digital-first newsroom.

Note: This role will be based in Sacramento, CA.

At The New York Post we recognize that attracting the best talent is key to our strategy and success as a company. As a result, our ranges reflect our good faith estimate to pay fairly as to what our ideal candidates are likely to expect, and we tailor our offers within the range based on the selected candidate's experience, industry knowledge, technical and communication skills, and other factors that may prove relevant during the interview process.

In addition to compensation, the company provides eligible employees a comprehensive and highly competitive benefits package, with a variety of physical health, retirement and savings, caregiving, emotional wellbeing, transportation, and other benefits, including “elective” benefits employees may select to best fit the needs and personal situations of our diverse workforce.

As an equal opportunity employer, the New York Post does not discriminate in hiring or the terms and conditions of employment because of an individual’s race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, citizenship or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. The New York Post will consider the provision of reasonable accommodations to known physical or mental disabilities of otherwise qualified applicants to enable them to participate in our application process and to effectively perform the essential functions of the job, unless doing so would impose an undue financial or operational hardship.