Congressional Policy Reporter

POLITICO
Arlington, VA
Posted 

Job Description

Job Description

POLITICO is seeking an ambitious and versatile reporter to cover policy on Capitol Hill, with a broad view across key committees, leadership priorities and the issues shaping Washington’s agenda. This role will place particular emphasis on major economic, health care and technology debates, while remaining flexible enough to shift as Congress’s focus evolves.

This position is designed for a reporter who can zoom out and zoom in: someone who can track a wide range of policy developments across Congress, while also diving deep into the hot issue of the moment — whether that’s a high-stakes fiscal fight, a major health care negotiation or a fast-moving tech policy debate. You’ll work closely with leadership reporters and policy teams across the newsroom, helping connect congressional dynamics with policy substance.

The reporter will also contribute regularly to the Inside Congress newsletter, helping curate and elevate the most important policy developments for Capitol Hill readers who need to know what’s moving — and what it means — in real time.

We’re looking for someone who thrives on breaking news, values collaboration and has strong instincts for storytelling — especially when it comes to the personalities, power struggles and events driving policy outcomes on Capitol Hill.

What You’ll Need

  • A strong grasp of Congress and the legislative process, including key committees and leadership dynamics
  • Experience covering, or a demonstrated ability to quickly master, a range of policy issues — including economic, health care and technology debates
  • The ability to balance broad policy coverage with deeper specialization as issues rise to the top of the Hill agenda
  • A track record of breaking news and delivering sharp, engaging stories on deadline
  • Strong writing skills and an eye for characters, conflict and momentum in policy debates
  • Comfort working collaboratively with leadership reporters and policy teams across POLITICO
  • Interest in helping curate and shape policy coverage for the Inside Congress newsletter
  • Fast, confident news judgment and the ability to pivot as congressional priorities shift

Please submit a resume, one-page beat memo and 3-5 clips.

We value our people. Click here for more on what we offer and what it’s like to work for POLITICO.

Let’s keep in touch. You can view our list of open positions here. We hope to see your application soon!

About Us.

POLITICO illuminates the forces shaping global power. Since 2007, we have delivered intelligence that anticipates tomorrow's headlines, not reports on yesterday's news. As politics has increasingly become the defining force of our era, our work has never been more vital.

Cabinet secretaries and Ministers start their mornings with our analysis. CEOs shape strategy around our reporting. Advocacy leaders rely on our insights to move policy. We deliver the straightforward facts and clear-eyed analysis they need to navigate the most complex political landscape of our lifetimes.

Our 1,100+ publishing professionals across the world's key democratic capitals—Washington, Brussels, London, Paris, Berlin, Sacramento, and New York—form the world's premier politics and policy newsroom. We tell the story of how power really works by explaining who wields it and how they plan to exercise it, connecting dots others miss and delivering scoops from sources others don't even know exist.

Innovation has always been a core tenet of our story. At launch, we bet that depth would trump scale, that talent would trump traffic, and that politics would become central to modern life. In 2011, we made another bet and launched POLITICO Pro to help decision-makers understand the business of government, transforming both how they shape government action and the business of journalism itself.

These bets have made POLITICO the most successful digital news startup of its generation and the indispensable resource for leaders who shape the future. Today, we are a rarity in media: a growing, profitable, and sustainable news organization.

POLITICO is a subsidiary of Axel Springer SE, a family-owned transatlantic media company headquartered in Berlin and New York. Axel Springer is dedicated to shaping the future of journalism in the free world, believing that a free and informed society is essential to democracy. The company’s guiding principles - first articulated as The Essentials by founder Axel Springer in the aftermath of World War II - remain a cornerstone of the company’s foundation today. Learn more about Axel Springer.

Posting Date

2026-02-06

Title

Congressional Policy Reporter