Assistant Editor, College Journalism Network

Do you want to help shape the future of California journalism by mentoring a new, diverse generation of reporters? The CalMatters College Journalism Network (CJN) is looking for an experienced editor who can work with our team of student reporters to craft compelling stories about how higher education policy affects students across California.

Launched in 2020, the CJN is known for its innovative, collaborative reporting model. We recruit student journalists to participate as paid Fellows in one of the two sessions we host each year in the spring and fall. The students cover higher education from the ground up, while the CJN program provides training to students, particularly those from backgrounds underrepresented in newsrooms. Our stories are published by CalMatters and shared with our 200 media partners throughout the state.

You will report to our managing editor and work with our assistant editor for higher education coverage. You will also manage a part time program manager who is available to help with student instruction and training, recruiting and editing. In the near future, we plan to add an additional editor(s) so we can expand the number of students served by CJN.

Here's what we're looking for:

A capable and insightful editor with experience in both long- and short-form journalism, who can help take our student fellows' work from good to outstanding. Can you whittle down a 3,000-word opus to a pithy 1,500 words? Talk a student through an encounter with a nervous source or a quest for public records? That's the skillset we're looking for. You should be well-versed in the possibilities of digital media; bonus points for multimedia skills (audio, video, data, graphics), investigative reporting chops and/or experience working with student journalists.

A strong believer in elevating student voices, within both our coverage and our mini-newsroom. Our reporting process is collective, driven by the fellows' interests and expertise about their own campuses. We're looking for an empathetic player-coach who will help build the CJN community and serve as a mentor for our fellows.

Responsibilities include:

• Run a team of student reporters - hosting weekly meetings, developing story ideas and coaching fellows through the reporting process
• Edit stories produced by your team, packaging them and publishing them in our WordPress system
• Set editorial direction for the network in collaboration with the program manager and, in the future, other CJN editors.
• Mentor fellows, ensuring that they are on track to reach their goals and feel supported
• Work with CalMatters' data, graphics, photography and social media teams to produce the best presentations for the biggest audiences
• Plan training for fellows in higher education policy; California politics; reporting, writing and production skills; and navigating the news industry. Identify relevant topics and communicate with guest speakers.
• Organize and manage other duties related to building the network. These include recruiting new fellows or appearing in public to discuss our work.

This editor may be based anywhere in California, with occasional visits to our Sacramento headquarters as needed.

CalMatters, launched eight years ago, is an award-winning nonprofit, nonpartisan news venture dedicated to explaining the policy and politics of America's biggest state and the world's fifth largest economy. We produce vivid, original journalism and data-driven news analyses and watchdog reporting that's distributed on calmatters.org and to more than 250 media outlets statewide.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $90,000 to $110,000 per year; higher compensation may be available for someone with advanced skills and/or experience.

CalMatters offers a complete benefits package with medical, dental and vision insurance - we cover 90% of the cost for employees and 70% for dependents - from a range of HMO and PPO providers. We'll match contributions of up to 4% of your salary to our 401(k) program, provide life insurance at no cost, and give you an allowance for personal use of your cell phone and a budget for professional development opportunities like classes and conferences.

We are an expanding and collaborative newsroom, successfully forging a new model for sustainable, intelligent, nonprofit journalism. We're committed to reflecting the people of the state we serve and especially encourage members of underrepresented communities to apply. If you're interested, please provide a resume, work samples and a cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.