Washington Bureau Chief
Job Description:
The Boston Globe is looking for a Washington Bureau Chief to oversee a team of four accomplished reporters in a bureau well-known for its strong, enterprising work. In the past, the Globe has won two Pulitzer Prizes for Washington coverage, and has recently won the prestigious Toner Prize for national political reporting.
Boston and Washington have a deeply symbiotic relationship. The airline shuttles that go back and forth every hour were filled, pre-pandemic, with people shaping national policy and politics. Our leaders often figure prominently in presidential campaigns, hold positions of authority on Capitol Hill, serve as cabinet secretaries, and have outsized roles in the lobbying, public strategy, and communication shops that drive so much of DC life. Our policies are frequently the foundation for national debates. Our readers are sophisticated and politically savvy, and as such, take Washington coverage seriously. So do we.
So we're not here to simply mimic the wire services with cookie-cutter coverage of the story of the day. Rather, we break free of the press pack and drive thoughtful, enterprising coverage on the newsiest topics, while striving to break news that is important to our readership. We care deeply about higher education policies in Washington, innovation, life sciences. But we also understand that our readers value the Globe's reporting and perspective on national politics.
Responsibilities:
- We are looking for a journalist with an impeccable sense of story, an understanding of Washington or at least of politics, the confidence to stray from the beaten path of coverage, and proven editing and/or writing ability. We assume this person will have at least ten years of journalism experience, not necessarily in Washington. Management experience is a strong plus. We are open and even encouraging of the bureau chief writing their own stories and reported analyses.
- The Washington Bureau Chief will direct our Washington report, work regularly with editors in Boston, guide our DC-based reporters and recruit diverse talent.
- The candidate needs to be an organized manager who keeps budgets updated and stories on deadline. The Chief must believe deeply in the Globe’s commitment to diversity and inclusiveness both in our coverage and the workplace.
- This position will be based in the Globe's Washington, D.C., bureau and include occasional visits to the Globe's home office in Boston.
Qualifications:
- A decade or more of experience in journalism, a good part of that involving political reporting and/or editing. Management experience is a plus.
- A collegial approach to management to inspire the best work from a highly collaborative team of reporters.
- A willingness to adapt, be audience focused with a curious mindset and committed to creating an inclusive work environment.