Deputy Opinion Editor

MediaNews Group•San Jose, CA

1d•$80,000 - $85,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Bay Area Newspaper Group is seeking an experienced opinion journalist to serve as deputy opinion editor for The East Bay Times and The Mercury News. This is an opportunity to contribute thoughtful analysis and persuasive commentary on regional and statewide issues, helping shape public discourse and policy. Our opinion editors have been recognized for some of California’s best editorial and column writing, receiving more than 20 awards since 2010 from the California News Publishers Association and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Northern California chapter. They also contributed to the East Bay Times coverage that won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting. Our editorials generally advocate for progressive social issues and fiscal responsibility, including support for police reform, government transparency, public employee pension reform, environmentally sound water policy, utility accountability, and privacy protections in the tech industry. This hybrid role is based in the East Bay. Candidates must live in or be willing to relocate to the area.

Requirements

Five or more years of experience in a professional newsroom.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
Strong editing skills, including knowledge of AP style and attention to detail.
Working knowledge of Bay Area, California, national, and global current events.
Experience analyzing public policy and interviewing public officials or political candidates.
Background in reporting, opinion writing, and editing.

Nice To Haves

Experience writing or editing opinion content is preferred.
Familiarity with East Bay and California issues is a plus.

Responsibilities

Write editorials and opinion columns focused on regional and statewide issues.
Edit local commentary submissions, syndicated op-eds, and staff opinion content.
Perform backreading of letters to the editor to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to standards.
Participate in editorial board discussions and contribute to the development of editorial positions.
Analyze public policy across areas such as education, crime, taxation, land use, housing, and transportation at multiple levels of government.
Maintain an informed interest in politics, public policy, and current events affecting the East Bay and California.
Collaborate with editors, writers, and leadership to produce the daily opinion report for print and digital platforms.