West Coast Bureau Chief, The Christian Science Monitor - California

Christian Science

9d • $100,541 - $130,702 • Remote

About The Position

The West Coast Bureau Chief works with the National news editors and fellow correspondents to cover the nation's largest state economy, including the innovation hub of Silicon Valley. This beat also includes writing about AI, immigration, politics, climate change, disaster management, water, and farming, among other issues. It will also involve some travel for regional reporting assignments as needed. The incumbent works as part of the U.S. news desk, shaping coverage of for our daily digital offerings as well as our print magazine. The West Coast Bureau Chief approaches this regional beat with curiosity and open-mindedness and a willingness to set aside personal bias or prevailing consensus. The bureau chief reviews and selects pitches based on rigorous journalistic principles, and treats all points of view with diligent inquiry and respect. The incumbent prizes original reporting and builds stories that promote calm over fear and insight over assumption. A Monitor journalist depicts the subject of the story fairly and without embellishment, and eschews advocacy. The Monitor equips the reader to reach his or her own well-reasoned conclusions. The bureau chief strives to uphold The Christian Science Monitor's founding mission “to spread undivided the Science that operates unspent,” and its object “to injure no man but to bless all mankind.” That includes hewing to our five operational guidelines: Bring a healing, purifying thought to many homes. We counteract cynicism about news and humanity by upholding a higher standard of both. Get above the fray. Because we're owned by a church, we're free from corporate and political interests. Cover the day's vital global news. We provide a trustworthy and concise compilation for our thoughtful, busy readers. Investigate ideals and endeavors, not just events. We keep abreast of the times by recognizing key currents of thought and their impact. Be clean, family-friendly, and non-sensational. We are “a newspaper for the home.”

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree plus a masters in journalism or equivalent in newspaper experience (3-5 years on average) is required.
• Reads widely, deeply, and regularly for subject knowledge and breadth of perspectives
• Demonstrates strong reporting instincts and discernment, persistence, and professionalism in getting to the most valuable sources
• Shows a mastery of both deadline writing and in-depth pieces, including features
• Practices editorial rigor resulting in strong story angles and incisive, energetic writing
• Embraces a culture of feedback
• Understands, respects, and consistently applies Monitor style and language sensitivities.
• Engages collaboratively with editors and other writers
• Communicates effectively with editors and, when needed, senior management
• Has a keen understanding of how democratic institutions work and relate to each other within the constitutional structure
• Experience with EZ Publish, social media platforms.

Responsibilities

• Conceptualize distinctly Monitor stories, in line with the five points above
• Demonstrate strong judgment about when and where to travel, how to make the most of a trip, and good budgeting skills
• Collaborate with other writers within and outside the pod as needed for more in-depth stories.
• Collaborate with pod editors throughout the editing and fact-checking process.
• Respond to breaking news stories, while also showing mastery of features, focus-length pieces, and cover stories.
• Produce quality work at a consistent pace: Deliver an average of 6-8 stories a month at the requested length and by the agreed-upon deadline.
• Respond to reader feedback in a timely and respectful fashion.
• Responsibly manage bureau finances, including filing expenses promptly and according to established procedures.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level