California Political Editor

The Sacramento Bee seeks an experienced, innovative and energetic editor to oversee our team of reporters who deliver exclusive reporting on California politics, public policy and elections. 

There has never been a better time to tackle this job, with California’s wide-open gubernatorial race heating up at the same time Proposition 50 has reshaped mid-term congressional races. Whether it’s overseeing coverage of campaign finance, lobbying, an outgoing governor considered a leading candidate for president, or the Trump administration’s impact on the state’s economy, workforce and demographics, every day will present an opportunity to grow our audience and serve the public — all the reasons you got into journalism.

This editor will oversee our Capitol Bureau, a group of six hard-charging journalists who cover the government of the largest state in the nation and the fourth-largest economy in the world, as well as the California congressional delegation.

Strong candidates will bring fresh ideas on producing a high volume of unique, relevant journalism to build reader loyalty. We’re looking for a leader who understands that building a loyal audience around a topic requires publishing consistently and often.

Our journalism delivers coverage that holds elected officials accountable for their political promises and actions, and explains how California connects with the national political landscape. At all levels, we seek to flip the script on traditional political reporting, generating stories based on issues faced by people in our core audiences — Greater Sacramento, the Central Valley and San Luis Obispo County — rather than letting Washington’s or Sacramento’s agenda drive our decision-making. The bureau includes a “state worker” reporter who writes about issues impacting the roughly 90,000 state employees who live in Sacramento County, as well as reporters who cover the environment, housing and the state’s homeowners’ insurance crisis.

McClatchy Media’s journalists also are expected to take advantage of opportunities to ethically harness and leverage artificial intelligence and other automation to enhance and elevate their work, and to find efficiencies that free their teams to focus on source-building and high-quality, deeply reported journalism.

What you’ll bring

• A sense of urgency, knowing our team competes day-in and day-out with the biggest news brands and top-notch political reporters in the country;
• An ability to shepherd journalists “to meet audiences where they are” both geographically and technologically – and steer them to write about high-impact topics that engage our subscribers and create new ones;
• Strong writing and editing skills, excellent news judgment and a demonstrated ability to “see the story” that is going to matter to readers;
• Experience helping reporters translate arcane government documents, press conferences and hearings into readable English, and then further bringing that information into focus through videos, graphics, maps and alternative story formats;
• Understanding of open records laws and the ability to help reporters file, manage and oversee requests;
• An understanding that our coverage is people-focused, and reaches the people who need it most. This includes everything from interacting with readers through live and virtual events to developing local newsletter and news-alert strategies;
• Experience in obtaining government payrolls, contracts, and campaign-finance records;
• An understanding of digital publishing, online metrics and reader engagement, and how to use these tools to elevate projects and engagement;
• A commitment to representing the diversity of our community in coverage and staff;
• An ability to work across teams, communicating early and often with all newsroom stakeholders;
• A track record for innovation, learning and using new skills and technologies, especially AI;
• Leadership skills that bring the best out of our journalists alike, and have fun in the process. These include strong interpersonal skills, including empathy and the ability to take and give constructive criticism.

What you’ll do

• Oversee reporters covering the Legislature, the governor’s office, the California Congressional Delegation, the “state worker beat,” housing policies, the environment, immigration policy and the economy; 
• Leverage AI tools and platforms to strengthen the team’s reporting while finding efficiencies that expand the sophistication of its work;
• Find creative, audience-focused ways to tell political stories that connect with a wide range of readers;
• Embrace alternative story formats, experimenting with multimedia storytelling and collaborating with colleagues on our visual and data teams;
• Be accurate, fair and unbiased;
• Bring an unflinching focus on our audience, with a commitment to grow readership.

Additional details

Given that the 2026 election cycle is well underway, we will be moving quickly to fill this position.

A degree in journalism or related field and a minimum of eight years of experience in a digitally oriented newsroom is required. Editing experience is preferred, but this role could also be a fit for a longtime reporter who is considering transitioning to an editing role.

This position reports to the Assistant Managing Editor for Politics and Investigations. 

The anticipated base pay range for this position is between $85,000 and $105,000 a year. Individual base pay may vary within that range depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience and relevant education.

To apply, include a persuasive cover letter, your resume and four to six examples of high-quality work by you or teams you’ve managed.

What we’ll bring

Ninety miles northeast of San Francisco and 100 miles southwest of Lake Tahoe, Sacramento is a vibrant capital city with a Mediterranean climate, a world-class food and music scene and numerous recreational opportunities, including the 31-mile American River Trail and 2,000 acres of parkland in the city alone. Our Bee office in East Sacramento lies within two miles of the Capitol, Midtown, Downtown and Golden 1 Center, home of the Sacramento Kings. 

As a journalist at McClatchy, you will join a supportive, flexible, collaborative team. McClatchy strives to be an employer of choice, and our benefits package is made with this goal in mind. With a focus on health, well-being, wealth and daily life, our package options include healthcare coverage for employees and their families, financial protection from expected and unexpected expenses, multiple no-cost wellness resources and even coverage for four-legged friends.

Our overall benefits package also includes a 401(k) with employer match, competitive paid time off and corporate holidays, and a variety of mental health benefits. With an excellent support team and with focus on your well-being as a top corporate strategy, McClatchy provides benefits to support you and your family in achieving your health and wellness goals. For more information on McClatchy's benefit plan, please visit McClatchyLivewell.com.

About the McClatchy Media Company

The McClatchy Media Company features a portfolio of vibrant and trusted news, lifestyle, entertainment brands and a robust retail distribution network. Our iconic local news brands such as the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star and The Sacramento Bee, have collectively earned a total of 57 Pulitzer prizes and are complemented by popular lifestyle and entertainment brands such as Us Weekly and Woman’s World. Together, our brands reach more than 100 million unique visitors a month, The McClatchy Retail Network, our distribution and logistics arm, offers delivery to more than 56,000 retail locations weekly.

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Salary/Compensation: $85,000 - $105,000 per year