Washington Post

National Business Reporter

Washington Post$120K — $180K *
Media
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of relevant journalism experience
  • Strong proficiency in business and financial reporting
  • Demonstrated ability to write clear and engaging articles
  • Experience with collecting and analyzing financial data
  • Excellent interviewing and source-building skills
  • Capacity to work collaboratively across teams
  • Proven track record of accountability journalism

Responsibilities

  • Break news and conduct in-depth reporting on major business topics
  • Examine the interplay between business, politics, and culture
  • Investigate corporate decision-making and influence
  • Develop clear, informative narratives on key business trends
  • Collaborate with reporters for comprehensive coverage
  • Engage audiences across various platforms
  • Utilize financial records to inspire story ideas

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage
  • Company-sponsored pension and 401(k) match
  • Three weeks of vacation plus up to three weeks paid sick leave
  • Nine paid holidays and two personal days
  • 20 weeks of paid parental leave for new parents
  • Robust mental health resources
  • Backup care and concierge services
  • Pet insurance
  • Complimentary digital subscription to The Post
  • Opportunities for leadership and career development
Full Job Description
Application Instructions

Please list all professional experience and explain any gaps in employment history. All of your application materials, which may include PDF files of work samples and/or links to audio, video, photography or graphics, must be uploaded to the field labeled Resume/Cover Letter/Work Samplesto be considered for the position.

Why This Role Matters

The Washington Post is seeking an experienced journalist to provide authoritative coverage of American business, chronicling the companies, industries and leaders helping define our future.

This wide-ranging beat will illuminate how companies and their top executives shape all corners of society - from consumer habits and the future of work and wealth to the economy, government, and culture. This reporter will frequently connect the dots on the biggest news in business and markets, explore the evolving relationship between Washington and business, and scrutinize the role of money and influence in the nation's financial and economic power centers.

We are looking for a journalist with sharp news instincts, a sophisticated understanding of business (including financial data) and an ability to explain what developments mean for Americans' everyday lives. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable breaking news, producing deeply reported enterprise and writing clear, authoritative analysis.

This position is based in our Washington, D.C., newsroom, though exceptional New York-based candidates may also be considered.

What Motivates You:
  • You are fascinated by the companies, industries and leaders shaping the future of the U.S. economy.
  • You are driven to uncover how business influences politics, culture and everyday life.
  • You enjoy explaining complex financial and corporate developments in clear, engaging ways.
  • You thrive on identifying emerging trends before they become conventional wisdom.
  • You are energized by collaborating across disciplines to produce ambitious journalism.


How You'll Support the Mission:
  • Break news and produce enterprise reporting on major companies, industries and business leaders.
  • Cover the intersection of business and government, examining how policy shapes commerce and how business shapes Washington.
  • Follow money, influence and corporate decision-making to produce accountability journalism.
  • Write news stories, reported analysis, profiles and narrative features that illuminate the forces reshaping American business.
  • Use financial data, public filings and other records to strengthen reporting and uncover original story ideas.
  • Collaborate with relevant reporters across the newsroom to deliver comprehensive coverage of consequential developments.
  • Engage audiences across newsletters, social media, video, podcasts, live events and other emerging platforms.


The Skills and Experiences You Bring:
  • A track record of producing impactful, accessible reporting on business, economics, finance or related subjects.
  • Strong news judgment and the ability to identify stories with lasting significance.
  • Experience working with financial data, corporate filings and other business records.
  • Excellent reporting, interviewing and source-building skills.
  • Clear, engaging writing and the ability to explain complex business topics for a broad audience.
  • Experience producing both breaking news and longer-form enterprise.
  • A collaborative mindset and eagerness to work across teams.
  • A commitment to accuracy, fairness and the highest standards of journalism.


Interested candidates should upload a cover letter, résumé and three examples of their work (as PDFs) to our jobs portal. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but those received by Sept. 30 will be prioritized. The cover letter should be addressed to Business & Money Editor Marisa Bellack, Deputy Futures Editor Juliet Eilperin and Futures Editor Zachary Goldfarb.

The starting salary range for this position is $120,000 - $180,000. The actual starting salary within this range will depend on individual skills, experience and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements.

Collaboration makes us stronger. That's why our offices are designed with open layouts, modern technology, and easy access to transportation. With certain exceptions for newsgathering and business travel, we work on-site five days a week.

Compensation and Benefits

Wherever you are in your life or career, The Washington Post offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits for every step of your journey:

  • Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage
  • Company-paid pension and 401(k) match
  • Three weeks of vacation and up to three weeks of paid sick leave
  • Nine paid holidays and two personal days
  • 20 weeks paid parental leave for any new parent
  • Robust mental health resources
  • Backup care and caregiver concierge services
  • Gender affirming services
  • Pet insurance
  • Free Post digital subscription
  • Leadership and career development programs


Benefits may vary based on the job, full-time or part-time schedule, location, and collectively bargained status.

Your story awaits. Apply today!

Learn more about The Post at careers.washingtonpost.com.

About Washington Post

The Washington Post is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most-widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large international audience. Daily broadsheet editions are printed for D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. The newspaper has won the Pulitzer Prize 65 times for its work, the second-most of any publication. It is considered a newspaper of record in the U.S. Post journalists have also received 18 Nieman Fellowships and 368 White House News Photographers Association awards. The paper is well known for its political reporting and is one of the few remaining American newspapers to operate foreign bureaus. The Post was founded in 1877. In its early years, it went through several owners and struggled both financially and editorially. Financier Eugene Meyer purchased it out of bankruptcy in 1933 and revived its health and reputation, work continued by his successors Katharine and Phil Graham, who bought out several rival publications. The Post's 1971 printing of the Pentagon Papers helped spur opposition to the Vietnam War. Subsequently, in the best-known episode in the newspaper's history, reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein led the American press's investigation into what became known as the Watergate scandal, which resulted in the 1974 resignation of President Richard Nixon. The advent of the internet expanded the Post's national and international reach. In October 2013, the Graham family sold the newspaper to Nash Holdings, a holding company owned by Jeff Bezos, for $250 million.
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