KFF

KFF is the leading health policy organization in the U.S. As a one-of-a-kind information organization, we bring together substantial capabilities in policy research, polling, and journalism in one organization to meet the need for a trusted, independent source of information on national health issues—one with the scope and reach to be a counterweight to health care’s vested interests and a voice for people. We have five major program areas: policy analysis, polling, journalism, public health information campaigns, and health misinformation and trust.

KFF is not a foundation and has no connection to Kaiser Permanente. Legally, we are a public charity (an endowed national nonprofit organization). We are headquartered in San Francisco with a building in Washington, DC, conference centers in both offices, and staff members in almost every state.

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced reporter with a strong interest in health policy and politics to produce stories for both California and national audiences, working as part of our California Healthline team. We want someone who has a handle on Sacramento, including the governor’s office, the legislature, agencies, lobbyists, and advocates. We want someone who is innately curious about how policies get made and how they impact people’s lives.

We want a critical thinker with sharp news judgment and clear writing skill to pursue stories that resonate, have impact, and add to public conversations around health care access and affordability. We want someone who routinely breaks news, tackles accountability pieces, and is enterprising enough to do quick investigations, too.

Your job is to understand and make sense of California’s most pressing health issues — and turn that knowledge into relatable stories for a general audience.

You’ll be part of an ambitious newsroom of more than 80 collegial journalists. We have reporters and editors spread across the United States who will share ideas and collaborate with you. Your work will reach statewide and national audiences. We pay well and our benefits are unparalleled.

We want a person based in Sacramento. An exception might be made for someone from another part of California with sources and a deep knowledge of health policy and state politics.

Minimum Desired Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• 5 years reporting, health and/or political experience preferred
• Maintain high-quality work while juggling a mix of quick-turns and enterprise assignments
• Ability to translate health policy into people-centered storytelling and tackle accountability pieces and investigations
• Generate story ideas, turn assignments around in a timely fashion, and hand in clean copy
• Collaborate throughout the newsroom and with partner news organizations
• A plus for a Spanish speaker or someone who can speak a second language common in California
• Authorization to work in the United States

The preceding position description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

More about KFF Health News and KFF:

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. With a staff of 80 reporters, editors, web producers, and photographers/videographers in more than 20 states including California, DC, Georgia, Missouri, Colorado, and Montana, plus dozens more freelance columnists, animators, web developers, photographers, and videographers around the nation, KFF Health News is committed to in-depth reporting on health policy news. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KFF Health News is one of the three major operating programs at KFF. KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation. KFF serves as a nonpartisan source of facts, information, and analysis for policymakers, the media, the health care community, and the public. It has no connection with Kaiser Permanente.

KFF Health News provides this coverage on kffhealthnews.org as well as in partnership with other news organizations, including NPR, The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, CNN, NBC, and a host of other media outlets. KFF Health News has won numerous journalism awards for its coverage. All material is provided free of charge. In addition to publishing in-depth articles on new developments in the health care system and on national and local health care initiatives and debates, KFF Health News also produces daily briefings summarizing news coverage of health policy. For more than a decade, these reports have provided readers with daily updates on how the media are covering U.S. health care policy.

Compensation

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications. Compensation includes an outstanding benefits package equivalent in value to approximately fifty percent of base salary including a generous and immediately vested defined contribution plan and 100% employer paid premium health coverage.

The annual salary range for the California Correspondent position is between $80,000 and $95,000. Offers are based on the candidate's years of experience and KFF’s practice of upholding salary equity. Our job titles and salary ranges may span more than one career level, and the salary offered to a candidate will be determined based on factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the position, job-related knowledge and skill set, depth of experience, certifications and/or degrees, and our practice of upholding salary equity within the organization.

How to Apply

If this opportunity interests you, and you have the requisite experience and qualifications, please click the button to apply.

KFF has an efficient applicant review process and will contact candidates who have applied for this position and whose qualifications most closely fit the criteria for the job. No phone inquiries please.

We are a vaccinated workplace.

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Inclusion Statement

It is the policy of KFF to actively promote a diverse and inclusive workplace in every respect, and to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees in every phase of employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender-identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, political affiliation, arrest or conviction records, or other categories protected under the law.