Political Reporter & Editor

Iowa Public Radio; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 56,000 - 71,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan with employer match

Vacation time accrual

Flexible work environment

Job summary

Iowa Public Radio in Des Moines seeks a Political Reporter & Editor to lead state politics coverage across broadcast and digital platforms, guiding teams through elections and caucus cycles. The role blends reporting, editing, and strategic planning for ambitious political storytelling.

The ideal candidate will have deep knowledge of political systems, strong editorial judgment, and the ability to write quickly and clearly while telling compelling stories.

Qualifications

• Five years of experience in professional journalism.
• Understanding of local, state and federal political systems.
• Experience with multimedia platforms (photo, video, and web).
• Experience operating broadcast equipment including audio boards and editing systems (e.g. Adobe Audition).
• A valid state driver’s license and reliable transportation.

Responsibilities

• Lead Iowa Public Radio's political reporting and editing.
• Coordinate broader election coverage strategy with news managers.
• Mentor and guide IPR reporters on political stories.
• Plan and coordinate production of special political projects (stories to podcasts).

Skills

Editorial judgment

Strong writing

Leadership

Multimedia reporting

Tools

Adobe Audition

Audio boards

Field recording units

Digital editing systems

Job description

If you love to follow politics and tell the stories of election campaigns, parties, and voters, we might be looking for you. Iowa Public Radio is hiring a political reporter-editor in our Des Moines newsroom.

You’ll report on state politics for our broadcast and digital platforms and lead our coverage of the Iowa caucuses. In 2028, Iowa will once again kick off the Republican presidential nominating process.

You’ll also work with IPR news managers to coordinate our election coverage strategy, guide other IPR reporters in their work on political stories, and help plan our election night coverage.

This position is based in Des Moines, Iowa’s largest city and part of the fastest-growing metro area in the Midwest. There are lots of places to catch a concert, enjoy a great meal, watch a game, or bike for miles on one of the area’s many trails.

Our ideal candidate is curious, motivated, and has a deep interest in the issues that affect people throughout Iowa. We’re looking for someone with strong editorial judgment and the ability to write quickly and clearly, while telling a good story.

If you’re passionate about impactful journalism, care about ethics and diversity, can handle several things at once and are committed to making great radio, we’d love to hear from you.

We know there are great candidates who might not exactly fit into what we’ve described here or who have important skills we haven’t listed. If that sounds like you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

Iowa Public Radio is a well-respected and thriving non-profit organization. We offer an excellent benefits package,

• health benefits
• a retirement plan with a 2-to-1 employer match
• immediate accrual of vacation (16 hours monthly) and sick (12 hours monthly) time
• and a flexible work environment

ANTICIPATED HIRING RANGE

$56,000 - $71,000

SUMMARY

The Political Reporter & Editor serves as Iowa Public Radio’s lead political reporter, covering races for major statewide and federal offices, including the presidential caucus cycle. This person will help coordinate IPR’s wider coverage of political campaigns and races, and assist in editing IPR reporters’ political reporting. This position will also be responsible for coordination and production of special political projects ranging from stories to podcasts.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Five years of experience working in a professional journalism environment
• An understanding of local, state and federal political systems
• Experience working in multimedia platforms, including photographs, video and web platforms
• Experience operating a variety of broadcast equipment including audio boards, digital editing systems (e.g. Adobe Audition), field recording units, and other production equipment
• A valid state-issued driver’s license and reliable transportation.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Three years of experience in political reporting
• An eye for diverse voices and sources in stories
• Strong writing skills and experience editing the work of other reporters
• Experience as a public radio reporter and/or host
• Firm foundation in journalism ethics, news gathering, and reporting techniques

Employment at Iowa Public Radio is dependent upon successful completion of a criminal background check including a driving record review and reference check.

IPR will accept applications through 5:00 p.m. Friday, September 25, 2026.

OUR VALUES

• Integrity: We maintain the highest standards of journalism, providing trustworthy and relevant content with meaningful context.
• Curiosity: We serve an inquisitive audience by asking questions, seeking knowledge, and exploring new ideas.
• Belonging: We strive to reflect Iowa’s cultural complexity by offering a supportive, equitable space for individuals and communities to tell the stories unique to their lived experiences.
• Respect: We create a culture of respect for our audience, sources, and staff.
• Innovation: We support creativity and embrace new ways of serving our audience.

OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Iowa Public Radio is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin or sex is prohibited. If you believe you have been a victim of discrimination, please notify the appropriate local, state or federal agency.