📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Staff Writer, Tax and Economic Policy
🔹 Company: FiscalNote
🔹 Location: Washington, DC
🔹 Job Type: Full Time Employee
🔹 Category: Journalism
🔹 Date Posted: July 17, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Covering tax and economic policy for CQ Roll Call
- Writing clear and concise stories under tight deadlines
- Collaborating with a team to provide comprehensive coverage
- Building sources within Congress, federal agencies, and advocacy groups
- Contributing to newsletters and participating in company events
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong understanding of Congress, the executive branch, and tax policy. The ideal candidate will have experience covering these areas and be able to write engaging stories that connect policy to people.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ File daily stories about tax and economic policy, focusing on legislative, regulatory, and presidential actions
✅ Contribute to daily newsletters focused on budget and fiscal policy
✅ Track legislative actions, including congressional committee markups and votes
✅ Build and maintain sources within Congress, federal agencies, and advocacy groups
✅ Collaborate with the team to cover fast-moving stories on Capitol Hill
✅ Participate in company-sponsored webinars and events
ASSUMPTION: This role involves a high degree of collaboration and teamwork. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working with others to provide comprehensive coverage of the policy landscape.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Political Science, or a related field
Experience: 5+ years of experience covering Congress, federal agencies, or a state legislature for news organizations. Congressional experience is strongly recommended, as well as experience covering tax and economic policy.
Required Skills:
- Proven ability to write clear and concise stories under tight deadlines
- Strong knowledge of Congress, the executive branch, and tax policy
- Ability to build and maintain sources within Congress, federal agencies, and advocacy groups
- Collaboration and teamwork skills
- Ability to mine campaign finance and lobbying records for stories
Preferred Skills:
- Familiarity with data analysis tools
- Ability to create narrative stories that connect policy to people
- Experience with legislative tracking software
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have a strong background in journalism and a deep understanding of the policy-making process. They will be able to write engaging stories that connect policy to people and provide context for a sophisticated audience.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $70,000 - $80,000 annually
Benefits:
- Competitive salaries
- Retirement accounts
- Equity packages
- Comprehensive benefits packages
Working Hours: Full-time, with a standard workweek of 40 hours
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is based on industry standards for a staff writer role with 5-10 years of experience in Washington, DC.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Media and Journalism
Company Size: 11-50 employees (Small to Medium-sized company)
Founded: 2021 (Relatively new company)
Company Description:
- FiscalNote is a leader in policy and global intelligence, providing critical insights and tools to help organizations stay ahead of political and business risk.
- Home to CQ, FrontierView, VoterVoice, and many other industry-leading brands, FiscalNote helps organizations make informed decisions.
- FiscalNote is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive hiring process, providing reasonable accommodations for persons with medical conditions or disabilities.
Company Specialties:
- Policy and global intelligence
- Media and journalism
- Data and technology
Company Website: FiscalNote
ASSUMPTION: FiscalNote is a growing company with a focus on providing valuable insights to its clients. This role offers the opportunity to work in a dynamic environment and contribute to the company's growth.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Experienced (5-10 years of experience)
Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the editor-in-chief of CQ Roll Call.
Work Arrangement: On-site, with a standard workweek of 40 hours
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to advance to a senior writer or editor role
- Opportunity to contribute to company-sponsored webinars and events
- Chance to work on special projects and investigations
ASSUMPTION: This role offers opportunities for growth and development within the company. The ideal candidate will be eager to take on new challenges and contribute to the company's success.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: On-site, with a standard workweek of 40 hours
Office Location(s): Washington, DC
Geographic Context:
- Washington, DC is the political and legislative hub of the United States
- The city offers a vibrant cultural scene and numerous historical sites
- The cost of living in Washington, DC is relatively high compared to other cities in the United States
Work Schedule: Standard workweek of 40 hours, with flexibility for breaking news and deadlines
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in a fast-paced, on-site environment and be able to adapt to changing deadlines and breaking news.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Submit application through the provided link
- Complete a timed writing test and a test of congressional knowledge
- Participate in interviews with the team
Key Assessment Areas:
- Writing ability and style
- Knowledge of Congress, the executive branch, and tax policy
- Collaboration and teamwork skills
- Ability to build and maintain sources
Application Tips:
- Submit 5 writing samples published in newspapers, news websites, or news magazines
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills
- Prepare for the timed writing test and test of congressional knowledge
ATS Keywords: Tax policy, economic policy, legislative tracking, source development, data analysis, narrative storytelling, concise writing, collaboration, deadline management, Congress knowledge, IRS knowledge, Treasury Department knowledge, political analysis, contextual reporting, stakeholder engagement, campaign finance, lobbying records
ASSUMPTION: The application process for this role is competitive and requires a strong writing sample and demonstration of relevant experience and skills.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Legislative tracking software (e.g., CQ's legislative tracking tools)
- Data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, SQL)
- Content management systems (e.g., WordPress)
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will be comfortable using legislative tracking software and data analysis tools to inform their reporting.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Know your audience
- Find the truth
- Drive alignment
- Level up
- Own the job
- Bias for action
- Support the family
Work Style:
- Fast-paced and collaborative environment
- Focus on providing clear and concise information to a sophisticated audience
- Opportunities for growth and development within the company
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do you have a strong understanding of Congress, the executive branch, and tax policy?
- Are you comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment?
- Do you have experience building and maintaining sources within Congress, federal agencies, and advocacy groups?
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and have a strong understanding of the policy-making process.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Working in a fast-paced, on-site environment with tight deadlines
- Covering breaking news and developing enterprise stories
- Building and maintaining sources within Congress, federal agencies, and advocacy groups
- Adapting to changes in the policy landscape and legislative agenda
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and be able to adapt to changes in the policy landscape and legislative agenda.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- This role is similar to other staff writer positions, but with a focus on tax and economic policy
- Unlike other roles, this position requires a strong understanding of Congress, the executive branch, and tax policy
- This role offers opportunities for growth and development within the company
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have experience covering tax and economic policy and be comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
📝 Sample Projects
- Covering a major tax reform bill, including legislative tracking, source-building, and enterprise reporting
- Investigating the impact of a new economic policy on a specific industry or community
- Analyzing campaign finance records to uncover trends and stories of interest to stakeholders on and off Capitol Hill
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have experience covering tax and economic policy and be comfortable working on enterprise projects and investigations.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the biggest challenges facing the tax and economic policy beat currently?
- How does this role fit into the broader coverage of CQ Roll Call?
- What opportunities are there for growth and development within the company?
- What is the team's approach to collaboration and source-building?
- How does the company support work-life balance for its employees?
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will be curious and engaged, asking thoughtful questions about the role and the company.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through the provided link
- Upload 5 writing samples published in newspapers, news websites, or news magazines
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills
- Prepare for the timed writing test and test of congressional knowledge
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to confirm receipt and express your interest in the role
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
