Senior Journalist, Reporting England

BBC Studios Ltd; Bristol; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading broadcasting organization is seeking an experienced Senior Journalist for its team in Bristol. The role involves originating impactful stories, delivering high-quality journalism across digital and broadcast platforms, and reacting to breaking news with tight deadlines. Candidates must possess strong editorial judgement and a familiarity with BBC guidelines. The position offers a competitive salary ranging from £50,000 to £60,000 and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Competitive salary package

Flexible working

25 days annual leave

Defined pension scheme

Discounted dental and health care

Qualifications

• Proven ability to deliver quality content to tight deadlines.
• Detailed knowledge of Editorial Policy and Legal requirements.
• Understanding of how to use current technologies effectively.

Responsibilities

• Deliver original, impactful journalism relevant to a national audience.
• React to breaking news and meet tight deadlines.
• Pitch original stories and ensure smooth rollout across BBC News.

Skills

Editorial judgement

Field production

Story origination

Resource management

Understanding of health and safety procedures

Job description

CONTRACT TYPE: Full-time, 12 Months Fixed Term Contract/Attachment

DEPARTMENT: BBC News

LOCATION: Bristol

PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: £50,000 - £60,000 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

We're happy to discuss flexible working. If you'd like to, please indicate your preference in the application – though there's no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

JRN25

PURPOSE OF ROLE

This is a key role for the Reporting England team, based in Bristol. It requires an experienced Senior Journalist who will be a key part in the delivery of BBC News Content’s very best out of London journalism. With a focus on Digital and Live as well as broadcast output, this Senior Journalist will need a track record of delivering original journalism across platforms and staying on top of developing stories. You will be self-starting with the ability to drive stories on your own as well as when part of a small team.

The successful candidate will be an experienced journalist with top production skills, excellent news sense, a reputation for creative thinking and a thorough grasp of the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and journalism law.

You will have an understanding of how to get excellent original content commissioned within BBC News and the needs of the various audiences that come to BBC News output.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

As part of the UK News Content team, you will particularly focus on identifying stories which connect with underserved audiences and which address the themes and issues that matter to people. The role will also involve working flexibly according to a fast moving and unpredictable news agenda.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT

• Working closely with our correspondents to deliver original, impactful journalism that’s relevant to a national audience.
• Reacting to breaking news to meet tight deadlines across digital, TV and radio and manage competing output demands.
• Pitching original stories and ensuring a coordinated and smooth rollout across BBC News whilst ensuring content is fair and accurate and reflects important issues for audiences in the region and nationally.
• Supports digital output and gets content to as wide an audience as possible by liaising with teams and building relationships across BBC News.
• Collaborates effectively with colleagues in the team, the BBC region and across the wider BBC News teams to enable efficient production and rollout of content breaking stories as needed.
• Willing to be flexible to react to breaking news in an unpredictable and demanding news environment and to travel as necessary.
• Manages resources and technology to deliver quality content in a timely and cost effective manner.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• A high standard of editorial judgement and experience of field production and putting together broadcast packages.
• An in-depth understanding of BBC News Content and output demands and how to deliver quality content to tight deadlines.
• Proven ability to originate impactful stories and ensure a coordinated and smooth rollout across BBC News, with a particular focus on digital output.
• Ability to manage staff and resources as cost effectively as possible and work flexibly as part of a team.
• Detailed knowledge of Editorial Policy and Legal requirements when delivering complex stories.
• Able to maximise current technologies to their fullest to best meet output demands.
• An understanding of health and safety procedures and how they apply to broadcasting.

Disclaimer

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.

Please note: If you were to be offered this role, the BBC will conduct Employment screening checks which include Reference checks; Eligibility to work checks; and if applicable to the role, Safeguarding and Adverse media/Social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.

The BBC is committed to redeploying employees seeking suitable alternative employment within the BBC and they will be given priority consideration ahead of other applicants. Priority consideration means for those employees seeking redeployment their application will be considered alongside anyone else at risk of redundancy, prior to any individuals being considered who are not at risk.

This is your BBC

At the BBC you can create and innovate in an inclusive environment while contributing to some of the world’s best loved content, and the BBC’s mission to inform, educate and entertain.

Find out more about the BBC

Life at BBC

Here you will benefit from:

• Fair pay and flexible benefits including a competitive salary package, a flexible 35-hour working week, 25 days annual leave with the option to buy an extra 5 days, a defined pensions scheme and discounted dental, health care and gym.
• Excellent career and professional development.
• Support in your working life, including flexible working which you can discuss with us at any point during the application, selection or offer.
• A values-based organisation where the way we do things is important as what we do.

Benefits may vary if you are joining on an FTC basis or on an orchestra conditions contract.

Learn more about life at the BBC and our values in our candidate pack.

Candidate pack

You belong

We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, so all our employees feel that they can belong, thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to join us. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.

We welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief.

Find out more about diversity, inclusion and belonging in our strategy below.

Diversity, inclusion & belonging strategy

Disability confident

We are a disability confident employer. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the interview process, or to carry out this role, please contact us via email and we’d be happy to discuss: [e-mail]

BBC Group and Public Services, Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London, United Kingdom, W1A 1AA. BBC Studios Distribution Limited, company no: 01420028, registered address: 1 Television Centre, 101 Wood Lane, London, United Kingdom W12 7FA.