Apprentice Social Engagement Editor

News UK; City Of London; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading media organization in London is offering an Apprenticeship for a Social Engagement Editor. This is a two-year program where apprentices will gain practical experience in engaging with audiences through social media and editorial tasks. The ideal candidate will have a passion for journalism and social media, and will receive mentoring from experienced professionals in the industry. Competitive pay above living wage is offered along with full training and an NCTJ Diploma in journalism.

Benefits

Maternity and paternity leave

Private medical insurance

Discounted gym memberships

Generous pension scheme

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Qualifications

• Willingness to take on various tasks as needed.
• Ability to work under pressure while maintaining high standards.
• Understanding of The Sun brand and audience.

Responsibilities

• Support editorial tasks related to social media engagement.
• Curate and edit content for social platforms.
• Report to the Head of Social Media.
• Assist in managing competition and reader awards.

Skills

Knowledge of social media platforms

Strong communication skills

Problem-solving abilities

Teamwork

Organizational skills

Education

NCTJ Diploma in journalism (provided during apprenticeship)

Job description

Overview

Apprentice Social Engagement Editor - The Sun • Duration: 2 Year Apprenticeship • Start Date: January 2026 • Location: London • Hours: Shift Patterns and 1 in 2 weekends

The Sun is the most popular newsbrand in the UK, reaching 38.2 million people a month across digital and print. The Sun is at the heart of the nation’s conversation, blending serious investigations, agenda-setting campaigns, political scoops and celebrity gossip. More than a newspaper. The Sun is an instigator, an entertainer, a cultural reference point, a finger on the pulse, a daily relationship. We have a talented, diverse team who publish the best coverage of news, sport, lifestyle and showbiz in print and digital.

The team

Our hugely successful, award-winning Audience Development team sits at the core of our publishing operation and is constantly evolving, growing new audiences, and building engagement and loyalty with our readers.

The role

As a Social Engagement Apprentice at The Sun you will support editorial, creative and admin tasks, all with user interaction at heart. On a day-to-day basis you’ll be expected to create engaging polls to canvas opinions across a broad range of subjects, from hard news and money matters, to popular TV shows such as I’m A Celebrity. Our users love telling us what they think - and across the business we use the insights to better understand our audience and meet their needs. Beyond polls, you will also be expected to manage competitions, help with score predictors, assist with reader awards, support marketing initiatives, and work on commercial campaigns. During your apprenticeship you will receive mentoring and coaching bespoke to you and delivered by some of the most experienced and journalists in the industry. At the end of the 2 year program you’ll complete your apprenticeship with great experiences, knowledge and network in journalism.

Being an apprentice at The Sun

Being an apprentice at The Sun is a gateway to a great career in journalism. During your time with us you will earn above living wage, get full training, 4 days a week with The Sun and 1 day a week studying – including an NCTJ Diploma in journalism – with all your course fees paid. You will also receive mentoring from the industry’s best, as well as any other equity you might need to fulfil your full potential.

Day-to-day responsibilities

• Report to the Head of Social Media
• Play a key role in the ongoing development and execution of The Sun's social media and engagement strategy including the transformation of our video distribution strategy
• Curate content from across to satisfy a growing range of audience demographics
• Edit and maintain The Sun’s social media channels to a high standard in close conjunction with the rest of the team
• Curate, edit and distribute our vast range of newsletters every week to our loyal subscribers including implementing new growth strategies
• Contribute to The Sun’s adoption of emerging social platforms and tools, and take responsibility for the growth of The Sun’s new social channels
• Work directly with editorial, digital, video, picture, design, commercial and marketing teams, ensuring their respective demands are met
• As a team, ensure the newsroom has sufficient insight to produce stories and take responsibility for their subsequent distribution on social media channels and subscribers. Focus on targets and be clear on what is required in order to meet them
• Work flexibly, including early morning, evening and weekend shifts, (currently hybrid WFH and office)

What we are looking for

• Wide knowledge of social media platforms and current affairs
• Strong knowledge of the value newsletters and engagement tools provide
• Unflappable under pressure and delivering work at a consistently high standard
• Proactive and display a willingness to take on any task
• Positive attitude and great team player
• Take initiative in order to achieve desired results
• Organised and a good problem-solver, able to eliminate obstacles through creative and adaptive approaches
• Can demonstrate an understanding of the The Sun brand and audience, both print and digital

Application Process

Online Application > Google Meet Interview > Assessment Centre

As part of the Online Application process, we would like you to provide answers to the following 3 questions:

• Briefly introduce yourself and tell us why you’re interested in pursuing a career in the apprenticeship you’ve applied to?
• What interests you about the company you are applying to and suggest one improvement you would make to the content?
• Describe a learning curve you recently navigated. Outline the steps you took, the challenges you faced and what the outcome was.

About News UK and Benefits

We are News UK: One of the leading media businesses in the UK and Ireland. Our newsbrands include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun, The Sun on Sunday and The TLS. Our national broadcast brands include talkSPORT, Times Radio, Talk and Virgin Radio UK, and we have market-leading local radio stations across Ireland. Our world-famous brands provide news, analysis, opinion and entertainment to almost 40 million people each month. Spanning print and pixel, audio and video, events and experiences, our multiplatform brands are home to a plurality of opinion, representing the diverse communities we serve. News UK is wholly owned by News Corp.

Life at News

Driven by passion, guided by principles and acting with purpose. We represent, reflect and reach the nation, telling the stories that matter. We inform our audiences so that they can make decisions based on trusted information.

We represent, reflect and reach the nation, telling the stories that matter most. To ensure these stories resonate with as broad an audience as possible, it is essential that our organisation reflects the diversity of the people we reach. Whether through age, gender, ethnicity, disability, social class or sexuality, we are committed to representing the rich variety of voices that make up our society. And we champion a culture where everyone has the opportunity to contribute and thrive as we continue to innovate and drive long term sustainable growth. This is done through our Diversity Strategy.

At News UK, we take pride in our exceptional employee-led networks that bring together individuals with shared interests and create a vibrant sense of community. We believe our networks play a vital role in fostering a collaborative and supportive work culture at News UK. Groups that we support include the African & Caribbean Network, Parents and Carers, and LGBTQ+ group News Is Out, and the Apprentice Society.

Benefits

• Maternity leave up to 18 weeks full basic salary & paternity leave up to 2 weeks
• Wide range of training available, plus full LinkedIn Learning access
• Private medical insurance including coverage for pre-existing conditions
• Discounted gym memberships, free ClassPass at Home, weekly virtual yoga classes
• ‘Bikes for Work’ and ‘Electric Car’ scheme
• Up to 60% discount on Harper Collins books
• Access to exclusive events and competitions with exciting brands such as talkSPORT, Virgin Radio UK & The Times. Weekly virtual panel chats with top journalists and celebrities
• Access to wellbeing benefits such as EAP, physio/massage and counselling
• A generous pension scheme with employer contributions of up to 5%
• 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays and up to 4 volunteering days per year

We want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to perform to their best when applying for a role. If you would like to receive any information in a different way or for us to do anything differently to support you apply for any of our roles please contact us on [email protected].