Edinburgh Correspondent – The Herald

Newsquest; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading media outlet is seeking an exceptional journalist for the Edinburgh Correspondent position. The successful candidate will break significant stories and provide in-depth coverage on human interest, politics, and culture in Edinburgh. With responsibilities including building a network of contacts and contributing to multimedia elements, this role requires excellent writing skills and the ability to work under pressure. Benefits include a generous holiday scheme, training opportunities, and various perks including gym membership.

Benefits

25 days holiday + bank holidays + birthday off

Holiday buy scheme

Structured career progression

Pension plan

Gym membership

Retail discounts

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of relevant media Code of Conduct.
• Proven track record of breaking news and delivering exclusives.
• Calm under pressure and highly organised.

Responsibilities

• Break exclusive stories and lead coverage on major issues.
• Build a strong network of contacts across various sectors.
• Produce fast, accurate, and engaging copy.

Skills

Excellent writing and editing skills

Understanding of journalistic principles

Digitally fluent across CMS and social platforms

Strong news judgement and interviewing skills

Education

NCTJ diploma or equivalent

Job description

Edinburgh Correspondent – The Herald

Application Deadline: 3 February 2026

Department: Editorial

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Edinburgh

Reporting To: Catherine Salmond

Description

The Herald is seeking an outstanding journalist to be the next Edinburgh Correspondent, as our current reporter moves on from the role. This is a rare and exciting opportunity for a journalist who knows Scotland’s capital inside out, has a finger on the city’s pulse, and can land agenda‑setting exclusives.

You’ll break big stories and deliver authoritative coverage across human interest, politics, business, culture and community issues, representing The Herald at the heart of Scotland’s decision‑making city.

If you’re digitally focused, confident with multimedia and thrive in a fast‑moving newsroom, we want to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• Break exclusive stories and lead our coverage on the biggest issues in Edinburgh.
• Build and maintain a strong network of contacts across politics, business, culture, public services and communities.
• Produce fast, accurate and engaging copy to deadline, from live breaking news to in‑depth explainers and features.
• Use FOI, data, documents and on‑the‑ground reporting to uncover the stories that others miss.
• File clean copy with sharp headlines and pull‑out lines that drive reader engagement and subscriptions.
• Work closely with editors, photographers and digital producers to package stories for web, app, newsletters, social and alerts.
• Contribute multimedia elements (video, audio, live blogs, social reads) to maximise reach and impact.
• Monitor performance using analytics and iterate coverage based on insight.
• Uphold the highest standards of accuracy, fairness and legality in every story.
• Represent The Herald professionally at events, briefings and in the community.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• NCTJ diploma or equivalent.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, with strong attention to detail.
• A strong understanding of journalistic principles and practices.
• Excellent working knowledge of relevant media Code of Conduct are vital to fulfilling the functions of the role.
• Proven track record of breaking news and delivering exclusives on a competitive patch.
• Digitally fluent across CMS, SEO, analytics, social platforms and multimedia storytelling.
• Confident with live reporting and turning complex subjects into clear, compelling reads.
• Strong news judgement, source‑building and interviewing skills.
• Calm under pressure, highly organised and collaborative, able to own your patch while working as part of a wider newsroom.

Benefits

• 25 days holiday + bank holidays + your birthday off
• Holiday buy scheme for extra flexibility
• Structured career progression & ongoing training
• Pension plan & mental health support
• Perks & discounts including: Gym membership, Cycle to Work scheme, Eye care vouchers (£50 towards glasses), Retail discounts
• Team building days & annual volunteer charity day