Journalist : EXTEND

BBC; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent media organization is seeking a motivated online journalist to help shape its digital agenda. Located in Ipswich, the successful candidate will produce compelling local news content and engage diverse audiences through innovative storytelling. Essential criteria include strong editorial judgement, the ability to write concise copy quickly, and familiarity with social media. This role includes weekend and flexible working options, providing a dynamic environment for a driven individual eager to make an impact.

Qualifications

• Sound editorial judgement under pressure.
• Ability to write clean, accurate and concise copy.
• Familiarity with social media in a news context.
• Strong media law knowledge, including court and inquest coverage.
• Keen eye for imagery and basic photo editing.

Responsibilities

• Produce local news content for the BBC website.
• Originate and produce stories for digital and audio platforms.
• Collaborate with colleagues for multi-platform journalism.
• Develop investigation and feature ideas reflecting diverse life.
• Tailor news treatments for different audiences.
• Deliver quality content to tight deadlines.
• Adapt to technology and digital environment.

Skills

Editorial judgement

Writing clean and concise copy

Familiarity with social media

Strong media law knowledge

Eye for strong imagery

Tools

Optimo (online publishing platform)

Job description

JOB DETAILS

JOB BAND: C

CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent, Full Time

DEPARTMENT: East News

LOCATION: Ipswich

PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: £27,600 - £33,900 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.

BBC EXTEND

This role is advertised as part of our BBC Extend programme for disabled people. To apply for this role you should identify as deaf, disabled or neurodivergent and must meet either the definition of disability in the Equality Act (2010), or the definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) if applying in Northern Ireland. You’re broadly defined as disabled under both acts if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative or adverse effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. This definition includes both apparent and non-apparent conditions and impairments, and medical conditions such as Cancer, HIV or Multiple Sclerosis.

We are committed to making the process of applying for this role as accessible as possible. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the application process, or have any questions about our Extend programme, please contact [e-mail].

The BBC are fully committed to providing workplace adjustments to help eliminate barriers in the workplace that disabled people face. To do this, we have our own dedicated BBC Access and Disability Service that provides assessments and support throughout employment with us. If you are successful in applying for this role and require workplace adjustments, we will work with you to get your adjustments in place.

If you’d like more information on BBC Extend, please visit the BBC Extend webpage. (EXTEND code: EX2324).

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

BBC Local is the family of services we offer across local communities in England, including radio, online, social media and TV. With famous brands and new platforms, we provide a rich mix of content and programming from news to entertainment.

We are looking for a motivated, innovative online journalist to help shape our digital agenda.

We want driven and passionate journalists who want to help reach new audiences with the news that matters to them. You’ll be a journalist who knows what online audiences expect and know how to turn around clean copy under tight deadlines. The role requires someone who will be keen to do more than just look for press releases – we want original ideas that help reflect the diverse audience across the region.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

The East News online team has delivered consistent and significant audience growth over many years now. We’re looking for someone to join us who gets excited about big stories, is tenacious in chasing follow-ups and relishes change as we continually adapt to audience demands. You will cover all manner of different stories and work to pitch them to the various audience motivations. We’re looking to find someone who is a brilliant colleague, has a strong work ethic and wants to maximise content.

Your Key Responsibilities And Impact

• Producing local news content for the BBC website that travels across platforms, based in Ipswich
• Responsible for originating and producing stories primarily for the BBC website and audio platforms, as well as reacting to news as it comes in
• Working with colleagues to ensure all our journalism works across digital, TV and audio platforms
• Come up with investigation and feature ideas that help us represent the many different sides of life in the East of England
• To tailor different news treatments for different audiences ensuring that the output reflects the audiences we serve
• Delivering to tight deadlines while maintaining the highest editorial standards
• You need to be adept at technology, picking up new skills and adapting to the changing demands of a digital working environment

The role requires some weekend working and early/late start times.

Essential Criteria

• Have sound editorial judgement, making decisions on matters of editorial sensitivity under pressure. You should be curious in your approach to delivering original journalism
• Able to write clean, accurate and concise copy with quick turnaround times, for publication on the BBC website
• Be familiar with social media in a news context and know how to make the most of various platforms to reach a range of audiences
• Strong media law knowledge, including experience of covering courts and inquests
• A keen eye for strong imagery to make stories standout online and be able do basic photo editing

Desired But Not Required

• Understanding of SEO within a news context to help our stories reach the people most interested in and impacted by them
• Knowledge of Optimo, the online publishing platform
• Experience of working in a multi-platform newsroom, delivering content for both online and audio platforms

If you can bring some of these skills and experience, along with transferable strengths, we’d love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.

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.

For any general queries, please contact: [e-mail]

Redeployment

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.