Online Journalist - Leeds

BBC Group and Public Services; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

BBC Group and Public Services in Leeds is seeking an Online Journalist to create high-quality multimedia content for local and national audiences. You will cover on-the-day news, while developing ideas for online, radio and TV and contributing to the world's most trusted news website.

The role requires substantial UK daily news journalism experience, strong online storytelling skills and knowledge of media law; it offers hybrid working in Leeds with flexible arrangements discussed at the offer

Qualifications

• Substantial professional experience as a text-based journalist in a UK-based daily news environment.
• Excellent news writing skills and an understanding of the power and limitations of an online medium.
• Substantial and demonstrable evidence of creatively using online storytelling techniques to deliver news in an engaging way for diverse audiences.
• Substantial and demonstrable experience of court reporting, 100wpm shorthand and excellent working knowledge of media law.
• Demonstratable ability to consistently generate original ideas and turn them into engaging multimedia material.
• Desirable: knowledge of video production skills.
• Desirable: ability to use social media to source and showcase content.
• Desirable: Knowledge of South Yorkshire and wider Yorkshire area including current and upcoming news events.

Responsibilities

• Write sharp, accurate stories with awareness of images, video and audio for the site.
• Cover stories for news-led local and national indexes online and develop original features.
• Develop multi-platform newsgathering skills within a team coordinating online coverage across Yorkshire.
• Collaborate with colleagues across Yorkshire and BBC News to deliver strong online output for local, national and international audiences.

Skills

Text-based journalism

News writing

Online storytelling

Court reporting

Shorthand 100 wpm

Media law

Original ideas

Job description

JOB BAND: C
CONTRACT TYPE: FTC - Full time until 26 March 2027
DEPARTMENT: BBC Nations
LOCATION: Leeds - Hybrid
PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: £28,000 - £35,000 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.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

This is an opportunity to work as part of a friendly team in a busy newsroom committed to finding and telling the stories of people in Leeds. As well as working on on-the-day news, you will also get theopportunity to develop your own ideas and learn skills which would enable you to showcase your storytelling on radio and TV as well as the world's biggest and most trusted news website.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

As BBC Yorkshire Online Journalist you will work with colleagues to create high quality multi-media content about the area for local as well as national audiences. You will be expected to not only work on big breakingnews stories and courts/inquests but also come up with your own original ideas and shape material for use online.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT

• To write sharp, accurate and engaging stories and also to have a keen awareness of still images, video and audio for the site
• This will include covering stories for news-led local and national indexes online as well as developing original stories and features.
• You will also develop multi-platform newsgathering skills as part of a team which co-ordinates online news coverage across Yorkshire.
• This role offers an opportunity to work with colleagues across Yorkshire and the wider BBC News to provide the strongest news-led online output for local, national and international audiences.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• Substantial professional experience as a text-based journalist in a UK-based daily news environment
• Excellent news writing skills and an understanding of the power and limitations of an online medium
• Substantial and demonstrable evidence of creatively using online storytelling techniques to deliver news in an engaging way for diverse audiences
• Substantial and demonstrable experience of court reporting, 100wpm shorthand and excellent working knowledge of media law
• Demonstratable ability to consistently generate original ideas and turn them into engaging multimedia material

DESIRABLE

• A knowledge of video production skills
• Ability to use social media to source and showcase content
• Knowledge of South Yorkshire and wider Yorkshire area including current and upcoming news events

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.

#LI-FG1

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.

Before your start date, you may need to disclose any unspent convictions or police charges, in line with our Recruitment policy. This allows us to discuss any support you may need and assess any risks. Failure to disclose may result in the withdrawal of your offer.

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.

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.

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 pensionscheme 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.

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.

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.