Senior Journalist (Social) EXTEND

BBC; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 41,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading broadcasting organization in Cardiff is seeking a Social Media Lead to drive their digital presence. This role involves leading the social media team, creating engaging content, and developing strategies to connect with audiences across platforms. The ideal candidate will possess senior-level judgment and expertise in social media content creation, as well as a strong understanding of audience data. Flexibility in working hours and a commitment to editorial standards are crucial for success in this position.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Support for workplace adjustments

Qualifications

• Proven experience in social news leadership and content creation.
• Ability to inform choices using data and audience insights.
• Strong understanding of legal considerations in user-generated content.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily social media output and engagement.
• Develop and execute social media strategies.
• Coach journalists on social storytelling and audience connection.
• Ensure compliance with editorial guidelines and legal responsibilities.

Skills

Senior-level judgement

Expertise in social media content

Data-driven audience understanding

Strong editorial standards

Flexibility for varied hours

Tools

Photoshop

SocialFlow

Wolftech

Job description

JOB DETAILS

Job Band: D

Contract Type: Permanent Full-time

Department: BBC Wales News Digital

Location: Wales hybrid

Proposed Salary Range: £41,200 - £49,133 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

Flexible Working: We are happy to discuss flexible working. Please indicate your preference when applying, though there is no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

Welsh Language: Welsh language skills are not required for this role. Nid yw sgiliaur Iaith Gymraeg yn hanfodol ar gyfer y swydd hon

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 are 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 application process 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… (contact details omitted).

The BBC is fully committed to providing workplace adjustments to help eliminate barriers in the workplace that disabled people face. If you are successful and require adjustments, we will work with you to get them in place.

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

PRONOSOE OF THE ROLE

Lead the BBC Wales News social media team. You’ll help set social strategy, run day‑to‑day operations and turn our strongest journalism into scroll‑stopping posts and reels across BBC Wales News accounts. Working within Digital but closely with Commissioning Planning and Stories & Specialists, you’ll grow loyal returning audiences, especially underserved groups, while upholding BBC standards in a fast‑paced environment.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

This is where BBC Wales News pivots to digital really lives: you’ll shape social formats, sharpen workflows and help define how social media feeds our journalism (and vice versa). You’ll have autonomy, clear KPIs and fast feedback loops with your learnings feeding directly into commissioning and planning. It’s hands‑on and high‑impact public‑service journalism.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT

• Lead daily social output: Plan, create and publish highly engaging social coverage of pre‑planned and breaking news that is distinctive, visual and editorially compliant. Optimise content for each platform’s behaviour and our brand voice. Align with digital video site, app and linear to maximise cross‑platform impact.
• Own the social strategy: Set priorities according to audience need. Develop formats that work well with social audiences and stay abreast of ever‑changing social media algorithms.
• Make social the front door to our journalism: Create engaging content that also drives referrals back to our website.
• Coach and empower: Lead a small team of journalists to produce social content. Build playbooks, edit scripts and upskill reporters/productions on social storytelling and audience motivations.
• Measure what matters: Track and share audience insights (views, engagement, watch times etc.) to inform future content and commissioning.
• Run safe compliant channels: Uphold the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and legal responsibilities.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• Senior‑level judgement and proven social news leadership; setting priorities, shaping output and staying calm under pressure.
• Expert craft for social: Proven experience creating and commissioning social slideshows, thumbnails, captions, reels and other platform‑specific content.
• Audience‑centred: Use data and research to inform choices, knowing what appeals to younger audiences in alignment with our public‑service responsibilities.
• Editorial standards: Strong understanding of the importance of accuracy, impartiality and inclusion; confidence in navigating user‑generated content (UGC) safety and legal considerations.
• Flexibility: Willingness to work shifts, including some evenings and weekends, within our hybrid set‑up.

DESIRED BUT NOT REQUIRED

• Welsh language skills (spoken and written) or experience commissioning bilingual output.
• Familiarity with Photoshop, SocialFlow and Wolftech.
• Experience designing and evaluating pilots and reporting impact against newsroom KPIs.
• Experience partnering with correspondents and producers to land high‑impact social‑led treatments.

HOW THIS ROLE FITS

You’ll sit within the Digital team working day‑to‑day with the Digital Senior News Editor and Assistant Editors to surface social opportunities early, shape pitches and close the loop with audience insight.