Social Media Journalist, Southampton

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

Job summary

A leading media organization in Southampton seeks a journalist to develop social media and digital video content. The role requires strong video editing skills and creativity to engage local audiences. Candidates should be familiar with social platforms and adept at spotting compelling stories for various media formats. The position offers a fixed-term contract until May 2026 with a salary range of £27,600 to £33,900.

Qualifications

• Very familiar with what people expect on different social platforms.
• Able to film and edit compelling shortform video content.
• Comfortable in identifying the sorts of stories that do well on social media.

Responsibilities

• Using social listening tools to find the issues that matter most to local audiences.
• Film and edit engaging high-impact content across multiple platforms.
• Pitch new ideas and creative treatments on the day's radio stories.

Skills

Social media engagement

Video editing

Story identification

Creative pitching

Job description

Overview

JOB DETAILS

JOB BAND: C

CONTRACT TYPE: Fixed-term Contract/Attachment (Six Months), Full-time until 31st May 2026

DEPARTMENT: BBC Nations, BBC News South

LOCATION: Southampton

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.

Purpose of the Role: BBC Hampshire & Dorset is looking for a journalist to help develop its social media and digital video content for the counties. We already have some highly successful social media platforms in BBC Local; they’re vital to reach and interact with people who don’t get their local news from broadcast media. We know our social media and digital video strategy is working, and we’re looking for someone to continue to create even more engaging content that people expect on social media, and as digital video on the BBC website.

Why Join the Team

Discovering stories from social media is a key part of this job. Using social listening tools to find the issues that matter most to local audiences - and have the creative vision needed to turn them into content audiences love to read, watch and share.

The content you produce will go on our online and social platforms, with the scope to be picked up by TV and radio and BBC News’s social platforms too.

You’ll know how to turn daily radio and TV content into engaging social formats and you\'ll be just as happy creating original digital content using your own skills and experience.

Please contact social media lead Kate Eagleton-Etheridge for more information on the role.

Your Key Responsibilities And Impact

• Using social listening tools to find the issues that matter most to local audiences and a nose for identifying which stories have the potential to translate to digital audiences
• Film and edit engaging high-impact content across multiple platforms
• You’ll be confident at pitching new ideas and creative treatments on the day’s radio stories and be able to come up with a constant stream of original storie
• Scripts, produces, and edits video – guiding reporters in the BBC Cumbria newsroom to deliver in a way that works for social media audience
• Be able to work under pressure in a busy newsroom where you may be expected to rapidly turn around material without much notice

Essential Criteria

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Very familiar with what people expect on different social platforms
• Able to film and edit compelling shortform video content
• Comfortable in identifying the sorts of stories that do well on social media
• Able to spot something on social media that would make a strong story for BBC News, South Today or BBC Radio Solent
• 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.