We’re hiring: Journalist
**applications for this role are now closed**
About the role
The Bristol Cable is looking for a talented and motivated journalist to join our editorial team. It is an exciting time to join our pioneering and mission-driven local news outfit.
The ideal candidate will be keen to pursue a career in local and investigative journalism, and have a track record to demonstrate this, particularly in local news or political reporting. You will have a passion for accountability journalism and for covering underreported local stories to the highest standards of quality and accuracy.
You will also have a flair for editing copy, and come ready with ideas for commissioning a range of stories for our website and print magazine. You will be keenly aware of how to build audiences, develop the Cable’s brand identity and be confident making editorial judgements, including how to frame stories and what not to cover or publish.
As a cooperative team we all have a shared stake in the work we do and how we work together, so all team members contribute to key decisions and the overall direction of the Cable, including our priorities, strategy and general operations.
Key information
Contract: Permanent (subject to funding)
Hours: 5 days per week (37.5 hours)
Salary: £21,499 – £22,523 depending on experience (Please note: The Cable is committed to a equitable pay structure where the pay differential between the lowest and highest paid is no more than 20%)
Entitlements: 36 days annual leave (pro rata, including bank holidays), plus up to 5 days extra paid time off at Christmas, and up to 15 days unpaid holiday allowance, both pro rata. We also have a pension scheme with a 3% employer contribution and 5% employee contribution.
Location: Bristol Cable office, The Station, Silver Street, Bristol, BS1 2AG (remote working while pandemic restrictions apply).
Applications closing date: 11.59pm, 22 August 2021
How to apply: Apply using the form on this page
Interviews: Held the week beginning 30 August
About the Cable
We’re not your average newspaper. The Bristol Cable is a reader-owned media cooperative, owned and supported by more than 2,600 people across the city.
We produce award-winning local journalism, in print and online, made free to access for all by members. We don’t chase breaking news, but instead dig deeper into key issues with original angles, including the local effects of national and international issues. Together, we aim to hold power to account through groundbreaking investigations, campaigning for change, and amplifying marginalised voices.
Recognised internationally as a pioneer in the movement for a new media, our mission is to redefine local journalism as a community asset, which is accountable to and serves the needs of our readers.
Role responsibilities
- Pitch and regularly publish thorough and original local journalism, in particular impactful journalism that holds power to account, engages readers and contributes to public debate
- Proactively commission and edit stories from a diverse range of freelancers for the Cable’s website and print magazine
- Work collaboratively with other members of the media team on joint investigations and reporting
- Assist the media team on multimedia journalism projects
- Assist colleagues with journalism research
- Contribute to the general strategic development and operational work of the Bristol Cable
- Build a public professional profile and represent the Cable in community and industry forums
Person specification
We would like you to have the skills and experience that demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria below, and where possible, the desirable criteria as well. A successful candidate would be able to demonstrate something for each of the essential criteria, and some desirable criteria.
We welcome examples drawn from your personal or voluntary experience, as well as paid employment.
We don’t expect you to have all the experience or skills right away, and are keen to support your learning and professional development in the areas outlined below. But if you can demonstrate your ability and relevant experience, and enthusiasm about working for the Cable in this role, we want to hear from you.
Essential
- A proven track record of original, high-quality reporting
- A high standard of editorial judgment, including sensitivity to ethical and political issues, how to frame stories, and what not to cover
- Experience in editing and commissioning work produced by others
- Understanding of media law and journalism ethics
- Excellent diligence and attention to detail
- A collaborative team player that gets stuck in with a solutions focused approach, as well as taking initiative and working independently.
- Delivering stories to tight deadlines while maintaining the highest editorial standards
- Good story ideas for issues in Bristol, in line with the Cable’s editorial approach and values
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Committed to the Cable’s journalistic and community mission to redefine local journalism.
Desirable
- At least two years of recent journalism experience
- A passion for investigative journalism and relevant experience
- A specialist beat (e.g. Environment, local politics, housing)
- Knowledge of Bristol’s communities, institutions and political landscape
- Local journalism experience
- Data journalism skills
- Long-form journalism experience
- Video journalism experience
- Podcast experience
- Demonstrable knowledge of how to exploit a story for digital as well as print
What we offer
- A full-time position in our staff team. This will be a permanent position (6 month probationary period) and subject to future funding.
- A salary of £21,499 – £22,523 depending on experience, with opportunities for increases.
- Generous holiday entitlement of 36 days annual leave (pro rata, including bank holidays), plus up to 5 days paid time off at Christmas, and up to 15 days unpaid holiday allowance.
- Pension scheme with a 3% employer contribution and 5% employee contribution.
- Flexible working and menstrual period policies, to help you work when works best for you.
- A personal training and professional development allowance.
- You will play a key role in a values-driven and purposeful team, with freedom to shape your work, evolve your role, and contribute to our strategy.
- You will be able to learn, share, and be supported by team members who you’ll be collaborating with.
You will work at our office in the centre of Bristol, or remotely, depending on changing circumstances relating to Covid-19. We are currently remote by default, but we have an office space which is open. You will need to be available to work from the central Bristol office when we are able to return properly.
How to apply
Apply by using the form below. The deadline to apply is Sunday 22 August at 11:59 p.m.
We particularly encourage applications from women, people of colour, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, and people from working class backgrounds.
Interviews of shortlisted applicants will be held online via Zoom on the week of 30 August
If you have any enquiries about the role or application process not answered above, please email applications@thebristolcable.org or call our office phone on 07533718547.
This application form is a space for you to tell us about your experience, skills and approach to working which make you suitable for the Journalist role.
Please refer closely to relevant parts of the person specification in your responses, providing concrete examples of where you demonstrate meeting the criteria where possible, and what you specifically achieved in those cases if relevant.
You may want to draft your responses to this application form in a different document. You can find all the questions listed below in this document: Bristol Cable journalist role application questions. Download or make a copy of it to draft your responses before pasting them in to the form here.
If you are having trouble accessing the form below, please email us to let us know. You can also access the same form on this page.
