Local Democracy Reporter

Do you want to shine a light on the workings of local government in Oxfordshire, hold power to account and have a ringside seat at the heart of local decision-making? Then this could be the job for you. There is never a dull moment reporting on politics in Oxfordshire!

We’re looking for a journalist to join the BBC-funded Local Democracy Reporting Service, covering the Oxfordshire County Council area and district councils across the county.

It’s a great job for a senior reporter, or possibly an experienced trainee looking to take their next steps.

We’re looking for someone who can communicate clearly, quickly and in an impartial manner - primarily through writing but also using multimedia skills; video, social media and photography.

We’re looking for a self-starter who knows their way around local politics, and is happy working on their own, but you’ll also be part of our LDR team covering other councils.

You’ll have an eye for a story, and you’ll also make sure you can meet the standards set by the BBC’s Local News Partnership in terms of quality, consistency and legal accuracy. You will be a public ambassador for the project, and become a trusted source of news and information.

Key responsibilities:

• Deliver strong content in a multimedia way on a daily basis, focusing primarily on text but also providing images, audio and video as and when required
• Write content in a way which engages and drives audience including through SEO and social media awareness
• Ensure all content is politically neutral and provides a fair reflection of views
• Ensure agendas for councils and public bodies are scrutinised, identifying issues and stories which need to be brought to the public’s attention.
• Working with your news editor, identify which meetings need to be covered and reported
• Build strong contacts for story-gathering within local communities
• Be active on social media, in line with partnership policies, to build audiences and communities
• Ensure all content produced has suitable metadata attached
• Deliver live coverage as and when required
• Provide two-way interviews for broadcast media as and when required
• Provide monthly report on key issues and themes from public authorities for stakeholder media organisations
• Have ideas for off-diary investigations that look at issues not necessarily covered in the calendar of council meetings

Key Experience / Characteristics:

• Good writing skills, up-to-date legal knowledge, shorthand proficiency (eg 100 wpm)
• NCTJ or similar qualification required
• Ideally, a minimum of two years’ experience as a reporter in a daily news environment and/or working to daily news deadlines
• Excellent communicator on social media
• Excellent at working under pressure and identifying priorities
• Self-starter
• Be familiar with digital tools and techniques across a range of mobile devices
• Strong understanding of working and processes within local government
• Demonstrable experience of delivering great ideas for content
• Strong contact-building skills
• Proficiency taking images, shooting video and gathering audio

Please note - trainees approaching senior qualifications will be considered for this role.

Please note, this role is remote however there is a requirement that you must be residing in the UK

National World is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment as an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. Consideration will be given to flexible working options for all roles.