Job Description

We use cookies to offer you the best possible website experience. Your cookie preferences will be stored in your browser's local storage. This includes cookies necessary for the website's operation. Additionally, you can freely decide and change any time whether you accept cookies or choose to opt out of cookies to improve the website's performance, as well as cookies used to display content tailored to your interests. Your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer may be impacted if you do not accept all cookies. Let me choose
Reject additional cookies Accept additional cookies
Press Tab to Move to Skip to Content Link
SEARCH JOBS
APPLY NOW
Start
Please wait...
Senior Journalist

Job Requisition ID: 28335
Job Closing Date: 12th October 2025
Birmingham, GBR, B1 1AY
| Coventry, GBR, CV1 5SQ
| Shrewsbury, GBR, SY1 3TT
| Stoke-on-Trent, GBR, ST1 1JJ
| Worcester, GBR, WR2 5WW
JOB DETAILS
JOB BAND: D
CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent, Part Time (Two days / 14 hours per week - 0.4EFT : Weekends)
DEPARTMENT: West Midlands Online
LOCATION: West Midlands (Birmingham, Coventry, Worcester, Shrewsbury or Stoke-on-Trent)
PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: 41,200-45,000 (full-time equivalent salary) 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
A chance to join the BBC West Midlands News team in a digitally-focused job covering one of the most interesting and diverse patches in England. You'll be helping to lead weekend coverage on the BBC News Website, engaging millions of people every week and playing a key role delivering audience growth on the BBC News Website and across our digital platforms.
As a Senior Journalist, you'll sub stories on Saturdays and Sundays to the highest standard, help our Journalists develop their skills and make important decisions about weekend news coverage. You'll liaise with broadcast colleagues to ensure we work together at weekends to tell stories collaboratively in a region with six million people living in it.
This job may suit someone looking for a part-time role but who may find it hard to work on weekdays because of other commitments. Opportunities for the successful candidate to work paid extra shifts if wanted are likely, along with the option of learning new skills, including in TV and Audio journalism.
WHY JOIN THE TEAM
We are a tight-knit and highly motivated team and we've seen significant audience growth over the past 18 months. Creative ideas are welcomed and nurtured and many former members of West Midlands Online have gone on to a range of exciting jobs across the BBC. We are passionate about serving the people of the West Midlands region and reflecting their lives in our content every day.
We want someone who understands how to connect with and engage audiences online to drive growth. Experience of delivering daily news for digital audiences is essential. Great written skills, an ability to quickly learn new content production systems and experience of managing less experienced colleagues, including remotely, are what we're looking for.
YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:

• Subbing and publishing text stories for the BBC News website to the highest standard
• Leading and guiding a small team of online journalists at weekends and playing a key role steering our news coverage
• Generating story ideas and ideas for follow-ups that will work for Audio and TV as well as for Digital audiences
• To ensure accuracy and due impartiality with all content
• React to breaking news and also have the ability to sub and craft content creatively when stories allow

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Excellent written skills and a proven track record of text journalism
• Extensive experience working in daily news
• An understanding of digital news platforms and how to engage audiences
• Knowledge of SEO, search and social media and how to harness these to drive audience growth and connect with opportunity audiences
• Able to commit to working weekends

DESIRED BUT NOT REQUIRED:

• Experience of guiding and leading less experienced colleagues, including remotely
• An understanding of BBC Local and how we work together with all colleagues to serve local audiences
• Knowledge of the West Midlands region and the diverse and differing communities we are here to serve
• Experience of using BBC content production tools including Optimo and Castaway. An understanding of Open Media, Wolftech, Tipo, Social Flow and Vivo

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.
For further information about the role, please contact BBC West Midlands Digital Editor Tom Warren tom.warren@bbc.co.uk
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:
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.
Information at a Glance
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 pension scheme 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.
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:
APPLY NOW
Start
Please wait...
#BBCPUBLICSERVICE
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.
x
Cookie Consent Manager
When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
Required Cookies
These cookies are required to use this website and can't be turned off.
Show More Details
Required Cookies Provider Description Enabled
SAP as service provider
We use the following session cookies, which are all required to enable the website to function:

• "route" is used for session stickiness
• "careerSiteCompanyId" is used to send the request to the correct data centre
• "JSESSIONID" is placed on the visitor's device during the session so the server can identify the visitor
• "Load balancer cookie" (actual cookie name may vary) prevents a visitor from bouncing from one instance to another

Functional Cookies
These cookies provide a better customer experience on this site, such as by remembering your login details, optimising video performance or providing us with information about how our site is used. You may freely choose to accept or decline these cookies at any time. Note that certain functionalities that these third-parties make available may be impacted if you do not accept these cookies.
Show More Details
Functional Cookies Provider Description Enabled
Vimeo
Vimeo is a video hosting, sharing and services platform focused on the delivery of video. Opting out of Vimeo cookies will disable your ability to watch or interact with Vimeo videos.
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing service where users can create their own profile, upload videos, watch, like and comment on videos. Opting out of YouTube cookies will disable your ability to watch or interact with YouTube videos.
Advertising Cookies
These cookies serve ads that are relevant to your interests. You may freely choose to accept or decline these cookies at any time. Note that certain functionality that these third parties make available may be impacted if you do not accept these cookies.
Show More Details
Advertising Cookies Provider Description Enabled
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is an employment-oriented social networking service. We use the Apply with LinkedIn feature to allow you to apply for jobs using your LinkedIn profile. Opting out of LinkedIn cookies will disable your ability to use Apply with LinkedIn.

Skills Required