Job Description

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Senior Journalist Online (South East)

Job Requisition ID: 23253
Job Closing Date: 11 August 2025
JOB DETAILS
JOB BAND: D
CONTRACT TYPE: 12mths Fixed-term Contract, Full-time /Attachment - Full time until September 2026 ( Maternity cover)
DEPARTMENT: BBC Nations, BBC South East.
LOCATION: Tunbridge Wells / Brighton / Guildford
PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: Up to 47,000 pro rata 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
We are looking for a Senior Journalist who will be an Online sub editor and a digital planner, responsible for ensuring our Online content is of the highest editorial standards and attracts a returning audience.
BBC Local is the family of services we offer across local communities in England, including radio, online, social media and TV. We provide a rich mix of content and programming from news to entertainment. We are looking for talented people to be at the heart of our relationship with our local audiences. These roles will be the voice of our local services - passionate broadcasters and brilliant storytellers who inspire and engage our communities. Every day, you'll make BBC Local famous for its outstanding programming and its deep connection with the people we serve.
WHY JOIN THE TEAM
We want to tell the high-quality stories that really matter to people across Kent, Sussex and Surrey. We want to combine breaking and developing news with accessible explanation of events. We are building a story-led newsroom with a focus on bigger impact content for our online audience. As a Senior Journalist on the BBC South East news team, you will be key to shaping the changes we want to see.
YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:

• The Senior Journalist will ensure the quality of stories is of the highest standard.
• Your main responsibilities will be sub-editing BBC News articles plus curating online content for a local index. You'll be responsible for working across the Kent, Surrey and Sussex sections of the BBC News website.
• You will also be required to be part of the multi-platform BBC South East planning team and be comfortable in commissioning stories.
• You will be responsible for the editorial standards of the index, ensuring they adhere to BBC guidelines at all times and the content is impartial.
• You will be expected to lead and support team members as required and ensure best practice is always followed.
• The role requires some weekend working and early/late start times.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• You need to have sound editorial judgement and be assertive in making decisions on matters of editorial sensitivity under pressure.
• You will have experience in working efficiently and accurately to rolling deadlines and respond to breaking news. The ability to deliver high quality copy that demonstrates the BBC's values of impartiality and fairness is compulsory.
• We expect our SJ Sub Editors to have extensive digital journalist experience.
• You will have demonstrable experience of embracing technology, adopting new skills and adapting to the changing demands of a digital working environment. In addition, you will have managed or mentored others in this area too.
• You will need to be comfortable and confident that at times you are going to be the most senior member of the news online team on shift.

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:
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:
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