Journalist (EXTEND)

JOB DETAILS

JOB BAND: C

CONTRACT TYPE: 12 month Fixed-term Contract, Full-time until May 2027.

DEPARTMENT: BBC Radio Northampton

LOCATION: Northampton

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. 

BBC EXTEND

This role is advertised as part of our BBC Extend programme for disabled people. To apply for this role you should identify as deaf, disabled or neurodivergent and must meet either the definition of disability in the Equality Act (2010), or the definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) if applying in Northern Ireland. You’re broadly defined as disabled under both acts if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative or adverse effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. This definition includes both apparent and non-apparent conditions and impairments, and medical conditions such as Cancer, HIV or Multiple Sclerosis.

We are committed to making the process of applying for this role as accessible as possible. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the application process, or have any questions about our Extend programme, please contact [email protected].

The BBC are fully committed to providing workplace adjustments to help eliminate barriers in the workface that disabled people face. To do this, we have our own dedicated BBC Access and Disability Service that provides assessments and support throughout employment with us. If you are successful in applying for this role and require workplace adjustments, we will work with you to get your adjustments in place.

If you’d like more information on BBC Extend, please visit the BBC Extend webpage. (EXTEND code: EX2324).

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

Do you want to play a key role in producing BBC Radio Northampton’s Breakfast show? We’re looking for an ambitious Journalist/Producer who understands what makes a must-listen breakfast programme and knows how to find the strongest guests, stories and treatments. You’ll have an understanding of our underserved and opportunity audience, and be part of a small team making editorial decisions that shape the county’s news agenda.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

Working closely with the Senior Content Producer, you’ll spend your day setting up the next morning’s show — generating ideas, securing contributors and shaping the running order. You may also work within the wider newsroom, contributing stories and supporting output across the station. The role is based at BBC Northampton in Northampton town centre and is predominantly an office-based production role.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:

• Working as part of a multi-skilled team, developing content for radio and digital.


• Contributing original ideas and treatments for stories, drawing on a wide range of sources for story ideas


• Researching news stories, including finding case studies and guests for interviews and filming


• Briefing presenters and reporters on stories


• Flair for writing creative scripts and succinct, accurate news copy.


• A passion for creating powerful audio by understanding our local audiences and what matters to them.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

You’ll be an experienced journalist, comfortable writing and producing content for radio

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Significant recent experience as a journalist, with a good knowledge of audio production techniques.


• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work across the newsroom in a team and under own initiative.


• A positive and tenacious attitude to enable effective story research, setting up case studies for interviews and filming.


• Sound editorial judgment


• Effective planning and organising skills, delivering consistently to deadlines and ability to work across several stories at a time.

DESIRABLE:

• Optimo training for online writing


• Ability to react positively and nimbly to changes and conflicting priorities.


• Knowledge of the Northamptonshire area would be preferable but not essential

If you can bring some of these skills and experiences, along with transferable strengths, we’d love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.