Do you look at the world and think things could be better? Would you like to spend your days writing about the organisations and individuals who are trying to bring about that change?

Third Sector, the UK’s leading title for the voluntary and not-for-profit sector, is seeking a news editor to join its tight-knit team on a fixed-term maternity cover contract.

Our readers are senior managers in charities: the chief executives, the fundraisers, the comms managers and the change-makers in government and local communities.

Your key responsibility will be to maintain Third Sector’s position as the leading provider of charity news as the title undergoes a major digital transformation.

The news editor is responsible for the news coverage of Third Sector online and playing a part in the general strategy and development of the brand. The news editor will report to the editor.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure Third Sector maintains its position as the leading provider of sector news
• Write and edit news articles to the highest journalistic standards.
• Line manage the reporting team on a day-to-day basis.
• Regularly review and react to HAI and Key Audience Group’s engagement analytics to ensure articles are delivering  highly-engaging content for our audience.
• Attend and report on key sector conferences and events, as and when necessary.
• Develop key contacts with a view to creating exclusive news stories and articles. Regularly meet key contacts face-to- face.
• Oversee the daily and specialist bulletins and ensure they are sent out within the time frames agreed with the editors.
• Update the home page with the latest news and features in conjunction with the production editor and other editors.
• Send out tweets promoting our all online content, including news, features and opinion.
• Monitor email inboxes, and other sources such as Twitter, for news.
• Monitor national media and competitors for relevant stories.
• Help plan, contribute to, and present the Third Sector Podcast.
• Think creatively and take the initiative on news stories.
• Maintain a list of running stories and a comprehensive forward news diary.
• Maintain a call list, detailing who should be called and how often.
• Liaise with reporters – and the editors where appropriate – about angles, deadlines and word counts for stories;        discussing contentious stories with the editor before publication.
• Liaise with the art desk about photos for news articles and purchase images from picture libraries in the absence of the  art/production editors.
• Edit copy to length in consultation with the writer, ensuring relevance, clarity, accuracy, legality, fairness and balance.
• Help contribute to Third Sector’s live events portfolio and chair panel debates, or take part in presentations, as and when necessary.
• Act as media spokesperson for the brand, as and when necessary.
• Stay alert to subjects that might not make news stories but could make articles for other sections, and passing them to relevant colleagues.
• Report all complaints to the editor.
• Set a high standard in general behaviour, appearance and professionalism.

Experience

• At least five years experience in journalism on newspapers or magazines, mostly in news.
• Experience working on a variety of types of story, including politics and social policy, police and the courts (criminal and civil) and interviews.
• Experience of writing high-quality longer-form articles.
• Experience of public speaking and talking to the media.

Skills and Attributes

• Enthusiasm for, and a good understanding of, the role of online journalism.
• Proficiency in social media.
• Excellent people management skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Good analytical and project management skills.
• A willingness to travel and work outside standard office hours.
• A willingness to take responsibility for the news output, deal courteously and professionally with all colleagues and    contacts, and act as an ambassador for the brand.
• An excellent understanding of media law.

Benefits & How To Apply

• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive training and career development programme
• 25 days holiday per year excluding bank holidays (increasing 1 day per year of service up to 30 days)
• Flexible working schedule (core hours from 10-3)
• Generous contributory pension scheme
• Access to Perkbox
• Health Cash Plan
• Family friendly policies
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Season ticket loan
• Regular individual and team rewards and incentives for outstanding performance

We want to support our people to balance their personal and professional lives and we believe our range of benefits encourages this. We feel that nothing beats face-time with our colleagues and we’ve therefore adopted a blended working model where full time employees can expect to spend 3 days of their week in the office and the other 2 working at a location of their choice.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to ensuring that all candidates are given the same opportunity to succeed regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion, age or disability.

If you need any reasonable adjustments to enable you to fully participate in the recruitment process, please contact us at recruitment@haymarket.com.

Come and join us and see for yourself how Haymarket is a rewarding and exciting place to work. Please mention Journo Resources when you apply, it really helps us out.