This is a rare opening for a full-time news reporter to join our team, working on our flagship title, Southwark News – in print and online.

The role

This is a rare opening for a full-time news reporter to join our team. This position is central to our public interest journalism and the strategic growth of our business and is a fantastic opportunity for an enthusiastic self-starter to immerse themselves in breaking news, investigations, history, features – and all the most important stories across Southwark and South London.

This is a digital first role also working across print and social media, with a focus on vertical video. You will be expected to produce at least three stories per day, a mix of short updates and longer features, with daily, weekly and monthly deadlines. You will produce regular social media posts and video content.

Your work will primarily appear in our flagship title Southwark News (C1million views a month), but also in our other weekly titles, South London Weekly and Greenwich Weekender, and in our print magazines Bermondsey Biscuit and Rotherhithe Docker and The South Londoner.

This role will suit a recent NCTJ graduate or someone with a few years’ experience. The successful candidate will receive hands-on, dedicated support from our team of editors, and is expected to work closely with all colleagues, take on board feedback, and meet agreed targets.

The news reporter reports directly to the group editor and co-owner of the business, Kevin Quinn, with no management responsibilities, but is expected to delegate work and support interns and trainees in future.

What we’re looking for

We are ideally looking for someone with at least a year’s experience in journalism, but will consider strong applications from recent graduates with an NCTJ qualification.

Our perfect fit:

• Highly motivated with a true passion for local journalism and south London
• NCTJ gold standard
• Flair for telling a great story and the ability to adapt your style across print, digital, video and other formats
• Understanding of our audience and the diversity of our patch
• Rock solid understanding of media law and the IPSO code
• Extremely organised with excellent communication and people skills. This role involves multiple deadlines, working collaboratively with senior editors, junior colleagues, and freelancers.
• You will be able to build strong relationships and contacts in person as well as over the phone, whether with members of the public or members of parliament.
• Confident and calm under pressure, positive can-do attitude with problem solving skills and ability to navigate difficult conversations
• Willingness to learn, take feedback, and work as part of a team
• Business minded. This role plays a key part in generating income and building our brand and premium subscription offering
• Strategic thinker. You will understand our business aims and how your role and the wider team work together to achieve key targets for growth
• At least basic video editing and photography skills. InDesign and other graphic skills are always a bonus.

Who we are

Community Matters Media is an independently owned small business owned and run by managing directors Chris Mullany and Kevin Quinn, both journalists. We are a growing business with big plans. We’re known for high-quality, original and independent journalism, and breaking stories that get picked up nationally and internationally. We are the go-to source for south London news and we are proud of our reputation and the esteem we are held in within the industry and – more importantly – by our readers.

As well as routinely pulling in a million views a month, and running a lauded TikTok account, last year we launched a premium section, and now have hundreds of paying subscribers for our long-form content. We are raising the bar for local news, with a thriving print and online presence focused on the stories our readers want and need, whether they were born and raised in south London or have moved here and made it their new home.

Southwark News – London’s only independent, paid-for newspaper.
News At Den – Exclusive insight and analysis from the only paper with a dedicated Millwall reporter
South London Weekly – A weekly quality paper for south London
Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender – a weekly quality paper for Greenwich & Lewisham boroughs
The South Londoner magazine – your guide to unmissable south London
Bermondsey Biscuit and Rotherhithe Docker magazine – the people and places that make Bermondsey and Rotherhithe
CM Media – Our new media agency and home to our talented team of content creators and PR experts

Contract: Permanent, full-time, 37.5 hours per week, with some weekends and evenings required. 20 days’ holiday per year, plus bank holidays, birthdays on a working day, along with an extra day a year up to five years.

Start date: End of March

Application deadline: Friday 13th March

Interview dates: Week of March 16th – 20th

Benefits & perks: Regular in-house training opportunities, office in the heart of Southwark’s trendy Bermondsey Street area.

How to apply

Please email managing director Chris Mullany, chris@cm-media.co.uk. In the body of the email explain why you want this job and what makes you the perfect fit. Attach a CV or link to your LinkedIn profile.

Please include examples of your previous work. We are always particularly impressed if applicants come to us with story ideas, and feedback on how they would do things differently.

We ask that you only apply if you have relevant qualifications and experience.