At a Glance
- Tasks: Uncover and create compelling stories that showcase our impact on communities and the environment.
- Company: Join Pennon Group, a leader in water services and sustainability.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, bonus scheme, healthcare benefits, and generous annual leave.
- Other info: Flexible working hours and opportunities for professional development.
- Why this job: Make a real difference by telling impactful stories through various media.
- Qualifications: Significant journalism experience with exceptional storytelling and relationship-building skills.
The predicted salary is between 51750 - 63250 £ per year.
Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose. At Pennon Group, we’re proud to serve communities while protecting the environment. Together with our subsidiaries, we’re leading the way in water and renewables. We’re proud to be recognised as a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and support farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.
Join Pennon as our Lead Journalist and help bring our people, projects and communities to life. At Pennon Group, our people deliver essential services, protect the environment and support communities every day. Behind every operational achievement, environmental initiative, customer outcome and innovation is a story worth telling. We're looking for an exceptional Lead Journalist to join our External Communications Team and help uncover, create and amplify those stories across our business. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced journalist to combine strategic thinking with hands‑on storytelling.
Key Responsibilities:
- Act as Pennon's in‑house journalist, uncovering and developing compelling stories from across our business, people and communities.
- Create engaging written, video and multimedia content that brings our work to life.
- Develop a strong pipeline of proactive stories aligned to business priorities.
- Translate complex topics into clear, engaging and audience‑focused content.
- Build trusted relationships with journalists and media contacts, managing media enquiries and supporting proactive media engagement.
- Travel across the Pennon Group footprint to capture stories, interviews, photography and video content.
- Support incident and crisis communications, including participation in an out‑of‑hours standby (on‑call) rota.
- Monitor media coverage and use insight to strengthen future communications activity.
- Work collaboratively within a small, high‑performing team and adapt quickly to changing priorities.
What We're Looking For:
- Significant experience as a journalist or in a senior media‑facing communications role.
- Exceptional writing, interviewing and storytelling skills.
- Proven ability to identify, develop and deliver compelling stories and content.
- Experience building and maintaining strong relationships with journalists and media outlets.
- Experience balancing proactive storytelling with reactive media management and incident communications.
- Excellent stakeholder engagement skills and confidence working with senior leaders.
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
- Experience working effectively under pressure and responding to rapidly changing situations.
- Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel regularly.
- Flexible approach to working hours, including participation in an out‑of‑hours standby rota and weekend working.
Desirable:
- Experience within utilities, infrastructure or other regulated sectors.
- Photography, videography and content editing skills.
- Experience using media monitoring and sentiment analysis tools.
- Experience supporting crisis communications.
- Journalism, media or communications qualification.
Why Join Us?
This is an opportunity to tell stories with real‑world relevance and impact. You’ll have access to fascinating people, projects and operations, helping audiences better understand the work that supports customers, protects the environment and serves communities every day. If you’re a journalist at heart, thrive on curiosity and enjoy bringing stories to life through words, images and video, we’d love to hear from you.
Join us and help tell the stories behind the people, projects and services that make a difference every day. We believe in rewarding our people for their hard work and dedication. As our Lead Journalist you’ll enjoy:
- Competitive Salary – Based on experience and skills
- Bonus Scheme – Rewarding your performance
- Pension Scheme – Helping you plan for your future
- Healthcare Benefits – Access to employee assistance programs
- Professional Development – Support for career growth with training opportunities
- Employee Discounts – On various products and services
- Generous Annual Leave – Take time to recharge with our holiday entitlement
Closing Date: 4th September 2026. We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the on‑boarding process.
Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness. Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:
- Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.
- Be You - We want you to bring your best every day. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.
- Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.
Lead Journalist in Exeter employer: Bristol Water plc
At Pennon Group, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that values creativity and storytelling in our mission to protect the environment and serve communities. As a Lead Journalist, you'll enjoy a supportive work culture that fosters professional development, offers competitive salaries, and provides generous benefits, including healthcare and employee discounts. Join us in a role where your stories will have real-world impact, and be part of a team that celebrates diversity and inclusion while driving progress towards a greener future.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Journalist in Exeter
✨Get Involved in Local Journalism
Join local journalism groups or community events to meet industry folks and make connections. Try volunteering for community newspapers or online platforms – it's a great way to get your foot in the door and show your commitment to the craft.
✨Showcase Your Work Online
Create a personal website or a blog to showcase your best articles, videos, or multimedia projects. This not only highlights your skills but also demonstrates your passion for journalism and helps establish your personal brand in the media landscape.
✨Stay Updated on the Industry Trends
Follow industry leaders on social media and stay updated on the latest trends in journalism. Engage with them by sharing your thoughts or asking questions – you never know when an informative tweet might catch the eye of a recruiter or journalist at Bristol Water plc!
✨Explore Internships for Full-Time Opportunities
Don’t shy away from internships, even if you’re looking for full-time roles. Many journalism companies, like Bristol Water plc, often hire from their intern pool, so using these as stepping stones can really pay off. Keep an eye on their career page for any openings!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Journalist in Exeter
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Writing Skills:In journalism and media, your ability to write well is essential, so make sure your CV and cover letter reflect that. Include diverse writing samples, whether they’re articles, blog posts, or reports, that showcase your style and versatility. We want to see your voice and ability to engage an audience from the get-go!
Highlight Relevant Experience:If you've interned at a media outlet or contributed to any publications—whether student-run or professional—don't keep it a secret! We love seeing real-world experience, so clearly detail your responsibilities and achievements. Quantify your impact where possible, like mentioning audience growth or story reach.
Tailor Your Application for Bristol Water plc:When applying for the Lead Journalist role at Bristol Water plc, really dig into what makes their content stand out. Reference their tone, style, or any recent articles that resonated with you in your cover letter. This shows we you’re not just sending out generic applications—you’re genuinely interested in what we do!
Prepare for a Portfolio Spotlight:Since you're applying for a full-time role, you're likely expected to have a portfolio ready to go. Make sure to curate a selection of your best work that aligns with what Bristol Water plc produces. Provide a link to your online portfolio in your CV and be prepared to discuss your favourite pieces in interviews—this is your chance to shine!
How to prepare for a job interview at Bristol Water plc
✨Show Off Your Writing Skills
Prepare a portfolio that highlights your best writing samples. This is crucial in journalism as hiring managers want to see your voice and style. Make sure to include a variety of pieces, like news articles, features, and opinion pieces, showing your versatility.
✨Master the Art of Storytelling
During the interview, be ready to discuss how you approach storytelling. You might be asked to outline a story you reported on, your process for gathering information, and how you engage your audience. Practice telling a couple of your best stories concisely and compellingly.
✨Know the Current Media Landscape
Be prepared to discuss industry trends and how they affect journalism today. Familiarise yourself with key developments in media, and have opinions ready for discussions about digital versus traditional platforms, as well as ethical considerations in reporting.
✨Convey Your Passion and Drive
As you’re applying for a full-time role, they’ll want to know about your long-term commitment to journalism. Share your aspirations for future projects, any internships or freelance work, and how you see yourself growing within Bristol Water plc. Show that you’re not just looking for a job, but a career in journalism.
