The Scots Magazine, the world’s best-selling Scottish-interest title, is hiring for a Features Journalist to join the team in either our Dundee or Glasgow offices to cover a period of maternity leave. The Scots Magazine is part of the DC Thomson media and publishing company.
This is an exciting opportunity for an outstanding creative to join the award‑winning team behind The Scots Magazine as it expands into new digital products. As part of a small, collaborative team, you’ll have the chance to write for our monthly print magazine and digital platforms.
From writing about outdoor adventures, celebrity interviews and the cultural events that define the nation – you'll cover it all. The team likes to get boots on the ground, so you’ll get the chance to explore Scotland while helping to shape the future content of one of the country’s best‑loved publications.
The successful candidate will be a creative journalist, brimming with ideas and capable of delivering compelling features for our passionate readership, across print and digital. You will be a highly adaptable writer, who is as comfortable interviewing famous faces as writing first‑person experiences and reviews or getting to the heart of a human‑interest story.
The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to write engaging, informative, and well‑researched stories. The Features Journalist will thrive under pressure, consistently meeting deadlines while balancing day‑to‑day content creation with long‑term planning for future projects.
Key responsibilities
- Write compelling features: produce high‑quality, engaging, and informative articles that capture the spirit of Scotland, covering everything from people and places to culture, lifestyle, history, and current events.
- Research and develop ideas: generate fresh, creative, and original feature ideas that are aligned with the interests of our readers.
- Finger on the pulse: spot trends before competitors get to them and display a desire to be the go‑to guide for everything happening in Scotland.
- Work to deadlines: manage daily editorial deadlines while maintaining attention to detail and ensuring all content is on brand and of the highest standard.
- Collaborate with editorial team: work closely with editors, other writers, and photographers to produce multi‑faceted features.
- Engage with the audience: write in a tone that resonates with readers, inspiring them to connect with Scotland's heritage, landscape, and people.
- Plan for future content: contribute to editorial planning by suggesting feature ideas and long‑term content strategies.
- Brand: maintain brand values and consistency of tone across content, working with design to ensure management of fonts in line with company guidelines.
Skills
- IT: MS 365 Suite, Adobe Suite; familiar with standard picture libraries (Shutterstock or Alamy).
- Content authoring: advanced writing and editing techniques for accurate, engaging, audience‑focused content across formats.
- Information content publishing: publish and adapt content across print and digital channels, optimising format, structure and presentation for accessibility.
- Data analysis: use audience and performance data to inform content decisions and continuously improve output.
- User experience evaluation: assess how audiences interact with content and apply insights to improve readability and accessibility.
- Stakeholder relationship management: build and maintain relationships with internal stakeholders and external contributors.
- Innovation: apply creative thinking to generate new content formats, angles and storytelling approaches that enhance audience engagement.
Experience
- Proven experience as a feature writer or journalist, preferably within lifestyle, culture, or travel sectors.
- Extensive contacts book and strong knowledge of Scotland’s cultural and historical landscapes.
- Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple deadlines, and deliver high‑quality work.
- Proactive approach to generating ideas and collaborating with colleagues.
- Experience writing for magazines or similar publications.
- Familiarity with SEO best practices for editorial content.
Behaviours that will help this role succeed
Being More Curious
- Proactively identify emerging trends, untold stories and new angles.
- Use data and insight to challenge assumptions and improve editorial decisions.
Experiment with Purpose
- Test new formats, topics and storytelling approaches based on clear hypotheses.
- Use performance data to evaluate success and scale what works.
Owning the Outcomes
- Takes full accountability for content quality, deadlines and performance.
- Uses feedback and data to continuously improve results.
Being More Collaborative
- Actively share ideas, insight and best practice across teams and titles.
- Build strong, constructive relationships with editorial, data, design and commercial stakeholders.
To apply for this role, please follow our online application process and submit a CV and cover letter as well as your portfolio that demonstrates your work across print and digital.
Closing date for applications: 10th June 2026 at 12:00noon
This role is being offered as maternity cover, with an expected duration of approximately 12 months. We recognise that circumstances can evolve, so while there is some flexibility around the end date, we are committed to keeping you well informed and providing appropriate notice.
