At a Glance
- Tasks: Uncover and create compelling stories about our people and projects.
- Company: Join a leading UK water company committed to sustainability.
- Benefits: 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 impact by telling stories that matter to communities and the environment.
- Qualifications: Significant journalism experience and exceptional storytelling skills required.
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, South West Water, Bristol Water, Bournemouth Water, SES Water, Pennon Water Services and Pennon Power, 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 supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.
Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.
Ready to make a splash?
Join our team today.
Lead Journalist
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.
You'll act as a journalist within the business, identifying compelling stories from across our operations, people and communities, bringing them to life through engaging content and trusted media relationships.
Working as part of a small but high-performing team, you'll play a key role in showcasing the positive impact of our people and services, supporting media engagement, creating high-quality content and helping the business navigate fast-moving and high-profile situations.
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
We're seeking a curious, creative and resilient storyteller with a strong journalism background and a passion for uncovering stories that matter.
Essential
- 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.4
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
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 everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.
- Be the Future
- Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.
- #J-18808-Ljbffr
Lead Journalist in Exeter employer: Pennon Group Plc
At Pennon Group Plc, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration in the field of environmental management. Our Bristol location provides unique opportunities for professional growth, supported by flexible working options and comprehensive healthcare benefits, making it an ideal place for passionate individuals to contribute to meaningful water resource projects.
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 Pennon Group 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 Pennon Group 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 Pennon Group Plc:When applying for the Lead Journalist role at Pennon Group 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 Pennon Group 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 Pennon Group 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 Pennon Group Plc. Show that you’re not just looking for a job, but a career in journalism.
