Special Correspondent

Senior Features Correspondent / Commissioner – Maternity Cover, 12 Months FTC

About us

The Independent is one of the world’s few profitable, digital-only news publishers, that was established in 1986 as a UK national newspaper free of party political affiliations or proprietorial influence. In 2016, The Independent became a fully digital publisher, closing print to pursue a sustainable, international, revenue-diverse business model, and to safeguard its values and journalism for the future. The Independent thrives through innovation and change. It is the first – and only – major UK title to successfully transform to fully digital platform, publishing globally

in 6 languages (English, Spanish, Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Urdu).

Through The Independent, Independent TV, eCommerce, indy100, subscriptions and other ‘reader revenues’, The Independent plans to continue the work of many decades, bringing much-needed independent journalism to over 100 million unique global visitors a month, make its voice ever louder and more insistent the world over. Through social media amplification and Licensing & Syndication partnerships, the brand delivers total views in excess of 12 Billion on an annual basis.

The US is The Independent’s most strategic growth market, supported by a global network of journalists, and with more than 50 staff across America alone, clustered primarily in NYC, Washington, DC, and LA. The company operates a 24-hour, around-the-clock, around-the-globe operation.

Job purpose

We are seeking an experienced and digital savvy features correspondent to join our team. This is a pivotal role for a strong writer with an excellent commissioning capability who can step up to deputy when required.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

• We champion diversity in our teams and in our reporting. As a growing and global brand, we must have a workforce that’s more representative of our readers, viewers, clients and partners, and a workplace that creates a sense of belonging for everyone.
• We are committed to hiring and developing a diverse workforce regardless of background, and we support our people to thrive in their careers here.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to complete your application, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Key Responsibilities:

• Generate, develop and deliver original journalism across features and long-form content
• Produce high-quality long-form writing, from investigative news projects, incisive interviews and ghostwritten pieces to vivid colour writing.
• Work closely with the Long-Term Planning Desk to shape coverage and identify stories that capture the zeitgeist and will resonate with The Independent\’s audience
• Contribute punchy, original opinion and analysis on a broad range of topics, from politics to cultural trends.
• Confidently pitch and present ideas in editorial conferences when required.
• Commission and edit work from contributors, ensuring high standards of quality and tone.
• Collaborate with senior editors across the newsroom and audience colleagues to ensure content is optimised and engaging for a global on-line audience.
• Understand the demands of digital publishing and the opportunities for growing reach for long form content
• Cultivate strong contacts and working relationships both internally and externally.

Skills & Experience:

• Exceptional writing skills, with a proven ability to deliver compelling long-form pieces, colour features, interviews and ghosted articles.
• At least five years’ experience as a writer, correspondent or commissioning editor in a fast-paced national newsroom or magazine / on-line environment.
• Proven ability to commission and manage writers, with a sharp editorial eye.
• Strong organisational and planning skills; able to balance multiple projects for different departments
• Confident communicator who thrives in conference and collaborative environments.
• Awareness of audience trends, analytics and social media, with an understanding for what our audience will truly engage with
• Multimedia awareness and willingness to work across a number of formats

Our values – you will deliver across all our values

Inclusive: We champion diversity in our teams and in our reporting. Working as a team, we put transparency and effective communication at the heart of everything we do.

Innovative: From the very beginning, The Independent has been breaking the mould. We take risks and are always looking to try new ideas in pursuit of excellence.

Independent: Nobody tells us what to think; we make up our own minds and aren’t afraid to do things differently. Like our readers, we value honesty and integrity above outside influences.