Politics reporter Dumfries and Galloway

We are seeking to recruit a political journalist based at the Dumfries & Galloway Standard as part of the Local Democracy Reporting scheme backed by the BBC and regional publishers. You will be an enthusiastic and capable reporter with experience of working to tight deadlines alongside a shorthand proficiency of 100wpm. You will be able to demonstrate a deep understanding of local government and a track record of delivering great ideas for content and building contacts Key Responsibilities You will be based with the Dumfries & Galloway Standard, a flagship title covering Dumfries and a wide area of the south of Scotland, working with its committed team of digital and print journalists. You will be responsible for covering the business of Dumfries and Galloway Council and how decisions impact on the lives of people who live and work in these areas. As well as your work appearing online and in print, it will also be published on the wire of content accessible to the BBC and other publications and broadcasters throughout the region, potentially bringing a huge audience to your stories. The Ideal Candidate A solid working knowledge of social media and the way it can be used to drive audience and engagement is important too. We are ideally seeking candidates qualified to senior standard or equivalent with two years experience but applications from trainees approaching senior qualifications will be considered. About the Local Democracy Reporting Service This scheme is designed to increase coverage and scrutiny of councils across the UK. Funded by the BBC and run by media publishers, the reporters will provide indepth coverage of our local authorities which will feature on websites, newspapers and broadcasts across their region. Package Description In addition to competitive salaries, 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), bonus structures (if applicable) and a contributory pension scheme, Reach plc have a wealth of flexible benefits on offer. These include holiday purchase scheme, childcare vouchers, cycle scheme, a technology scheme in conjunction with Curry’s PC World, car scheme, health cash plan, employee loans and lots of high street discounts. Our business is fully committed to health and wellbeing in the workplace with an employee assistance programme and trained mental health first aiders across the business. We are committed to equal opportunity for all. We may collect relevant data for monitoring as part of our candidate registration process. We will be reviewing applications as they are received so please don’t delay in submitting your application. To apply, visit jobs.reachplc.com