The Independent, Commissioning Editor - Voices

The Independent is looking for a Commissioning Editor to join its award-winning Voices desk.

The successful candidate will be a team player with an excellent and diverse contacts book, a passion for representing varied opinions on the biggest news stories of the day, and a good knowledge of all aspects of digital journalism including social media and SEO.

We are looking for someone who reads the news compulsively; who has an opinion on everything but also has the ability to work fairly and diplomatically with people who might hold opposing views to their own; who prides themselves on snappy headline-writing and excellent copy-editing; and who can engage audiences in innovative ways.

Key responsibilities:

• Supporting the co-editors as a member of a close-knit team delivering a diverse list of opinion pieces each day
• Suggesting ideas for news-hooked articles each day (as well as potential writers to commission)
• Attending meetings to represent the desk when needed
• Writing opinion pieces when called upon
• Commissioning writers appropriate for a wide range of different subjects
• Helping with speaking events, podcasts and videos
• Maintaining good relationships with long-standing columnists and guiding ideas for their weekly columns

About you:

• Experience of working in comment journalism, or for a mainstream publication in a related capacity
• Proven track record in building new audiences and introducing exciting writers to a digital space
• Strong understanding of social media
• Resilient and friendly in a busy newsroom with competing demands
• Confident in writing and on the phone checking facts with organisations and reaching out to politicians and prominent public figures
• Experience using a CMS
• Excellent writer with the ability to turn around an opinion piece at short notice if needed
• Happy to communicate across different desks and mindful of how an opinion story can collaborate with news, video, features and any other section
• Good at timekeeping and used to turning work around quickly but accurately
• Ability to use Trello, Slack, Chartbeat and other similar tools

Desirable:

• Experience of working on video journalism and/or podcasts in addition to written journalism
• Qualification or training in media law and ethics

To apply, please complete the application form below and send an up to date CV along with a full covering letter with salary expectations.