Part-time reporter

We are looking for a dynamic, digitally savvy journalist with a keen eye for stories that will appeal to our readers and reach the widest possible audience.

You will be able to enhance our existing quality online news with content that appeals to a wide audience across a wide regional patch. A big part of the job will be to look for SEO trends to spot the stories that people want to read, whether that be news or about showbiz, celebrity, explainers or events.

You will be passionate about digital storytelling, with the ability to tap into trending news stories and come up with ideas for content.

You will be expected to use a range of digital tools and platforms to tell stories, including video, audio, infographics and maps. While your attention to detail must be second to none, with the ability to write quickly, accurately and succinctly.

Our online audience has a huge appetite, and you will be confident in offering up ideas and stories that keep our readership coming back for more.

You will do this alongside the team at our office in Stourbridge, but covering the whole West Midlands area.

Key responsibilities

• Building our digital audience following to bring our content to even more people in the community
• Using search tools to research and understand the topics people are searching for
• Transform those topics into stories for a local audience
• Use your SEO skills to reach the largest possible audience
• Building communities online and in real life with whom you can share stories once published
• Spotting national/regional content that could resonate in your patch and making it relevant and interesting to our readers
• Ensuring every piece of content is thoroughly researched and balanced before publication
• With guidance from editors, using analytics to identify what our readers like and what they want next from our coverage.

Skills, knowledge and expertise

• An understanding of search engine optimisation (SEO) and skills in producing content that works in search
• Passion for telling stories that will grow new, diverse audiences
• Exceptional attention to detail
• The ability to write and think quickly under pressure
• An understanding of what audiences want, and when
• Excellent social media skills and the ability to spot stories and trending topics

The chosen candidate will have their NCTJ qualification and ideally have:

• 100wpm shorthand
• Excellent knowledge of relevant media law

Hours to be discussed. A driving licence and a car are essential. To be considered, please send your CV.

About Newsquest Media Group

We are a media company with a difference. We are committed to bringing a voice to your region by investing in a passionate team of journalists who proudly serve their communities by sharing authoritative news that readers trust. Our sales teams provide local businesses with highly responsive digital advertising and marketing solutions.

We are one of the largest regional news publishers in the UK and have a portfolio of more than 250+ local news brands and magazines online and in print. With an online audience of 41 million users a month and 7 million readers a week in print, our content is read by a substantial proportion of the UK population.

In addition to our local news brands, we own a number of digital pure play and specialist media businesses such as s1jobs and s1homes, Exchange & Mart, and Newsquest Specialist Media. We also own LOCALiQ, an award-winning digital marketing agency that specialises in driving more leads, increasing online growth and generating return on marketing investment on behalf of thousands of UK SMBs.