Local Democracy Reporter – EdinburghLive (Edinburgh)

Do you want to shine a light on the daily decisions of councils, to ensure politicians keep their promises and to break essential stories about public interest issues?

We are looking for someone to join us as a Local Democracy Reporter to live and breathe the decisions being made by Edinburgh Council.

From the state of roads to local schools to new recycling services, every one of us is affected by the decisions that councils make.

You will be part of a team of 165 reporters working throughout the UK to hold local authorities to account through a BBC-supported service.

Your work will mean that everyone in Edinburgh will get to hear about what the council are doing in their name.

If you’re a politically-minded reporter, ready to stalk the corridors of power in Edinburgh, searching for brilliant and engaging stories for our audience then this is the position for you!

We’re looking for fresh ideas and new perspectives from people from a wide range of backgrounds, and we want you to tell us the stories you believe are important from our many communities so we can continue to diversify our content.

So, who are we?

We are Reach Plc, you might not have heard of us but we have probably met without you even realising it. We are home to the UK and Ireland’s most iconic digital platforms, magazines and newspapers. From the Mirror, Daily Express and OK!, to our regional titles such as the Liverpool Echo, BirminghamLive and the Manchester Evening News (plus lots more), our brands and the stories we cover are as varied as our people. We help all kinds of people share experiences through our stories because we believe this is what makes us human.

Oh, and we should probably also mention that with a monthly readership of 47 million people, Reach is the largest commercial publisher in the UK. At Reach, not only will you feel better understood, you will also feel you understand other people better too.

This role is home and hub based linked to our Edinburgh hub, therefore it is essential you are based in Edinburgh and able to commute to Edinburgh City Council on a weekly basis.

What will the role involve?

• A day in the life of a Local Democracy Reporter looks like this
• You’ll be covering the key business of Edinburgh Council as well as the political and social issues affecting the community
• Making sure you cover the council meetings and key decisions in a timely manner by attending regular council meetings and getting out in the community to gather stories
• You will build contacts, understand and explore the key issues, write features and break exclusives with your work having the potential to also be shown on the BBC Homepage

Who are we looking for?

• You are an NCTJ (or equivalent) qualified journalist, ideally with 100wpm shorthand skills (or be currently working towards this), with an understanding and interest in the issues of Edinburgh City Council’s local community
• Previous experience reporting on local government/councils is highly desirable
• You have the ability to pull the stories out of the local council meetings that our readers want to know about
• A good knowledge of social media and how you can use it to drive audience and engagement from the people in your area is an advantage
• You’re interested in and have a good working knowledge of the local council and government and how they operate
• You want to hold politicians to account and ensure the local community are heard

What can we offer you?

We are offering a competitive salary and benefits including;

• Help saving for your retirement – join our pension scheme and well match contributions up to 6%
• 25 days holiday per year when you join. After three, five and ten years service with Reach, youll accrue one additional day of annual leave. We also have a Holiday Purchase Scheme
• Giving back day – an additional days leave each year to support a cause close to your heart
• Enhanced family leave – including maternity, paternity and adoption – and youll be eligible after just six months employment
• Private Healthcare Cash Plan – free health cash plan so you can claim back cash for a range of medical expenses
• As one of the UKs top 50 Inclusive Employers everyones invited to join our events, programmes and networks to celebrate diversity and build an environment where all our people can thrive
• Wellbeing support – including a 24/7 employee assistance programme (EAP) for you and your nearest and dearest
• Awesome career opportunities – youll have support from your line manager and a range of learning & development programmes
• We are also a member of the 30% Club, a global campaign aimed at increasing gender diversity at board and senior management levels

Reach plc believes diversity brings benefits for our customers, our business and our people. This is why we are committed to being an inclusive employer and encourage applications from all suitable applicants irrespective of background, circumstances, age, disability, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or belief and sexual orientation.