Video Journalist - 12-month FTC

About us

The Independent is an online news publisher that was established in 1986 as a national newspaper independent of party political affiliations or proprietorial influence. In 2016, The Independent became a fully digital publisher, moving away from print in pursuit of sustainability, and to safeguard its values and journalism for the future.

The Independent has always thrived through innovation and change. It was the first British newspaper to add a Saturday magazine; the first to give photography the same prestige as a news copy; the first to challenge the Westminster lobby system of closed briefings; the first broadsheet to move to the more compact ‘tabloid’ format; the first to launch a concise quality compact paper; and the first – and only – major newspaper to pull off a successful transformation to fully digital publishing.

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.

We have an international editorial team with our main offices in London and New York.

The role

As a Video Journalist for The Independent, you will produce video content and write short video articles across our platforms, as well as create stories and short-form videos for our social media channels.

Reporting to the Video News Editor, you are expected to have a knack for sourcing and verifying video content while reacting to breaking news and traffic requirements

You will work amongst a team of others to ensure The Independent's video content is leading international coverage on any given story.

You will use analytics tools to gauge audience interest in various topics before expertly producing and writing an SEO-optimised headline, and when necessary, writing articles to accompany them.

On a day-to-day basis, you will have the opportunity to pitch videos, short articles and longer-form content that, if commissioned, will be turned around to tight deadlines.

Please not that this is a 12-month fixed-term contract.

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.

The Independent is an equal opportunities employer, if you require any reasonable adjustments to complete your application, please do not hesitate to advise us accordingly.

About you

Key responsibilities and accountabilities

• Sourcing and verifying videos with high-traffic potential
• Delivering engaging, high-quality video content
• Writing accurate and ethical news copy
• Producing work that reflects The Independent's legal, copyright and ethical requirements
• Working well with colleagues across the newsroom to optimise department performance
• Working to tight deadlines set by the Video News Editor
• Approaching issues with a problem-solving mentality and acting swiftly and vocally when problems arise

Essential skills and experience

• An NCTJ-trained journalist with a video journalism portfolio
• Have a proven track record as a journalist working in a similar role at a similar title
• A good understanding on UK and international news
• A team player who works well with others and enjoys working in a dynamic fast-paced media environment
• You are confident in communicating your ideas and pitches
• You are a problem solver, able to deal with issues calmly and decisively and switch priorities as needed
• You are a trustworthy personality that always displays ethical behaviour
• You have a strong familiarity with The Independent and our coverage
• Comfortable using digital analytics tools to create the possible best work
• Able to think on your feet and use your initiative

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.