Editorial Assistant

Who we are:

SWNS proudly brings the heartbeat of Britain to life for our biggest news brands. Every day, hundreds of our stories, images and videos are published and broadcast across the national media.

We are a team of dedicated journalists, photographers, videographers and editors based across the UK who are passionate about real, original journalism.

We combine traditional reporting with the best content-gathering techniques for digital and social media to produce a news wire that drives millions of views every day.

Our content spans breaking news, court cases, amazing human interest stories, consumer issues, health studies, scientific breakthroughs, opinion polls, and stunning imagery and viral videos.

We distribute to the biggest news publishers in the world – from the Sun, Mirror and Daily Mail to the Times, Telegraph and New York Post.

Who we’re looking for:

We're after a recent college or university leaver looking to take their first career steps in the news media.

You will be ambitious, super-keen and a fast learner, with the desire to progress your learning and career development.

A minimum of an A Level in English is desirable. You will be able to write accurate and concise news copy, with the ability to turn your hand to the styles of different publications.

You must have a keen interest in popular news content, and a fascination with how the industry works and a hunger to soak it up.

You must also be calm under the pressure of tight deadlines, and be able to build a rapport with our clients with your friendly and warm telephone and email communications.

The role:

Based at our Bristol HQ, this is a junior role that involves uploading content to our various editorial systems, ready for distribution to our publishing clients. You will also be reaching out directly to our core contacts, pitching stories and ideas.

You will be required to edit content to suit different publications, so you need to be confident in your writing and have a keen understanding of how stories should be presented to different titles.

The role also encompasses monitoring usage of our content and reporting this back to senior team members and executives in a timely and accurate fashion.

You will also get the chance to work on original stories for our news and digital teams, enabling you to develop your journalistic skills in preparation for the next step of your career.

This role will give you a unique understanding of all parts of our business and the wider news and PR industry, creating a great springboard for future career development.

The successful candidate will have the flexibility of working from home once a period of training has been concluded. However all staff are currently required to work from the office for a minimum of two days per week.

An NCTJ or similar journalism qualification is preferable, but not essential; enthusiasm and talent are the most important attributes, so we will consider applications from less-qualified candidates who are keen to learn.

All applicants will ideally have:

• A qualification in English or A Level and above
• NCTJ or similar journalism qualification (but enthusiastic self-starters can apply)
• News writing experience and the ability to turn around quick, accurate copy
• Be confident and personable with the ability to quickly strike a rapport with people, both in person and on the phone
• Have an understand of, and interest in, how news stories are presented in the digital environment

Salary and application:

As a junior role, this position will pay the National Living Wage of £23,800 for those aged 21+.
SWNS also has a generous and growing list of employee benefits, including:

• 25 days annual holiday plus eight Bank Holidays
• Company pension scheme with employer contribution
• Hybrid working policy
• Enhanced maternity and paternity packages
• Life assurance scheme
• Shopping discount scheme, tech benefit scheme
• Gym membership discount, Cycle to Work
• Savings on childcare

Please apply to [email protected] with a CV and cover letter.

Please mention HoldtheFrontPage when applying for this role. This advert will expire on Tuesday 30th April 2024.