Features Digital Publisher

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 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. In 2024 The Independent’s portfolio of brands increased through a new licencing partnership with BuzzFeed Inc. to operate the BuzzFeed brands in the UK - BuzzFeed UK, Tasty, Seasoned and HuffPost UK. The additional brands echo the existing business ethos and allow for increased audiences and a further strategic diversification of revenue streams. Job purpose: We are seeking a skilled and detail-oriented Features digital publisher to join the The Independent's Features desk. The role combines sharp editorial judgement with excellent digital publishing expertise, ensuring our features are accurate, engaging, and optimised for our audience. You will take responsibility for editing/subbing and digitally optimising copy and content, as well as supporting commissioning and contributing to editorial excellence, workflow and over all features strategy working with a number of teams across the newsroom 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. If you require any reasonable adjustments to complete your application, please do not hesitate to let us know. Key responsibilities and accountabilities Editorial Quality Sub-edit, polish, and fact-check copy to ensure it meets The Independent’s high standards of accuracy, clarity, and tone. Write compelling headlines, standfirsts, and social sell-lines tailored for digital engagement work Digital Publishing Publish stories in the CMS with accuracy and speed as well as making them visually compelling Ensure digital publishing practices are met at all times working with teams in audience / video ensuring optimisation for maximum visibility and reach. Liaise with the senior audience team to track engagement and adjust feattures content strategy where needed. Commissioning Support Assist in commissioning features, identifying opportunities for follow-ups, series, or timely features that align with the news agenda Come up with inspiring new ideas of how to package content - with audio or video or use of visual data journalism Support writers with guidance on style, structure, and deadlines. Workflow & Coordination Work closely with the executive features editor to maintain smooth daily production, balancing beautifully packaged and optimised long-form and quick-turnaround content. Act as a bridge between features writers, commissioning editors, and the digital production team. Proactively flag bottlenecks and propose workflow improvements and work across overall strategy for the developing features desk. Skills Experience in production, or digital publishing within a newsroom or magazine environment. Strong grasp of grammar, style, and narrative structure , with excellent attention to detail. Understanding the importance of audio and video production in content creation Experience working in a CMS and understanding of SEO, analytics, and digital optimisation. Ability to write and refine sharp, engaging headlines tailored for digital and social platforms. Organised, proactive, and able to manage competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Collaborative, with excellent communication skills and the confidence to liaise across editorial, production, and audience teams and strategise within the senior features team Our values – you will deliver across all our values Inclusive : Wechampion 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.