News and Feature Writer

**Company Description** Please note: this is a hybrid role and will require 1 day per week (typically Wednesday) in our office in Abingdon, Oxford.**

**About the Business Division**:
**Job Description** Role purpose**

This exciting role will play a crucial part in engaging our audience of UK doctors and encouraging them to return regularly to the site. The postholder will contribute to the success of the Doctors.net.uk content strategy by writing and publishing news, analysis, features and careers articles. The ability to deliver outstanding journalism to daily deadlines in a fast-paced editorial environment will be essential.

**Responsibilities**

**_ News_**
- Report on breaking news and on/off diary stories relevant to UK doctors, writing several stories per week
- Monitor for and identify breaking news affecting our audience
- Pitch on and off-diary news stories, including original and exclusive news
- Build a wide network of contacts across UK medicine, healthcare and clinical science to inform exclusive coverage

**_ Analysis and features_**
- Pitch regular, timely, well-researched ideas for long-form analysis and explainer articles that deepen our audience’s understanding of current events
- Write high-quality articles analysing and explaining topical events in UK medicine, NHS politics and medical science
- Produce in-depth features and conduct investigations into issues affecting the medical practice of clinicians and the care of their patients

**_ Careers_**
- Pitch regular articles about issues and developments affecting doctors’ working lives for inclusion in the Careers section
- Write helpful, informative articles to update and guide clinicians on matters impacting their professional lives
- Contribute to resources to help doctors progress in their professional development

**_ Editorial teamwork_**
- Work closely with the Managing Editor and News Editor on the development, delivery and optimisation of content
- Contribute actively to editorial meetings, bringing well-researched ideas that will drive engagement
- Edit, proofread and publish editorial content
- Identify and source appropriate photos, graphics and other multimedia to support written content
- Play an active role in expanding our social media presence by posting articles and evaluating impact
- Produce, edit, manage and publish multimedia content such as videos and podcasts
- Strictly adhere to editorial guidelines, house style, tone-of-voice guidance and brand messaging for our website
- Maintain an up-to-date awareness and understanding of key topics of interest to our members within medicine, the NHS and medical politics
- Build knowledge of medical terminology and clinical topics, including specialty-specific insights and science/research themes
- Deputise for other editorial team members as required
- Liaise with Marketing colleagues to facilitate sharing and promotion of articles to maximise engagement

**Qualifications**
**_
Essential_**
- NCTJ or equivalent qualification in journalism
- Experience of reporting on news and current affairs for a national, local, specialist or trade (B2B) publication in the UK
- Experience of writing medium and long-form content, such as analysis, features or blogs
- Outstanding reporting and interviewing abilities
- Impeccable writing skills with the ability to produce clear and accurate copy
- Demonstrable experience of delivering original, high-quality, multi-sourced articles
- Ability to spot a good story, develop leads and verify facts
- Experience of networking, building contacts and maintaining relationships
- An evidenced ability to deliver quality coverage to tight deadlines in a fast-paced editorial environment
- A keen interest in writing about medicine and healthcare in the UK
- The ability and motivation to quickly absorb complex information and concepts about medical practice, regulation, health policy and clinical research
- Proactive, ‘can-do’ mindset, always seeking to learn new skills and improve existing ones
- Exceptional organisational and time management skills
- Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills
- Self-motivated with an ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team
- Confidence in working with senior internal and external stakeholders
- Ability to work with diplomacy and tact when speaking with external organisations and individuals, acting as an ambassador for our brand
- Experience of using content management systems (CMSs) to upload and manage content
- Comprehensive understanding of media law, including defamation, privacy and copyright
- Ability to demonstrate sound journalistic ethics and work professionally at all times
- Computer literate, including experience with Microsoft Office programs

**_ Desirable_**
- Experience of working for a medical, healthcare or clinical science publication in the UK
- Experience of producing and editing rich audio-visual content
- Experience of using analytics to apprais