The Bureau of Investigative Journalism is seeking an engaging and effective community organiser to help ensure the people we write about, and with, are at the heart of our reporting.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of TBIJ projects and develop new and impactful ways of involving affected, often marginalised, communities in journalism – at a time when that has never been more vital.

You will have experience of community organising and coordinating long-term projects. There are two ongoing strands you will initially have responsibility for: a project working with trans and nonbinary communities and an investigation into online influence operations, particularly in the build-up to the UK general election.

About TBIJ

TBIJ is the UK’s largest independent investigative journalism organisation.

We exist to inform the public about the realities of power in today’s world. Our investigations expose systemic wrongs, challenge misinformation and spark change.

With no corporate or political agenda, we bring to light serious issues affecting individuals and communities in the UK and around the world.

We work strategically and collaboratively to maximise the impact of our reporting and share our findings openly with local, national and international media outlets to reach as many people as possible.

About The Team

The successful candidate will be part of our Bureau Local team, while also working across other projects, in particular our Big Tech team’s investigation into attempts to manipulate the public in the run up to elections.

Bureau Local launched in March 2017 with a mission to support and produce grassroots investigative journalism on the issues that matter most in the UK. The team’s collaborative, accessible and innovative approach has produced agenda-setting investigations into underreported topics, including health inequalities, precarious work and the local government funding crisis.

But the UK media landscape has changed. The connection between communities and local news organisations has eroded. Our journalism needs to change in response. This role is an opportunity to play a key part in these exciting plans.

Involving people in our journalism has always been a vital part of Bureau Local. Through reporting recipes and hackdays, roundtable discussions and even touring the country with live performances, Bureau Local has used new and engaging ways to enable people to connect with, shape and use our journalism.

We are developing a new approach to investigative journalism, built on these foundations, which we hope will empower communities to investigate the issues affecting their lives. It will see us produce impactful and innovative investigative journalism in which we work with people rather than simply writing about them.

About The Role

You will lead the community organising at the heart of Bureau Local investigations and in our influence operations project. This is a key role and you will be accountable for helping to deliver community-engaged journalism which sparks real-world change.

Experience of community organising is essential but you don’t need to have a journalism background.

You don’t need to tick every box in this ad – we are committed to hiring people with potential. If you feel like you lack some specific experience but think you would be a great fit for this job, please don’t be deterred from applying. You can email cojob@tbij.com if you have any questions or need to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you will need for any part of the recruitment process.

Key responsibilities:

• Project manage initiatives to engage different communities in our stories.

• Play a key role in helping Bureau Local develop a new community-led approach to investigative journalism.

• Lead on efforts to expand the communities we work with in terms of geographic and demographic representation.

• Create new relationships, and build on existing partnerships, to help us tell stories collaboratively with communities.

• Represent TBIJ at in-person and virtual events.

• Support TBIJ staff with grant applications and other bid writing by contributing ideas about community engagement.

• Share learnings from our work with the wider journalism and not-for-profit sector and other partners, such as funders.

• Keep abreast of research and innovation within community-based journalism nationally and internationally and incorporate those learnings into our work.

• Help produce content as part of TBIJ’s journalistic output, including explaining the methodology behind our community-led approach.

• Contribute to the wider development of TBIJ to ensure community engagement is embedded throughout our reporting.

You will be a good fit for community organiser if you are:

• Experienced in engaging with marginalised communities, supporting and organising alongside groups at grassroots level with often disparate members.

• Someone who enjoys sharing their ideas and a thoughtful listener who likes to build relationships.

• A multitasker and a team player. The community organiser must be able to work across and manage various projects simultaneously.

• Experienced in doing advocacy and campaigning.

• Passionate about helping bring about more representative story gathering and telling.

We envisage this as a full-time, primarily remote-working role, although there will be an expectation of working from our London office at times. TBIJ is committed to being an inclusive and diverse employer providing opportunities for all, where people can come to do their best work. We particularly encourage applications from individuals from communities or backgrounds that are currently underrepresented in the media industry.

Benefits

What We offer:

• 25 days annual leave.

• Additional gifted leave during Christmas festive break.

• Flexible working arrangements.

• Hybrid working.

• Employee assistance programme.

• Enhanced sick pay.

• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay after 12 months service.

• Learning and development opportunities.

• Cycle to work scheme.

Salary and Contract

Contract: Full-time role, initial 12-month fixed term contract, with the possibility of extension.
Salary: £40,000 – £44,000 depending on experience
Location: home working, with a requirement to occasionally work from the London office.
Reports to: Project editor

How To Apply

Potential candidates should send a CV and cover letter to Gareth Davies and Jasper Jackson at cojob@tbij.com.

If you need support with your application, such as reasonable adjustments, or want to ask any questions about the job before submitting an application, please contact Gareth Davies and Jasper Jackson at cojob@tbij.com.

You will need to have the right to live and work in the UK.

Deadline for application is 16 February 2024 and we aim to schedule interviews week commencing 19 February 2024.

Please also fill out our anonymous equality monitoring form here, so we can better track who we are reaching.

Our Values

• Just: We are committed to pursuing what is right. We act with integrity and fairness to bring injustice to light.

• Honest: We deal plainly and truthfully with each other and what we uncover. We reveal the truth even when it is uncomfortable.

• Courageous: We aim to break new ground. We are ambitious, tenacious, and innovative.

• Inclusive: We seek to build equity. We embrace diversity, different experiences and perspectives.

• Collaborative: We believe people are stronger when they work together. We take a collective approach to how we tackle problems, share skills, and enable change.