We are looking for an experienced, ambitious and inspiring Deputy Editor to join our award-winning team of investigative journalists.

Our two Deputy Editors are part of the leadership of the UK’s largest non-profit investigative newsroom. They play a pivotal role in driving the ambition of our public interest journalism, leading and shaping investigations, inspiring and championing our teams, and ensuring the robustness of our stories.

About the Bureau

The Bureau is the UK’s largest independent investigative journalism organisation. It exists to inform the public about the realities of power in today’s world. Our investigations seek to 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.

In the last year, our investigations have hit front pages everywhere from the Sunday Times to the LA Times. We work with the BBC, ITV, all the major UK papers from the Guardian to the Mirror, and dozens of the largest newspapers and broadcasters around the world.

We produced more than 60 stories across five investigative teams. We have shone a light on the UK’s role in facilitating global corruption, highlighted systemic failures in healthcare which are literally matters of life and death, drawn links between high-street products and catastrophic deforestation in Brazil, and revealed misinformation and labour abuse behind the digital platforms we use daily. In the UK, we have investigated a number of complex issues including local government accountability, migrant visas and the family court system. Our findings have prompted inquiries, mandated companies to change the way they do business, forced the police to admit they have failed victims of domestic abuse by their own officers, equipped communities with powerful information, and informed policies.

The next two to three years will be focused on growing our own Bureau community by diversifying audiences, content and revenue streams in this next exciting chapter. We want to continue our reputation for innovation, collaboration and local-to-global public ambitions.

We are also considering how we can deepen and shape the impact of our journalism – especially by reaching under-represented audiences and continuing to ensure meaningful, lasting community engagement.

Culture and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) form a significant part of our strategy. We promote a workplace culture of collaboration and support, and want to be industry pioneers of DEI. The right candidate will bring great people skills and be able to demonstrate a deep understanding of inclusive leadership.

About the role

This leadership position is part of the Bureau’s Senior Management Team (SMT) and plays a pivotal part in helping shape and deliver the strategy as well as helping lead on culture and DEI within the newsroom. The Deputy Editors lead journalists as they pursue ambitious investigations and strategic impact. They also contribute to the funding relationships TBIJ has as a non-profit and the wider development, growth and resilience of the organisation.

Essential:

This role requires decision-making on an ongoing basis, including the management of risk. You will bring significant experience and understanding of legal risk, specifically how to assess and manage it. You will have a good grasp of libel and confidentiality law and will have dealt with threats from lawyers both before and after publication.

Alongside the Editor and another Deputy Editor, you will be expected to oversee several complex investigations at any one point, will help lead on editorial strategy alongside other SMT members and support the editor on risk management. The two Deputy Editors will stand in for the Editor when needed.

You will support high-level strategic communication with partners and other key stakeholders and be adept at managing multi-layered relationships. You will represent the Bureau in public, be a good team player, champion our teams and hold the values of the Bureau at all times.

You will demonstrate fierce commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, to nurturing potential and to helping the Bureau to lead the way in this field.

Key Function Accountabilities and Responsibilities:

• Supports Editor to help deliver a strong strategy aimed at shaping and directing investigations

• Supports oversight ensuring all editorial output complies with legal and ethical policies and laws

• Helps ensure all output is aligned to our editorial and impact strategies

• Helps to build the Bureau brand through partnerships and content diversification

• Joint oversight of production and editorial workflows

• Supporting teams to think creatively, innovatively and inclusively about storytelling

• Contributes to building in a strong ethos for DEI into our journalism and newsroom

• Working with the Senior Management Team to build relationships that lead to funding opportunities

• Deputising for the Editor where necessary

Detailed Responsibilities

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 have the necessary drive and passion, please don’t be deterred from applying.

Editorial Strategy

• Supports CEO/ Editor-in-Chief to deliver a strong editorial strategy that delivers the Bureau’s mission and ambitions

• Develop collaboratively and roll out the editorial strategy

• Work with the Senior Management Team on organisational, including editorial goals

• Ensure tracking and measurement of goals

• Support the wider team to deliver editorial strategy

• Support the Development Director in identifying fundraising opportunities

Editorial Output

• Support Editor’s oversight of editorial output

• Deliver output that aligns with the Bureau’s editorial strategy

• Provide space and opportunity for innovative and creative thinking and approaches

Legal Risk

• To support the Editor in assessing and managing the risks involved with investigations

Leadership Responsibilities

• Managing teams

• Contribute to talent development and mentoring

• Model our DEI values by running meetings inclusively, monitoring and delivering on newsroom representation

• Recruiting for potential

• Help the team realise their potential

• Champion the team

• Deputise for the Editor

Compliance

• Help maintain oversight of all legal issues and responses

• Support the Editor in risk management of editorial output

• Staying across media law and ensuring teams are kept up to date

• Helping oversee all issues involving journalism ethics, anti-bribery practices and conflict of interest registers of journalists

Funding and Budgets

• Working with the Senior Management Team on editorial budget and fundraising

• Working with Audiences team to support revenue generation

The Bureau is committed to being an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a diverse, inclusive and adaptable environment where people are encouraged and supported to do their best work. We encourage applications from those belonging to groups traditionally under-represented in the media. If you have questions about this, please contact franzwild@tbij.com.

The Bureau recognises the importance of helping its employees balance their work and home life by offering flexible working arrangements such as flexible hours and hybrid working across our office and remotely. Our core benefits include, access to an employee assistance programme; 25 days annual leave (excluding Christmas break during office closure); as well as enhanced company sick pay. We also provide staff development opportunities and a learning culture.

To apply

To apply, send your CV and a cover letter detailing why you are interested, your ambitions for the role and what experience and qualities qualify you for this job to deputyeditor@tbij.com by Thursday, 15 June. Please also fill out our Equality Monitoring Form here, which is anonymous, so we can better track who we are reaching.

Please also mention us at Journo Resources when you apply. It really helps us out!