Video News Editor

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 a 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.

The role

As the Video News Editor, you will lead a team of Video Journalists producing and writing content for The Independent, Independent TV, Indy100 and Bulletin.

You will have editorial oversight of The Independent’s video coverage of live news and work extensively across all departments, including news, politics, sport, culture, lifestyle, tech and Premium. You will also have an active role in Independent TV, working with a production team on specific projects that will appear online and on other platforms

Reporting to the Global Head of Video, you will be comfortable working towards ambitious targets and will use data analytics to show progress and identify problem areas that require attention.

In this leadership role you will also have direct reports and will be expected to manage staff within the department, keeping up to date with conversations surrounding expectations, growth and support. You will be at the forefront of our video coverage, supporting the Global Head of Video in producing market-leading content on a day-to-day basis.

You will ensure our video output aligns with the businesses established strategy, and meet traffic goals and targets. You will commission and curate video content that amplifies the integrity and quality of The Independent’s video journalism while capitalising on what drives views, retention rates and engagement.

You will be innovative and on the cutting edge of the newest software, technologies, trends and AI.

You will commission compelling content that both informs and engages audiences on our site and social platforms. You will be up to date with our coverage across all departments, including news, politics, sport, culture, lifestyle, tech and Premium. You will ensure quality of our content remains at the highest possible standard.

You will have the ability to use video and photo editing software, and write copy in-line with the IPSO code of conduct.

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.

The Independent is an equal opportunities employer, if you require any reasonable adjustments to complete your application, please do not hesitate to advise us accordingly.

About you

You demonstrates the following behaviours and skillset:

• Leadership
• Innovation
• Video-led commissioner
• Data and analytics-driven
• Fast-paced and adaptable
• Cross-platform expertise on how content is produced and where it is housed

You should display:

1. Continuous improvement – you work in a smart, flexible and focused way, are curious, open to change and suggest ideas for improvements to the way things are done.
2. Collaboration – you build and maintain positive and supportive working relationships with colleagues across the newsroom. You help to create an inclusive and professional work environment.
3. Innovation – you keep your own knowledge and skill-set current up to date and look for ways to continue to innovate in the sphere of video
4. Responsive delivery – you work to established strategy targets and objectives and face challenges in a constructive and responsive way. You take personal responsibility for the quality of your and your department’s work.
5. Care for others - you show awareness and respect of diversity and inclusivity at all times.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities

• Work closely with the Global Head of Video, the newsdesk and other desk editors to plan the Independent’s video output.
• Manage a team of Video Journalists to ensure video output and video-led articles have strong news values and are in line with relevant laws and guidance.
• Liaise with lawyers where necessary to ensure that output is legally sound.
• Meet tight deadlines set by the Global Head of Video
• Deliver engaging content.
• Work well with members of other teams to optimise department performance.
• Ensure our work is always of the highest possible standard.
• Be comfortable in verifying and clearing footage from social media.
• Demonstrate an understanding of The Independent’s values and always work with those in mind.

Essential skills and experience

• Management or leadership experience of a large team
• Strong background in both news and video
• Ability to identify video story opportunities and identify videos with high traffic potential
• NCTJ/BJTC qualification
• Confident editing video in Adobe Premiere Pro and Photoshop
• Expert understanding of SEO
• Flexible individual able to change plans at short notice according to breaking news agenda
• Confident communicator

Our values – you will deliver across all our values

Inclusive: We champion 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.