Job Title: Court Reporter

Location: Belfast (hybrid working)

Reporting To: Head of Content

Role Purpose

Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Life are recruiting a reporter to provide accurate and engaging courts coverage across Northern Ireland for our digital audience and print readers.

The successful candidate must have a strong news sense and be capable of working independently while taking care to ensure stories are verified, legally sound and fit for publication on Belfast Telegraph digital platforms and print titles. The reporter will have extensive knowledge of the courts system in Northern Ireland and local media law.

Our aim is to captivate and inform local communities and a national audience with trusted journalism. Accuracy and news sense will be at the heart of this job.

Role Responsibilities (Overview)

• Check weekly court lists to identify cases worth covering in every county

• Liaise with the news desk daily about planned content

• Build relationships with court clerks, solicitors and prosecutors to help identify exclusive copy and cases to cover

• Liaise with the visuals desk to enable them to arrange photography cover for cases being covered

• Provide expertise and analysis for the BelTel podcast

• Have extensive knowledge of the courts system and media law in Northern Ireland

• Ensure comprehensive local courts coverage for Belfast Telegraph’s digital platforms and print titles

• Have an ability to work calmly under pressure and meet tight deadlines

• Edit the content to a very high standard ensuring that all material published meets the legal and quality standards set out

Experience & Qualifications (Minimum Experience & Essential Knowledge)

• Excellent understanding of Northern Ireland’s legal and courts systems

• News reporting experience is essential

• Short hand required

Skills (technical & non-technical)

Technical

• Demonstrate an appetite to increase market-share of the Belfast Telegraph as leaders in news coverage

• Accuracy and understanding of the Northern Ireland legal system

• Excellent communication skills required

• Excellent writing and editing abilities

• Ability to work on own initiative

Other

• Can work under pressure in a performance driven environment

• Tenacity with a ‘can do’ attitude

• Must exhibit learning agility and adaptability

• Detail orientated

• Ability to make decisions in line with company policy on own initiative

• Broad general knowledge and understanding of the news agenda across news, politics business, entertainment and sport

• News judgement

• Strong collaboration and cross functional working together.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Mediahuis values the enrichment that comes from a diverse workforce and seeks to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the rights of everyone. We are committed to fostering an environment of equality, diversity and inclusion in our organisation and welcome applications from all individuals. Additionally, we can make reasonable accommodations for a person with a disability during the recruitment process. Mediahuis is an equal opportunities employer.