Journalism Skills Academy manager – NCTJ (Newport, Essex)

Job title: Journalism Skills Academy manager

Reports to: Head of business development

Responsible for:

  • Overseeing the JSA’s day-to-day operation to drive growth.
  • Managing the JSA e-learning platform and products.
  • Delivering high-quality training courses and programmes.
  • Maintaining and improving JSA operational processes and workflows.
  • Developing and nurturing relationships with JSA customers and stakeholders.

 

Job advertisement

Position: Journalism Skills Academy manager

Location: Flexible (office based or remote/hybrid with occasional travel to NCTJ offices and events)

Salary: to £50,000 depending on experience

Hours: Full-time, permanent (flexibility considered)

Do you have strong commercial awareness with journalistic and/or media industry expertise, and a passion for quality professional training and development?

The National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) is seeking a talented and commercially-minded individual to manage its flagship Journalism Skills Academy. The successful candidate will be responsible for the academy’s operations, driving its growth and enhancing its portfolio of high-quality e-learning and professional development opportunities for journalists, communicators, educators and trainers, editorial leaders and managers, and corporate clients.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of professional journalism training, fostering commercial opportunities to help the NCTJ achieve its charitable objectives.

We offer a competitive salary of up to £50,000, depending on experience, and benefits package. This includes a five per cent employer and employee pension contribution, 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, and the flexibility to choose between office-based, home-based, or hybrid working arrangements. Additional benefits include a discretionary bonus and life cover.

 

Summary job objectives

The Journalism Skills Academy manager will:

  1. Contribute to the JSA’s commercial growth, pitching training solutions to new and existing clients, designing impactful courses, and identifying new market opportunities.
  2. Lead the day-to-day operations of the JSA, ensuring alignment with the NCTJ’s strategic goal to deliver high-quality, impactful training.
  3. Oversee the JSA’s product and platform plan, ensuring courses are regularly updated and identifying opportunities for innovative, popular and relevant training resources.
  4. Develop strong, collaborative relationships with a broad range of customers, including corporate clients, journalists, and trainers, to foster growth.
  5. Be an ambassador for the JSA, promoting its work and enhancing its reputation as a leading provider of journalism training.

 

Job responsibilities

  1. Growth
  • Establish and nurture strong relationships with a wide range of clients, including corporate partners, media organisations, and learners.
  • Proactively seek new business opportunities to grow the JSA customer base.
  • Pitch bespoke training solutions to employers, using journalistic expertise and market insight to demonstrate value.
  • Manage key accounts and oversee the delivery of bespoke training courses and partnerships.
  • Collaborate with the marketing team to develop promotional strategies and ensure effective engagement with customers.
  • Drive the commercial growth of all JSA products, identifying market and upselling opportunities.

 

  1. Operational management
  • Manage the JSA’s day-to-day operations, ensuring activities align with strategic goals and meet financial and performance targets.
  • Line-manage the senior JSA coordinator, providing support and mentorship.
  • Manage budgets, ensuring profitability and quality.
  • Oversee trainer commissioning, including fee negotiation, contracts, and trainer briefs, while identifying opportunities to expand the trainer network.
  • Ensure JSA workflows and processes are efficient and effective, making improvements where necessary.
  • Support operational tasks such as handling enquiries and processing orders, covering for the senior JSA coordinator when required.

 

  1. E-Learning platform and course development
  • Identify market opportunities for new courses and e-learning resources based on industry trends and customer feedback.
  • Ensure all JSA resources meet high-quality standards and provide a seamless user experience.
  • Maintain oversight of the product development plan, ensuring timely delivery and clear communication with internal teams.
  • Co-ordinate investments in new e-learning products in collaboration with the finance and business development teams.

 

  1. Brand promotion, advocacy and engagement
  • Represent the JSA at industry events, networking opportunities, and speaking engagements.
  • Work with the NCTJ marketing team to develop and implement promotional plans that generate sales and raise the profile of the JSA.

 

  1. Management of special projects and key initiatives
  • Oversee the safety and resilience advisory panel, ensuring its work aligns with industry challenges and remains impactful.
  • Develop and oversee initiatives to upskill journalists and organisations in emerging AI technologies and digital tools, ensuring the NCTJ is a leader in AI and digital transformation within journalism.
  • Deliver special projects aligned with the NCTJ’s strategic objectives, ensuring clear goals, effective collaboration, and measurable outcomes, while acting as a thought leader and ambassador to promote the JSA’s growth and relevance.

 

  1. Collaboration across the NCTJ
  • Work closely with other NCTJ teams, ensuring alignment on cross-departmental initiatives such as assessments, marketing, and client proposals.
  • Foster collaboration and communication across teams to deliver high-quality outcomes for JSA customers and stakeholders.
  • Assist with administrative and other team tasks.

 

Person specification

Key competencies:

  • Commercial awareness and business development:
    • Commercial acumen and the potential to grow revenue streams.
    • Openness to developing business skills and balancing charitable goals with commercial opportunities.
    • Ability to pitch and deliver tailored training solutions for diverse client needs.
  • Journalistic understanding and industry knowledge:
    • A good understanding of journalism and/or the media industry with a commitment to quality journalism standards and digital transformation.
  • Passion for training and development:
    • Understanding of training needs across the journalism and other industries and organisations, with a drive to deliver impactful learning.
  • Leadership and influencing skills:
    • Proven experience in managing people and projects, with the ability to inspire others and influence outside of direct lines of authority.
  • Project management and creativity:
    • Skilled in planning and delivering projects, with a proven ability to turn ideas into credible, actionable plans.
  • Collaborative, interpersonal and relationship-building skills:
    • Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work with diverse groups of people and build long-term relationships.
  • Customer and audience awareness:
    • Understanding of diverse customer profiles and the ability to adapt communication styles accordingly.
  • Flexibility and resilience:
    • Adaptable to change and responsive to emerging opportunities or challenges.
  • Networking and public speaking:
    • Confident in representing the NCTJ at events and building networks within the media industry and corporate sector.
  • Technical proficiency and problem-solving:
    • Comfortable using and learning new systems, with a proactive approach to resolving challenges.

 

Why join the NCTJ?

This is a fantastic opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping journalism training and development. You’ll work in a goal-oriented and supportive environment that values innovation and collaboration. The successful applicant will build relationships with leading media organisations and educators to help drive the success of a highly regarded charity that makes a meaningful impact on quality journalism.

 

Benefits package

  • Salary: to £50,000, depending on experience.
  • Pension contribution: 5% employer and 5% employee.
  • Annual leave: 25 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays.
  • Flexible working: choose between home, office, or hybrid working arrangements.
  • Discretionary bonus: based on company performance.
  • Life cover: included as part of the benefits package.

 

Application process

To apply, please submit:

  1. A CV (maximum two pages).
  2. A cover letter (maximum one page) addressed to the chief executive detailing how your skills, experience, and competencies align with the role.

Applications should be emailed to: [email protected] by Monday, 20 January.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview before the end of January, which will include a presentation task.

For informal enquiries and discussions about the role, please contact [email protected].

We look forward to receiving your application!

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