Senior Journalist – Birmingham

This is a rare opportunity for a Senior Journalist Reporter (SJR) who wants to do their best work with real impact.

Job Requisition ID: 46827

Job Closing Date: 3 July 2026

JOB DETAILS

JOB BAND: D
CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent, Full-time
DEPARTMENT: BBC Nations, Midlands Investigations Team, BBC Local
LOCATION: Birmingham (with flexibility to travel to other parts of the Midlands)
PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: £41,200 – £67,800 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

We’re happy to discuss flexible working. If you’d like to, please indicate your preference in the application – though there’s no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Midlands Investigations team doesn’t just report the region — it changes it. We uncover the stories that matter most to our communities. We search for the facts and hold power to account, giving people a voice, exposing what’s hidden and making a tangible difference to people’s lives across one of the UK’s most diverse and dynamic regions.

This is a rare opportunity for a Senior Journalist Reporter (SJR) who wants to do their best work with real impact. You’ll be backed by a talented, multi-platform team to work in an ambitious, collaborative way, prioritising curiosity, rigour and creativity in equal measure. Experience in building high-impact long-form investigations – from sourcing to shooting to roll-out – is key. So if you’re relentless in pursuit of truth, instinctively audience-focused and ready to lead complex investigations which really count, then the Midlands is where to do it.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM
We produce high impact, multi-platform investigations for BBC Local audiences across the Midlands. Our journalism prioritises local audiences on digital, radio and tv platforms – finding stories which resonate and matter to people living in our region. We serve our local and regional audiences first

We cover a huge, diverse, and exciting news patch. Our job is to tell stories communities from all corners of the Midlands can trust and relate to. We take a people-focussed approach to our investigations, which have reached millions across the UK and regularly feature on national BBC News programmes and platforms. Our daily news stories and documentaries have a reputation for high production values, creative multi-media storytelling, sound editorial judgement, and the ability to explain complex issues affecting everyday life in our region and the UK. Our team collaborates and produces long-form tv and audio content for BBC1, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds alongside daily news content for the region and platforms across the BBC.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:

You will need to show experience of producing/directing original long-form investigations which are legally and editorially complex in line with BBC Values and Editorial Policy.

Accomplished shooting skills – you will use a range of camera equipment on location to gather for our investigations. You will work alongside editorial colleagues to serve our audience by delivering multi-platform content to the highest technical and editorial standards.
News Editing – you will edit alongside colleagues and on solo projects, using your own footage and rushes shot by other crews to bring together the full story for broadcast on TV and for online use. A creative eye is essential.
The successful candidate will need to work flexibly across the East and West Midlands regions.
Audiences – you will have knowledge of East and West Midlands diverse and underserved audiences and be flexible to work across both.
You can demonstrate strong organisational skills with experience of managing logistics and resources, production planning, good communication and working towards tight deadlines.
If you can bring some of these skills and experience, along with transferable strengths, we would love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

Experience of filming, editing and pitching high-impact, people-focused and original long-form investigations that have made a noise across the wider BBC and external media.
Track record of detailed research, production planning and creatively and editorially ambitious storytelling while working to tight TX deadlines.
Highly flexible with the ability to problem solve and assess legally and editorially complex stories, advising on multiplatform roll-out for regional and network outlets.
Foster and develop a collaborative culture, knowing when to work independently and when to refer up – as well as offering guidance to less senior team members
Knowledge of East and West Midlands diverse and underserved audiences and issues with flexibility to work across both.

For any further information, anyone interested in learning more about the role can contact [email protected] & [email protected]

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Disclaimer

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.

Please note: If you were to be offered this role, the BBC will conduct Employment screening checks which include Reference checks; Eligibility to work checks; and if applicable to the role, Safeguarding and Adverse media/Social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.

Before your start date, you may need to disclose any unspent convictions or police charges, in line with our Recruitment policy. This allows us to discuss any support you may need and assess any risks. Failure to disclose may result in the withdrawal of your offer.

For any general queries, please contact: [email protected]

We are unable to accept applications via CV and only applications made online will be considered. Please click on the APPLY NOW button to proceed with your application.

Redeployment

The BBC is committed to redeploying employees seeking suitable alternative employment within the BBC and they will be given priority consideration ahead of other applicants. Priority consideration means for those employees seeking redeployment their application will be considered alongside anyone else at risk of redundancy, prior to any individuals being considered who are not at risk.