SWNS, Features Writer

Features Writer 
Employer: SWNS 
Based: Bristol 
Job Category: Feature writers, senior reporters, trainee and junior reporters 
Employment type: Full time, permanent 
Salary: DOE 
Sector: Agencies 
 

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the features team at SWNS - the UK’s largest and most reputable independent news agency.  
 
The responsibilities of the role include researching, sourcing and pitching real-life stories to women’s magazines including Take a Break, Closer, Bella and Woman's Own among others, generating and writing newspaper and online exclusives for titles such as The Sun, Sun Online, The Daily Mirror, Mirror Online and The Daily Mail and many more - as well as arranging for interviewees to appear on TV programmes such as This Morning and Good Morning Britain. 
 
The writer will be maximising our existing content, developing their own exclusive material and managing relationships with clients, publishers and broadcasters.  
 
We are looking for a confident, switched-on writer who loves sourcing their own stories and is hungry to land exclusives every day. 
 
The features team works closely with our news team to develop stories which come through our in-house story sourcing websites, as well as other online sources. 
 
The ideal candidate will be able to turn tips into exclusives and great stories for the women's magazines, newspapers and online publishers.  
 
We don’t rely on news dropping in our lap, and all our writers will also be willing and able to use social media to find stories and turn them into stories which publications around the world can use. 
 
Previous experience of local newspaper or agency journalism is ideal, however we will consider all exceptional candidates.  
 
What we are really after is someone who is social-media savvy with bags of enthusiasm and a desire to write the best stories. 
 
Most of our reporters go on to jobs on national newspapers, websites, TV programmes and women's magazines within a year or two – so we need a journalist with big ambition who can hit the ground running. 
 
This is a fantastic opportunity to join a respected agency and work on the biggest and best stories in a highly competitive patch. We offer a competitive salary and unrivalled career prospects. 
 
The role is based in our Bristol headquarters and will initially be office based during training – with the intention of becoming a hybrid of office working and working from home.  
 
If you’re ready for the challenge, please send your application and CV via email to Features Editor, Harriet Rose-Gale - jobs@swns.com.   
 
All applicants must: 

• Have writing experience 
• Social media content gathering skills 
• Be confident and personable with the ability to quickly strike a rapport with people, particularly over the phone 
• Have a sharp eye for a story and the competitive drive to develop them 
• Be a fast learner with bags of energy who is willing to jump in at the deep end 
• Be organised and able to self-manage 

 
Desirable: 

• NCTJ or similar qualification 
• Shorthand 
• Driving licence and own car 

Please send applications to Features Editor Harriet Rose-Gale with CV and covering letter. Closing date Tuesday 28^th June 2022.