A just World free from Poverty Positive change through the power of entertainment

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1 JOB DESCRIPTION Job Title Freelance Journalist Grade 3 Department Direct Report Employment Editorial Editorial Team Manager Short fixed term contract, 6 weeks PURPOSE OF ROLE To research and deliver a selection of powerful and engaging stories with supporting content that can be used to promote Comic Relief s Sport Relief 2014 campaign, which launches at the end of January and runs through to mid-march. Stories will relate to UK and international projects funded through Comic Relief; celebrities involved in our campaigns; and members of the public who fundraise for us. Content will be for use across Comic Relief s internal and external communications output, including print, radio, television, social media, and marketing material. This job requires someone with excellent writing ability and a proven track record in finding powerful real life stories that have featured in national media. Stories will be supported by great copy, high quality images and engaging factual information, with complex and sensitive issues tailored to suit Comic Relief s various audiences. The person will need to be highly organised, used to working in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines and able to manage multiple requests simultaneously. Experience of writing celebrity related copy and an understanding of UK and international development issues would be an advantage. This role is based in the London office but will involve travel to projects. SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES Research UK projects and fundraisers for comms Research UK projects and fundraisers to find powerful and engaging stories for use in comms. This involves: - identifying projects and fundraising stories that have strong comms potential - conducting research over the phone and in person - interviewing service users, project workers and fundraisers, ensuring that all contact is conducted with the utmost professionalism and sensitivity 1 P a g e Date updated\

2 - taking high standard photographs and other multimedia content featuring service users to accompany contributor related copy - reporting back to the office regularly about potential stories and sending forward paragraph summaries that will be assessed by Editorial staff for comms potential - ensuring informed consent so that projects and service users have a proper understanding of what media work with Comic Relief might entail - setting up and attending recces around the UK - working weekends and evenings as required - reconciling related expenses - delivering signed consent forms - accurately filling out project recce reports, which includes assessing projects and service users for how appropriate they are for media work - assessing projects for how well they would work for celebrity and media visits - evaluating and flagging up any major risks/ concerns - updating CRM on a regular basis Deliver a bank of well written project related and fundraiser stories with supporting material that will generate media interest and motivate the public, celebrities and corporate partners to support Comic Relief s work. This includes: Produce a bank of powerful, well written stories - Assessing project related and fundraiser stories for comms potential and selecting only those which have a high media value to write up in Comic Relief s specified one pager formats - Producing well written, engaging, sympathetic and factually accurate copy - Ensuring there is a diverse selection of stories covering a range of ages, issues, ethnicities, gender and regional spread - Delivering a range of stories that meet Editorial s delivery targets as specified - Writing up other people s stories as required - Incorporating relevant and news worthy supporting facts and stats - Taking high quality photographs of contributors that are of a high enough standard to feature in internal and external media, and gathering other supporting images as required - Gathering other multimedia content as required - At the end of the contract the journalist will be expected to deliver one page write ups of the best 30 stories for SR14, which should cover a range of issues and demographics, and be suitable for a variety of different publications; the written delivery of these ideas and stories will be accompanied by a verbal presentation to the Editorial Team 2 P a g e Date updated\

3 Supporting Editorial with its work with Corporate Partners Supporting Editorial as required to deliver project and celebrity related content for use in comms for The Supporter Club, which has been launched by BT Sport in partnership with Comic Relief - This includes researching and recceing projects, conducting interviews, gathering high quality supporting images, writing excellent copy, and potentially attending shoots, interviewing celebrities and producing ghost written copy 3 P a g e Date updated\

4 EXPERIENCE WHY IMP. Strong experience in a media communications, This job requires someone with excellent writing ability and a proven track record journalist or TV producer role with a track record in content featured in a national newspaper, magazine, radio and/or television in finding powerful real life stories that have featured in national media Strong experience of writing accessible, inspiring copy that s ready for publication about serious A key aspect of the role will be to produce excellent quality written work content, featuring in national media Experience of using a range of multimedia, e.g. photographs and film, to support related copy In order to take high standard photographs and other multimedia content featuring service users to accompany contributor related copy Good photography skills Ability to take high quality photographs that can be used for comms Social Media expertise Experience producing content to feature on social media channels such as Desirable Twitter, Facebook and other outlets Multimedia production skills Experience filming and editing footage Desirable Experience of using and updating a company database Experience of working in a busy admin environment using variety of admin/it systems In order to maintain and update our Content Relationship Management database accurately and efficiently. In order to write up other people s stories as required, accurately fill out project recce reports, which includes assessing projects and service users for how appropriate they are for media work, reconciling related expenses, delivering signed consent forms, ensuring informed consent so that projects and service users have a proper understanding of what media work with Comic Relief might entail, setting up and attending recces around the UK Experience of communications work with children Role will include work with vulnerable adults and children Desirable and vulnerable people Experience working in the charity sector An understanding of the charity sector works and how charities communicate Desirable effectively to the public and considerations relating to charity media work Experience working internationally, particularly in To assist with logistics of organising international trips and gathering international Desirable developing countries media content JOB SKILLS WHY IMP. IT literacy Must be able to create and edit documents using word processing or spreadsheet 4 P a g e Date updated\

5 Good written and verbal presentation skills. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills Excellent time management skills software, and to store and retrieve them on the network. Must be able to use , an electronic calendar and the internet effectively. Expected to deliver one page write ups at the end of contract and the written delivery of these ideas and stories will be accompanied by a verbal presentation to the Editorial Team Will be interviewing service users, project workers and fundraisers, and must ensure that all contact is conducted with the utmost professionalism and sensitivity. Must be relied upon to turn up for work on time, able to prioritise work in order to get important tasks completed by the appropriate deadline, allow sufficient time to prepare for important events or meetings and seek support when demands outweigh the available time. Will be expected to deliver a range of stories that meet Editorial s delivery targets. Strong risk awareness Before acting, must consider the consequences of what they do on their work, their colleagues and on Comic Relief as a whole. Must be able to evaluate and flag up any major risks/ concerns if encountered. Excellent attention to detail Strong research skills Analytical skills Must be able to produce work which is consistently accurate, which makes sense and which fits the purpose for which it was intended. The main purpose of this role is to research and deliver of selection of powerful and engaging stories with supporting material for media use across Comic Relief s internal and external communications output. In order to fulfil this you will be researching and recceing projects, identifying projects and fundraising stories that have strong comms potential, researching relevant statistics and facts to include in the stories, and conducting research over the phone and in person. In order to assess projects and service users for how appropriate they are for media work and/or media visits, and to assess and select stories to produce with the most comms potential. KNOWLEDGE WHY IMP. Aims and objectives of Comic Relief Shows commitment and interest in CR. Desirable 5 P a g e Date updated\

6 An understanding of diversity In order to promote a diversity throughout the organisation and externally through a Desirable diverse selection of stories covering a range of ages, issues, ethnicities, gender and regional spread. QUALIFICATION/OTHER REQUIREMENTS WHY IMP. Willingness to work long hours and weekends on In order to meet deadlines. occasions Willingness to travel around the UK To visit projects and gain first-hand experience to base stories on. 6 P a g e Date updated\