AddressRole purpose and overview
The Deputy Head of Sport is part of the senior UK editorial team, responsible for creating, planning and executing daily sports coverage for the Telegraph website and newspaper.
In this role, you will help set the daily agenda alongside the Head of Sport and Sports Editor, leading a team of senior reporters and managing commissioners on the desk. This will occasionally require you to lead the commissioning for live events and news stories.
You will also oversee our long-term planning and features, alongside other dedicated staff, and will be capable of stepping into the role of Head of Sport when required due to absence or leave.
Key responsibilities
- Acting as a key member of the senior editorial team, having an overview of our daily coverage and ensuring we are prosecuting stories correctly
- Being a key source of ideas for news, feature and comment, all with the aim of either attracting new subscribers or servicing our current ones
- Having a clear handle on our features and planning, ensuring we are well prepared for the biggest events and are consistently telling unusual, interesting stories
- Being able to oversee the department when the Head of Sport is either not around or on leave
- Have original thoughts around digital publishing, with an idea of how to present pieces in the best fashion for a digital-first audience
- Directly manage team members including reporters and commissioners
- On occasion attend key news conferences, presenting plans to senior editorial staff and briefing the team following the meetings
- Directly managing team members including reporters and junior editorial staff
- Liaising with other departments to ensure best possible coverage of and audience for sports stories
Key skills
- Experience of senior level editing in national or international newsrooms
- Proven ability to lead a desk’s coverage of a major event or on key days in the sporting calendar, showing experience of regular and fast-paced communication with reporters
- Experience of planning coverage of future sports events across multiple platforms in a digital-first environment
- A history of dealing with senior figures across a newsroom, showing their department in the best possible light
- Able to respond well under pressure and adhere to strict deadlines.
- Broad knowledge of a wide variety of men’s and women’s sport.
- Understanding of social media and data.
- Knowledge and understanding of The Telegraph’s subscription strategy.
Our benefits
The nature of our industry means life at the Telegraph Media Group is fast-paced, demanding, and interesting. We also want it to be rewarding for everyone who works here by creating a suite of benefits that contribute to lifestyle choices and leisure activities. From dynamic working opportunities, medical cover, and parental leave (six months fully paid maternity leave and enhanced paternity/partner leave), to life assurance and season ticket loans, you can choose from a range of flexible benefits, designed to support your lifestyle and help you achieve a healthy work-life balance.
Training and development
With support from your manager and colleagues, you’ll also have access to a variety of training and development opportunities through The Academy. Covering a range of personal and professional skills, our courses enable you to develop an enjoyable and rewarding career.
Our commitment to inclusion
At Telegraph Media Group, we foster a diverse and inclusive workplace and we are committed to building a team that reflects a wide variety of skills, perspectives and backgrounds. We believe in equality of opportunity and welcome candidates from all backgrounds, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief.
We are proud to be a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader as part of the government’s Disability Confident Scheme. If you are disabled or have a long-term health condition and would like support in applying for any of our roles or if you require any reasonable adjustments in the recruitment process with us, please make us aware.
To find out more about Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at Telegraph Media Group, and for more information on our purpose, beliefs, and people values, please visit our website.
