Journalist, Digital and Social, Sydney

The BBC is hiring a Journalist, Digital and Social to join its News team in Sydney. This is a permanent, full-time on-site role based in Sydney, Australia, within BBC News. Any offer of employment with the BBC will be conditional upon you having the right to work in Australia.

You’ll work across the BBC’s social platforms and contribute to journalism on the news website. The role covers live online coverage, text stories and video curation for both social channels and the site, with the aim of bringing BBC journalism to a global audience through engaging, platform-native storytelling. The Sydney digital operation supports continuous global coverage and helps prepare the UK for its morning output, making this a dynamic team producing news seen by millions around the world. The role suits flexible, adaptable journalists who enjoy fast-moving news and can think editorially under pressure on a seven-day rota with some weekend work.

Shaping global news from a Sydney desk

You will produce high-quality news stories, live pages and digital video about major UK and international events for broad audiences. Expect to deliver accurate, engaging journalism, from breaking news to features, driven by clear editorial judgment, context, and a strong sense of what readers expect online. You’ll create social-first formats for both planned and breaking coverage and look for opportunities to reach new and underserved audiences through creative storytelling across social platforms. Collaboration is key as you’ll work with colleagues across BBC News to develop content that is engaging, accurate and native to each platform. Audience insights, platform trends and performance data will inform your decisions, while you stay aligned with UK and international news agendas. You’ll apply BBC editorial standards confidently, especially on complex or fast-moving stories.

The team in Sydney plays a crucial role in sustaining global coverage and ensuring the UK’s morning output stays strong. You’ll be part of a group delivering news and stories that reach audiences in the UK and around the world, helping the BBC maintain its position as a leading global news brand on social media.

In this seven-day role, you’ll have to be comfortable with weekend shifts and a schedule designed to keep the global clock ticking. You’ll combine quick-turn reporting with thoughtful storytelling to make sure the big stories of the day land with clarity and impact on multiple platforms.

What you’ll need to bring to the desk

Essential criteria:

• Experience in covering the UK and international news agenda in both text and video, with familiarity of the BBC’s editorial values
• Strong editorial judgement and the ability to work quickly and accurately under pressure in breaking-news situations
• Proven ability to create and publish breaking news copy for digital audiences, delivering accurate, engaging, fast-paced text
• Experience in producing and editing short news video clips and a sharp eye for what makes video compelling on social platforms; FinalCutPro experience is desirable
• Able to identify compelling stories and moments and convert them into engaging social content, understanding the needs of major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and emerging ones
• Capability to develop angles for big stories that broaden reach to new and diverse audiences
• Familiarity with social listening and using search and audience data to improve storytelling and coverage
• Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues across multiple teams and disciplines

Pay and practical details

The role is listed as JOB BAND: C and is a permanent, full-time position within the BBC News department, located onsite in Sydney, Australia. Any offer of employment will be conditional upon you having the right to work in Australia. The job operates on a seven-day rota and will involve some weekend working.

Tips to stand out in this BBC newsroom move

Lead your resume with proof you’ve covered UK and international news in text and video, and highlight any social-first projects that reached large audiences. Show links to breaking-news pieces you wrote and videos you edited, with commentary on how they performed on different platforms.

When you describe your must-have skills, pair each requirement with a concrete example: a breaking-news write-up you produced under tight deadlines, or a social video you created that connected with viewers on TikTok or Instagram. If you have FinalCutPro experience, mention the projects and results you achieved with it.

In interviews, be ready to walk through how you would approach a major UK or global story with angles tailored for diverse audiences, including what editorial standards you’d apply and how you’d use audience data to refine storytelling across platforms.

Ask a practical question that shows you’re thinking about the role in Sydney, such as how the Sydney team collaborates with UK colleagues to shape the UK morning output, or how success is measured for social storytelling in this bureau.