Sport Lead Publisher

About The Role

The Sport Lead Publisher is responsible for running day-to-day publishing activity alongside the Head of Sport Publishing (HoP). The Lead Publisher will collaborate with and challenge commissioners, direct publishers, oversee subbing, make publishing plans, work closely with visual teams and liaise with promotional desks. Evening and weekend work will be expected as part of the role, with a key responsibility being the delivery of publishing around live events.

Following the vision of the HoP and Head of Sport, the Lead Publisher will run live blogs, making sure they are well executed with sharp headlines, powerful visuals and accurate copy. They will work closely with the Homepage team and keep the Sport site updated. They will oversee the execution of ‘top stories’, such as news exclusives, features and analysis by our best writers. They will ensure all content is subbed and produced to the highest quality.

Working across a fast-paced newsroom, the person who fills this role must balance the needs of a variety of content types, maximising subscriber engagement and seeking out new audiences. They must have creativity and excellent knowledge of SEO and digital presentation. 

Key Responsibilities

• Work with the HoP and senior commissioning editors to develop digital publishing plans that reach and engage audiences.
• Collaborate with and challenge commissioners to ensure articles have a clear audience and purpose, present creative ideas on how to enhance our journalism for digital platforms, and act as a conduit between commissioning and publishing.
• Alongside the HoP and other lead publishers, provide direction to ensure that Sport content is produced to the highest standard and at optimal times across our digital platforms.
• Coordinate a publishing schedule that works best for engaging existing and new subscribers and ensuring an even delivery of content.
• Take responsibility for publishing on nights of live sport, overseeing and running liveblogs and articles produced afterwards.
• Analyse performance data to understand the Telegraph’s audience and learn from what publishing and promotion techniques work well and why, feeding back to commissioners.

• Oversee digital publishers to ensure articles are subbed and produced well, with intelligent copy and compelling headlines and standfirsts.
• Work closely with visual editors to commission assets and graphics, and direct publishers in making creative use of visuals.
• Work with the Homepage, Newsletters, Social, SEO, and Community teams to ensure Sport articles achieve their full potential. Edit the Sport index page on Telegraph.co.uk.
• Support the development of individuals in the publishing team and act as a mentor to more junior colleagues.

Essential skills required for the role

• Experience of managing a team in a busy newsroom.
• Excellent news sense to be able to cast a critical eye over articles to ensure they are written and presented in the best fashion.
• Clear understanding of who the Telegraph audience is and what makes them engage with a story.
• A broad awareness of Telegraph Sport content and ability to generate new ideas to identify and break into new audiences
• Understanding of data analytics and how it can be used to aid commissioning.
• Understanding of how best to present articles across digital products and platforms.
• Significant experience of sub-editing and publishing on digital platforms in Sport.
• Quick, accurate writing of headlines.
• Knowledge of visual storytelling and a brilliant eye for photography as well as creative flair for info boxes, polls, graphics, etc.
• Ability to respond well under pressure and adhere to strict deadlines.

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.