EU Correspondent

The Role

We are looking for an experienced and energetic correspondent in our Brussels bureau to cover the EU’s competition and digital policy and efforts to extend the bloc’s single market. 

This role lies at the heart of the FT’s Brussels coverage. The successful candidate will steer our reporting through a pivotal moment for the EU given the intense economic rivalry from the US and China, the impact of emerging technologies and the disagreements over state aid and industry regulation within Europe. These pressures will reshape how the world’s largest trading bloc operates - and determine whether it can thrive.

You will deal with a new European Commission whose most important task is improving the EU’s competitiveness, a challenge that has taken a back seat in the last few years to geopolitics and the green transition. There are, however, myriad views across the EU on how far and how deep reforms to the internal market should go, making this a politically charged topic.

The EU remains at the forefront of global tech regulation. However, the rise of AI, quantum computing, and the energy transition are testing its regulatory approach as it seeks to encourage competition, protect technological and industrial sovereignty and prevent big tech from running amok. 

This opportunity requires a reporter with policy and corporate reporting experience who can convey the undercurrents affecting these decisions to our readers and put them in a global context.

The correspondent will also be expected to break news on the EU’s tech regulation, antitrust and state aid policies, investigations and legal proceedings while illuminating the processes and decision-makers that make the EU a regulatory super-power.

The role also involves breaking news on corporate groups seeking to influence Brussels’ decision-making and reporting on the nexus of business and power in the EU’s capital.

The FT enjoys a privileged position in Brussels, with excellent access to policymakers, lobbyists and member state diplomats at all levels. But that prominence also brings with it intense scrutiny and an intense pace. The bureau is one of the busiest, most news-driven parts of the FT network. All members of the team are expected to break news on their own beat, as well pitch in on other big stories, like EU summits and the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine. You would be a regular contributor to the daily Europe Express newsletter on EU issues.  

Key responsibilities: 

• Generate scoops and exclusive interviews while writing breaking news and original features and contributing to other sections of the FT
• Cooperate effectively with colleagues in Brussels, London and across the European network
• Demonstrate expertise in reporting across all digital platforms 
• Practise numeracy and proficiency in handling data
• Produce simple charts and identify opportunities to collaborate with the Visual and Data journalism team
• Engage with our audience through social media and interactive content 
• Weekend shifts are required as part of the team rota

Your skills: 

• An enterprising reporter and clean writer capable of producing longer, well-structured pieces as well as rapid, accurate news stories. 
• The ability to grasp complex issues that cross political, economic and business disciplines.
• Comfortable collaborating with editors and correspondents.
• Knowledge of French or other European languages is a strong advantage.

Please submit your application by Wednesday 9th October 2024

Benefits

Our benefits vary depending on location, but we are committed to providing best in class perks across all our offices as well as an inclusive environment to develop your career. Examples of our benefits include; generous annual leave allowances, flexible working (including working from home), medical cover, enhanced parental leave packages, subsidised gym memberships and Giving Back opportunities. Full details of our benefits can be found here.

How we work

Our hybrid setup means staff are expected to come into the office 3 days a week.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace

The FT is committed to providing an inclusive working environment for all. We are an equal opportunities employer who seeks to recruit and appoint the best talent regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We believe that a supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves at work and have the flexibility they need to meet their personal needs. 

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements, or have any questions, please contact a member of our HR team who will be happy to help. 

About the Financial Times

The FT has an uncompromising mission: delivering independent, quality information, news and services to individuals and companies around the globe. It’s the cornerstone of our reputation and the heart of our ambitions for the future. But for our people, the FT offers so much more than what we do. FT people come from all kinds of backgrounds and work across a huge range of disciplines and locations, and find an empowering, warm and welcoming culture that values curiosity and rewards smart, ambitious thinking. Those who are willing to unite around our mission and live our values will find plenty to challenge, inspire and interest them. Like the audiences we serve, no two FT people are the same; but together we help our audience be better informed and understand the world around them. It’s a job that’s never mattered more, and a career that can take you anywhere you want to go.

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