The Role
Report on Watford FC through breaking news, match coverage, features, interviews, live blogs, print articles, and digital video. Build football and community contacts, create audience-focused content for websites and social channels, use SEO and analytics to grow engagement and subscriptions, and work accurately under tight deadlines while maintaining journalistic standards.
Summary Generated by Built In
Can you break stories Watford FC fans will be talking about before anyone else?
The Watford Observer is looking for an ambitious, digitally focused Sports Reporter to lead our Watford FC coverage across our website, social channels (including YouTube), and print.
This is a rare opportunity to cover one of the biggest football clubs outside the Premier League for a trusted local news brand with a long history of holding decision-makers to account and delivering the stories that matter most to supporters.
We're looking for a reporter who can combine traditional football journalism skills with a modern digital mindset. You will attend press conferences, cover matches home and away, build strong contacts, uncover exclusives and create content that drives audiences, subscriptions and engagement.
Whether it's breaking transfer news, producing live match coverage, securing exclusive interviews or creating video content from Vicarage Road, you'll be at the heart of the conversation around Watford FC.
Key Responsibilities
- Deliver exclusive Watford FC news, features and analysis.
- Attend matches, press conferences and club events.
- Build a strong network of contacts within football and the local community.
- Produce live blogs and rolling coverage on matchdays and during key news events.
- Create engaging digital content that attracts and retains audiences.
- Film and produce video content for social and digital platforms, including pieces to camera
- Use analytics, SEO tools and audience insight to identify growth opportunities.
- Work with AI-assisted newsroom tools to improve efficiency while maintaining the highest journalistic standards.
- Contribute to print, digital and subscriber products across the Watford Observer portfolio.
- Develop content that grows loyal audiences and encourages subscriptions.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
- NCTJ qualification or equivalent journalism experience.
- Strong knowledge of football and a passion for telling stories that matter to supporters.
- Excellent news sense and an ability to find original angles.
- Experience reporting on sport and football
- Strong writing, interviewing and communication skills.
- Ability to work accurately under pressure and to tight deadlines.
- Confidence using social media for reporting and audience engagement.
- Ability to shoot photographs and basic video content on mobile devices.
- Understanding of SEO, audience analytics and digital publishing.
- A proactive attitude and determination to beat competitors to stories.
Desirable
- Experience covering professional football.
- Video editing and social media content creation skills.
- Knowledge of Watford FC and the local sporting landscape.
- Existing contacts within football.
Why join us?
You'll be joining an ambitious newsroom investing in original journalism, video content, audience growth and innovative newsroom tools. We believe great journalism starts with great reporters, and we'll give you the support, training and opportunities to develop your career while covering one of the country's most passionately supported football clubs.
If you can spot a story, build contacts and create content that fans can't get anywhere else, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply now and help shape the future of Watford FC coverage at the Watford Observer.
Benefits
- 25 days holiday + bank holidays + your birthday off
- Holiday buy scheme for extra flexibility
- Structured career progression & ongoing training
- Pension plan
- Employee Helpline counselling and advice
- Perks & discounts including:
- Gym membership
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Eye care
- Retail discounts
- Team building days & annual volunteer charity day
About
A name you can trust - we’ve been a part of your community for generations.LOCALiQ is the name for all that Newsquest Media Group does today, from trusted local newspapers and websites to digital marketing services that can help you reach new customers as you’ve never been able to before.LOCALiQ is the name that combines your trusted local news brand with digital marketing.It hasn’t replaced the name of your local Newsquest newspaper and its website, but it encompasses everything we can offer.Those services include online advertising and best-in-class digital marketing, backed by data gathered from our 1.5 million local campaigns and 45 million monthly users.Put our experts to work for you, and we believe you’re hiring the best marketing partner a business can have.
Skills Required
- NCTJ qualification or equivalent journalism experience
- Strong knowledge of football and passion for supporter-focused storytelling
- Experience reporting on sport and football
- Excellent news sense and ability to find original angles
- Strong writing, interviewing, and communication skills
- Ability to work accurately under pressure and meet tight deadlines
- Confidence using social media for reporting and audience engagement
- Ability to shoot photographs and basic video on mobile devices
- Understanding of SEO, audience analytics, and digital publishing
- Experience covering professional football
- Video editing and social media content creation skills
- Knowledge of Watford FC and the local sporting landscape
- Existing contacts within football
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The Company
What We Do
We are a media company with a difference. We are committed to bringing a voice to your region by investing in a passionate team of journalists who proudly serve their communities by sharing authoritative news that readers trust. Our sales teams provide local businesses with highly responsive digital advertising and marketing solutions. We are one of the largest regional news publishers in the UK and have a portfolio of more than 250+ local news brands and magazines online and in print. With an online audience of 41 million users a month and 7 million readers a week in print, our content is read by a substantial proportion of the UK population. In addition to our local news brands, we own a number of digital pure play and specialist media businesses such as s1jobs and s1homes, Exchange & Mart, and Newsquest Specialist Media. We also own LOCALiQ, an award-winning digital marketing agency that specialises in driving more leads, increasing online growth and generating return on marketing investment on behalf of thousands of UK SMBs. Our parent company is Gannett Inc, the largest news publisher in the US. Gannett is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
