The team behind the News & Star and The Cumberland News - part of Newsquest Cumbria - are looking for new staff to join the ranks.

Newsquest Cumbria, the parent company of the News & Star, The Mail, The Cumberland News, The Westmorland Gazette, The Times & Star, The Whitehaven News, The Hexham Courant, plus The Cumberland & Westmorland Gazette, is investing in local journalism to ensure its titles can continue to be at the heart of the communities they serve.

The three openings are:

  • An ambitious Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) looking to take their career to the next level in a patch bursting with stories covering local government in north and west Cumbria (Carlisle, Allerdale and Copeland).
  • A News Editor, known as a Print ACE (Print Audience and Content Editor), to join our print team across the county.
  • A Digital News Editor, known as a Digital ACE (Digital Audience and Content Editor), to join our team of digital news editors across Cumbria.

Here's a summary on each of the roles up for grabs at Newsquest Cumbria:

Local Democracy Reporter – North Cumbria (Carlisle, Copeland, Allerdale)

We are recruiting an outstanding reporter to cover politics in North Cumbria as part of the Local Democracy Reporting scheme.

You will join Newsquest's Cumbria team and play a vital role in supporting the BBC's public journalism programme.

We are seeking one reporter to cover the Carlisle, Allerdale, Copeland region, which includes working on the News & Star, The Cumberland News, The Times & Star, The Whitehaven News and other Cumbria titles.

Your work will also appear in other publications across the county run by other media organisations that have signed up to the BBC scheme.

We need a journalist with an excellent knowledge and passion for local government, as well as the ability to write engaging and sparkling copy, and be a great digital storyteller.

In return, you will get to cover local government in North Cumbria at one of the most important times in our history, with local elections and ongoing coronavirus pandemic featuring strongly in our coverage. 

As a member of Newsquest, you will be part of a network of dozens of leading news brands across the country providing 24/7 coverage of news, sport and entertainment to tens of millions of people.

Shorthand and a formal qualification in journalism are essential for these roles, as is a driving licence and access to a car.

Applications from senior journalists or outstanding newly-NCTJ qualified reporters will be considered.

The newly-announced contracts for the BBC-funded local democracy scheme run from 1 July for three years. 

The closing date for applications is Sunday, May 30, however applications will be considered as they are received.

To apply, email your CV and a covering letter, to Newsquest Cumbria Regional Group Editor Vanessa Sims via Alison.Sisson@newsquest.co.uk

Print ACE - Cumbria

The team behind the award-winning News & Star, The Mail, The Cumberland News, The Westmorland Gazette, The Hexham Courant, The Times & Star and The Whitehaven News is looking for a talented print journalist to join the management team in Cumbria.

This is a key role in the production of some of Newsquest's flagship titles and we are looking for a passionate senior journalist to support our print operation as we look to further cement our position as the leading news brands in the region.

As well as attracting a huge audience to the group’s websites, the News & Star, The Mail, The Cumberland News, The Westmorland Gazette, The Hexham Courant, The Times & Star and The Whitehaven News have a strong print circulation - and we are looking for a print specialist to help us keep it that way.

We have big plans, and the successful candidate will be joining Newsquest at an exciting period of growth and redevelopment.

This is a key role which requires a self-motivated senior journalist who can put their own stamp on this exciting opportunity to ensure our print editions showcase the best of our content and delivers a quality product for our readers.

Working closely with other newsroom leaders, you will help in the smooth production and outputting of the print editions of the Newsquest Cumbria titles. You will be a print specialist with a first-rate news sense and production/design skills to match, preferably using inDesign.

The ideal candidate will have at experience on a daily newspaper and be someone who lives and breathes quality news and has a passion for print allowing others to focus their attention on digital.

The position is being offered with a competitive salary and the option to be based remotely or from our Cumbrian offices in either Carlisle or Kendal.

If this sounds like the job for you, or for an off-the-record chat, email regional group editor Vanessa Sims at vanessa.sims@newsquest.co.uk by May 30, 2021. To apply please include a CV and a brief covering letter.

Digital ACE – Cumbria and Northumberland

Newsquest is looking for a new digital audience and content editor to work on its portfolio of award winning titles in Cumbria – The News & Star, The Mail, The Cumberland News, The Westmorland Gazette, The Hexham Courant, the Times & Star and The Whitehaven News.

Newsquest Cumbria is the leading publisher in the county. It attracts a huge audience to its portfolio of websites combined with a loyal print readership.

The News & Star, The Mail, The Cumberland News, The Westmorland Gazette, The Hexham Courant, the Times & Star and The Whitehaven News are part of the Newsquest network that reach millions of people right across the UK. In this role you will be leading a team of multi-media reporters to help grow our digital audiences to the next level.

The successful candidate will be an excellent leader, great organiser and passionate about storytelling. You will be delivering the sort of fast, agile, dynamic coverage that our readers expect and deserve in 2021.

We want to tell the stories our communities care about – everything from what’s happening in the corridors of power to the latest on crime on our streets and in the courts, as well as the best new shops, restaurants and bars (and the ones to avoid!). We also believe in solutions journalism, so we like to go in search of the answers as well as presenting the problems.

Key responsibilities:

  • Setting the news agenda for a team of four reporters.
  • Producing a daily output of high-quality accurate online news stories, with promotion through social media.
  • Being first to report accurate breaking news from your region to keep readers bang up to date.
  • Thinking creatively to come up with new story ideas and ways to deliver them to our audience.
  • Building our digital audience and social media following to bring our content to even more people in the community.
  • Spotting national/regional content that could resonate in your patch and making it relevant and interesting to our readers.
  • Keeping on top of what’s happening at court and reporting the best stories, as well as weekly listings/results.
  • Building contacts in the community and getting out and about on your patch to see what’s really going on.

Our ideal candidate will have:

  • Experience of leading a team.
  • Experience in digital story telling.
  • Exceptional attention to detail.
  • The ability lead, write and think quickly under pressure.
  • A brilliant news sense.
  • Great people skills and the ability to get on with a wide range of people in the community.
  • A high level of organisation and the ability to manage yours and the team’s diary.
  • NCTJ qualification (including 100wpm shorthand).
  • Excellent knowledge of relevant media law.
  • A zippy, fresh writing style

If this sounds like the job for you, email your CV and cover letter to vanessa.sims@newsquest.co.uk by Tuesday, June 8, 2021.

Vanessa Sims, Newsquest Cumbria's regional group editor said: "We are really excited to be recruiting at a time when most media companies are scaling back.

"Cumbria is a beautiful place to live, work and play.

"We are looking for a Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) who will thrive on the adrenaline rush of a breaking news story.

"In addition, we are also looking for a Print ACE and a Digital ACE to put their own stamp on our newspapers and websites.

"Our newspapers sit at the heart of the communities they serve championing the people and the locations they cover.

"Successful LDR candidates will be keen to become part of the community, be able to listen to their thoughts and concerns and build strong contacts."