Description

Closing Date: 12-Dec-2024

The current Editor of ITV Network News, Andrew Dagnell, has been appointed as Director of News and Current Affairs at ITV. Andrew will begin his new role in 2025 and ITN, in close collaboration with ITV, is conducting an open search for his successor. The successful candidate will have overall responsibility for ITV’s national news programmes and digital output, as well as overseeing ITV News London, ITV News-produced “Tonight” programme episodes, current affairs series “On Assignment,” and live programmes such as general elections and Royal events. They will lead a diverse team of over 300 people in the UK and around the world, with responsibility for a budget in the tens of millions. The Editor will sit on ITN’s senior leadership team, with clear reporting lines to the CEO of ITN, as well as to ITV’s Director of News and Current Affairs. The successful candidate will collaborate with other senior stakeholders to drive strategic alignment and ensure priorities are achieved. This person will have overall responsibility for the vision, editorial content, quality, compliance standards, and ratings of ITV News within ITN. The Editor of ITV Network News is responsible for providing clear, inclusive leadership and direction for all ITV News staff employed by ITN. They will shape the creation of the daily news programming as well as setting the long-term overall direction for the multi-platform service. This role has a public profile and the appointed candidate will be a powerful defender and passionate advocate of ITV Network News' journalism.
CANDIDATE PROFILE
World-class journalism The successful candidate will have outstanding journalistic credentials with a proven track record of overseeing the delivery of distinctive and critically acclaimed journalism. The Editor of ITV Network News will have an exceptional knowledge of British and global current affairs and issues of interest to the British public and be able to innovate in the delivery of high-quality television, online and streaming news, ensuring high ambitions and a clear vision for ITV News.
Strong, inclusive leadership
The Editor will be a passionate advocate of diversity (in all its forms) and have an ambitious, creative, inclusive, and hands-on leadership style. They will have strong decision-making skills and will set clear direction for the newsroom and be skilled at engaging and inspiring all current and upcoming talent. The successful candidate will nurture developing talent and have an aptitude for mentoring established talent to perform at their best and will cultivate a positive, inclusive, and diverse working environment in which all colleagues feel valued and respected. They will have a passion and commitment to increase representation at all levels and across all areas of diversity.
The Editor will lead a high-performing, collaborative, non-hierarchical, and inclusive culture and continuously demonstrate the critical ITN values of Partnership, Agility, Respect, and Trust, especially important given the current and recent traumatic and hazardous reporting conditions – both nationally and globally, with events such as the war in Ukraine.
Digital expertise
The successful candidate will be passionate about the importance and ever-increasing influence digital platforms have for a modern news organisation and will bring proven experience working with digital teams at a national level, able to articulate and drive a clear purpose for ITV News content beyond the TV show. This is part of a holistic overhaul of working practices and technology, which will affirm ITV News’ position at the forefront of broadcast journalism. The Editor will be expected to work with ITV's Head of Digital to ensure that online output is relevant to all audiences, is innovative, distinctive, and crucially meets all appropriate standards for accuracy, impartiality, and compliance. This person will create excellent communication and team culture between digital and the TV output to ensure ITV News is as much a focus online and streaming as it is on television.
Partnership and client management
The Editor will develop a sophisticated understanding of ITV’s strategy and align and lead ITV News with that strategy. They will prioritise client management as the platform for a continued long-term and trusted relationship between ITN and ITV. They will develop and maintain an excellent professional relationship with ITV's Director of News and Current Affairs and make sure that at all levels of ITV Network News there is an open, trusting partnership with the parts of ITV News that sit within ITV plc and with other departments within ITV and ITN.
Business acumen
The Editor will be accountable for the financial, commercial, and operational strategy of ITV News, always striving for diversity, quality, and innovation. They will be responsible for programme budgets, minimising inefficiencies, and prioritising exceptional journalism, whilst always ensuring operations are managed to budget. The successful candidate will have ultimate responsibility for all of ITV News resources within ITN.
Professional skill
The Editor will have a deep and practical knowledge of newsgathering, output, talent management, and the use of technology and social media. The successful candidate’s experience in newsgathering will demonstrate a rigorous and diligent approach to overseeing potentially hazardous assignments and assessing complex legal or compliance issues. They will have an excellent understanding of multi-platform production and be a champion for the innovative, impartial, and award-winning journalism for which ITV News is renowned.
Key Responsibilities
As a member of ITN’s Senior Leadership Team, the Editor will hold overall responsibility for meeting the editorial requirements of the ITV News contract in terms of programme content, quality, compliance, standards, and ratings
To hold ultimate responsibility for the financial management of the ITV News contract
To play the leading role within ITV News in ITN in ensuring great relations with ITV regional newsrooms and with GMB. Ensure that a relationship of mutual respect is developed at all levels between newsrooms
Play a highly visible and leading role in supporting the 'One ITV News' strategy both in the Network newsroom and on occasions out of London in the ITV regional newsrooms
To develop a deep understanding of the ITV strategy and align the ITV News brand accordingly, upholding its reputation for exceptional, impartial, agenda-setting journalism
To deliver high-quality news programming, ensuring ITV News retains its place as one of the most respected sources of news in the UK
To continue to enhance the programming in the next phase of evolution through innovation and market-leading ideas to consistently keep ITV News ahead of the competition
To uphold a truly multi-platform approach which goes well beyond online and mobile distribution to an ‘all day’ source of journalism, analysis, and public engagement
To continue recent excellent work in building ITV journalism into longer form content
To build exceptional, collaborative relationships with ITN Productions
To nurture and develop a diverse, inspired, and creative editorial team and to mentor and coach talent at all levels
To oversee at close level the highest standards of planning and safety in worldwide newsgathering
To maintain journalistic and production standards which are recognised as the best in the industry
To be a creative force within the newsroom and set clear direction for the team
To grow strong relationships across ITN, with ITV and our commercial partners
To agree staff performance criteria with ITV and to monitor achievement on a continual basis
To oversee and ratify the recruitment of key editorial staff
To be a public face of ITV News, developing a profile within the broader industry and with other key stakeholders and opinion formers
To champion all people processes and initiatives to ensure ITV News is a great place to work
These are the main requirements of the role and is not an exhaustive list of duties. It is intended to reflect the nature, range, and context of the work, which will change over time.
Key Requirements
CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE
The successful candidate will:
Have outstanding journalistic credentials and a proven track record of overseeing the delivery of distinctive and critically acclaimed, awarded, journalism
Be financially savvy, with a history of managing budgets and delivering outstanding journalism within available funds
Have exceptional leadership credentials and the ability to lead in an inclusive style
Have a track record of growing talent from all diverse backgrounds and creating an inclusive culture that celebrates diversity
Have exceptional knowledge of British and global current affairs and issues of interest to the British public
Have a demonstrable track record managing newsrooms and delivering high-quality television and online news
Have deep and practical knowledge of newsgathering, output, talent management, and the use of digital technology and social media
Have proven experience working with online and digital teams at a national level, able to articulate a clear purpose for ITV news content beyond the TV output
Have an excellent understanding of multi-platform production and be a champion for the innovative, impartial, and award-winning journalism for which ITV News is renowned
Have a track record and understanding in commercial deal making and potential partnership funding models – e.g., with Facebook, YouTube, Google, etc.
CANDIDATE SKILLS
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:
Proven experience of leading and managing a highly successful and diverse team
Acknowledged authority in journalism
Highest quality news and editorial judgement
Highest quality verbal and written communication skills
Deep understanding of the ITV News strategy and agenda
Demonstrable ‘big picture’ and long-term strategic ability
Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to manage multiple stakeholders
Deep understanding of newsgathering and experience in managing hostile environment assignments
Financially astute, with a good working knowledge of budgets and financial management
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
The successful candidate will:
Be a powerful defender and passionate advocate of ITV News’ journalism
Be a creative, decisive, and inclusive leader, committed to increasing Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging within ITV News
Have excellent, demonstrable judgement about what stories to go after
Be an excellent communicator
Be entrepreneurial and innovative, able to instigate and deliver ground-breaking ideas
Be an engaging leader who will take teams and management on the ‘journey’
Be a charismatic, inspiring ambassador for the ITV News brand – internally/externally
Be collaborative and committed to building strong, trusted relationships with the ITV News and ITN teams
Be a good person – someone committed to driving a positive, non-hierarchical culture in which people are free to exchange ideas and express themselves individually
Be someone for whom people want to work; someone who is inspiring, supportive, and known for doing the right thing
Our people are at the heart of everything we do at ITN. It’s vital that our workforce reflects the diversity of both our audience and the wider society in the UK, so we actively seek candidates from diverse backgrounds and communities. Reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process will be offered, if required, due to a disability or health condition. We also recognise the importance of a good work life balance, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including part-time and job shares for all our roles. Please just let us know in your application, or at any stage throughout the process, if this is something you want to explore.
Skills Required

News Editing
Journalism
Communication Skills
People who have worked with ITN

View all
Kojo Boateng
- CREATIVE DIRECTION / PRODUCT DESIGNER
- PBS Newshour, Kojo Boateng Studio, W12 Studios, ITN
Clifford Buertey
- Production Runner
Kathryn Cox
- Creative Director
- Kathryn Cox Creative, ITN, Karmarama, AMV BBDO, Adjust Your Set, MTV
Trim Lamba
- Creative Consultant | filmmaker
- We Are Social, Google, BBC, ITN, Wieden+Kennedy London, HIGHSNOBIETY, The Marketing Store, Livity, Netflix UK & Ireland, giffgaff, Saatchi & Saatchi, Fremantle, Wunderman Thompson, ITV, The University of Oxford, Barclays