Staff Writer

We're hiring a Staff Writer to work alongside the brilliant Kate Knowles and Olivia Lee. Applications close Friday 31st July 2026 — please share and apply.

Posted by: Joshi Herrmann, Founder and Editor at Mill Media

The Dispatch is looking for a Staff Writer to join our team in Birmingham. We're looking for a fantastic writer who can capture what's going on in the city and its wider region, and who can deliver really solid reporting that sets the agenda.

Since launching as part of Mill Media, The Dispatch has established itself as one of the most successful local media outlets in the UK, publishing award-winning investigations alongside brilliant local features and great cultural writing.

Role Details

• Location: Birmingham / West Midlands (we need someone who lives full-time in the region, or is willing to relocate).
• Salary: Dependent on experience (circa. £30k-35k) with an opportunity for pay to increase next year.
• Basis: Full-time (including some out-of-hours work).
• Office/remote: Four days per week in our Birmingham office.
• Start date: August/September 2026.
• Deadline: Friday 31st July.

About Us

Since being founded in June 2020, Mill Media has become a new force in British journalism, publishing high-quality local journalism across the UK. The company has been described as "one of the most interesting and impressive media startups of the last decade," by the FT's John Burn-Murdoch, and as "very, very impressive" by the Wall Street Journal's editor Emma Tucker.

Our financial backers include Sir Mark Thompson, the chief executive of CNN and former boss of the New York Times and BBC, who said he was investing because of the "exceptional quality" of our work. In the past year alone, Mill Media stories have led to political resignations, questions in parliament, and police investigations. The Observer wrote that we are "shaking up local news."

What We're Looking For

This role requires at least three years of experience in journalism. It's a job for a journalist who believes in our mission, loves the kind of reporting we do, and is passionate about applying our brand of journalism to Birmingham. We need someone who has a natural flair for writing — who will deliver the kind of stories our readers look forward to when they open our newsletters.

This role also requires the kind of person who relishes trying to get hold of people on the phone and enjoys chasing stories even if they seem like dead ends; who likes getting to grips with complex issues and can explain those issues clearly to readers. You will also be expected to pitch in with various non-writing tasks, like helping with our social media, managing community comments, and liaising with freelancers.

Key Responsibilities

• Fantastic writing: Producing consistently high-quality writing for The Dispatch that informs and delights our readers and makes us stand out.
• Story generation: Generating lots of highly original story ideas every month, ranging from culture to crime, food to local politics.
• Contact building: Developing exceptional contacts within Birmingham's political, cultural, and business worlds so that we can break big stories.
• Audience growth: Helping to grow The Dispatch by posting on social media, assisting with our marketing, and fostering strong bonds with our community of members.

Attributes Required

• Superb writing: Someone who can write stories that our readers don't just like but love, whether it's a colour piece, an interview, or a newsier feature.
• Reporting flair: Someone with an unusual talent for unearthing information, including huge energy when pursuing a story, a knack for getting hold of people on the phone, and the ability to develop contacts over time.
• Independence: Someone capable of working independently without lots of supervision from editors.
• Growth mindset: Someone with an entrepreneurial spirit who is motivated by growth as well as our journalism and will enjoy growing our social media accounts and spreading our brand.
• Our values: Someone who is committed to our key editorial values: accuracy, nuance, thoughtfulness, fairness to sources, and giving readers the context they need to understand what is going on.

How to Apply

To apply for this role, email hiring@millmediaco.uk by Friday 31st July 2026 at the latest, with an explanation (in the body of the email) about why you are interested in working with The Dispatch and why you think you might be a good fit for this role. Please also include a few links to your favourite work, your CV or LinkedIn profile, and three story ideas you'd like to work on.