Senior Reporter, P&C Specialist Commercial

The Role / Position Overview 

FT Specialist, a division of the Financial Times, is looking for an experienced financial reporter for a new publication covering the property and casualty insurance market.

This is a terrific opportunity to make a significant contribution to the success of a new publication and benefit as it grows. FT Specialist, with the backing of the Financial Times, has ambitious goals for this product and this market. You will have the benefits of working on a start-up publication within a stable and successful company that has proven it knows how to create profitable subscription-based publications within financial services.

P&C Specialist Commercial is a thrice-weekly publication that provides insurance companies with the news and intelligence they need to grow their businesses in the $490 billion-plus U.S. commercial insurance market. It has received tremendous feedback and support from the industry in its initial phase and is off to a very strong start. The publication is an expansion of our successful P&C Specialist brand and already counts multiple Fortune 100 companies as subscribers.

The reporter is responsible for reporting on the P&C commercial insurance industry with original coverage, ranging from scoops to analytical trend pieces and playing an important role in our breaking news coverage. You will develop and grow a source list and become a trusted provider of news and intelligence for the publication’s readers. You will be writing for a sophisticated and engaged readership.

On a small team, you will have plenty of opportunity for career growth and taking on more responsibilities. The position will report into the publication’s managing editor.   

Strong preference will be given to candidates with a background in covering financial services. If you have a good understanding of the insurance market and have pre-existing relationships in that space, so much the better.

Key Responsibilities

• Report and write 2-3 well-sourced articles per week
• Become an expert on the subject matter and write with clarity, insight and depth, staying ahead of the news
• You will be expected to interview top industry executives to generate exclusive stories covering P&C insurance
• Establish and maintain close relationships with insurance executives and their companies
• Travel to industry events and meet with prospects to stay on top of the latest industry trends
• Work with other departments to produce videos, graphics etc. as necessary for editorial coverage
• On occasion, moderate webcasts or panels at events run by FT Specialist or the Financial Times’ events group. 

 

Required Skills / Experience 

• A strong desire to succeed and a proven track record of reporting high-quality content.  We seek a person with strong intelligence, high energy, creativity, persistence, and resilience. We want someone who has a nose for news, can develop a network of sources and manage a pipeline of enterprise stories.
• Curiosity and an intellectual interest in how insurance works and how the industry functions and impacts the world.
• At least five years of business reporting experience, including experience working on a daily or wire publication and some editing experience.
• Demonstrated ability to write or produce content for a specific niche audience. Experience working a beat and knowing how to generate scoops, enterprise story ideas and other content that distinguishes a publication.
• Track record of continuous improvement and initiative and a creative approach to your work.
• Ability to recognize and respond to readers’ needs.
• Knowledge of the insurance market specifically or financial services generally a definite plus.
• A high personal standard of excellence and pride in the work you do.
• Curiosity and a desire to learn.

About Us

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 inquisitive, 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