Chief Manchester United Correspondent

Company Description

Manchester United isn’t just a football club. It’s a global obsession.

At Reach, we’re looking for a Chief Manchester United Correspondent to lead coverage of one of the biggest sporting institutions in the world, for the Manchester Evening News and our national brands including Mirror, Star and Express.

This is a flagship role in UK sports journalism, sitting at the centre of our football coverage and trusted by millions of readers every day.

This is your chance to own the Manchester United agenda.

You’ll be the authoritative voice on the club - breaking stories, shaping the conversation, and delivering exclusive, in-depth journalism across digital, video, audio and social platforms. 

You’ll lead coverage nationally and internationally, covering matches, transfers, power dynamics inside Old Trafford and the stories that matter most to a vast, passionate global fanbase.

Crucially, this role is about more than reporting. You’ll be a recognisable journalist brand in your own right, helping drive growth in Reach’s Premium (paid-for) content, deepening engagement and loyalty with readers who demand insight, access and credibility.

About us

Hello, we’re Reach. Every day, our trusted news, stories and content connect with millions of people where they live - whether that’s on their social feed or at their neighbourhood newsstand; through their local community or their take on the hot topic of the day.

We're home to more than 120 trusted brands - from household names like the Mirror, Express, Daily Star and Daily Record, to local titles like MyLondon, BelfastLive, and the Manchester Evening News, and brands making a splash in the US like the Irish Star.

It's our ability to understand people and the things that matter to them that makes us the UK and Ireland's largest commercial news publisher. We reach 70% of the UK's online population and speak to over 100 million social followers around the world. And we’re just getting started…

Your story, with Reach

As a modern media organisation, we're much more than just news. And it takes a wide range of people and skills to serve diverse audiences, customers and communities like we do.

We know everyone has their own story to tell, so we’ve built an environment where every background is respected and every day is a day to explore.

We’ll help you build a career that works with your life, while giving you the space to create and grow.

About this role

What will the role involve?

You’ll lead Manchester United coverage across MEN and Reach’s national titles, delivering:

• Breaking news, exclusives and agenda-setting journalism with speed, accuracy and authority
• High-value Premium content including deep analysis, investigations, long-reads and insider columns designed to attract and retain subscribers
• Multi-format storytelling across written articles, video explainers, live blogs, podcasts and live Q&As
• On-the-ground reporting, travelling domestically and internationally with the first team
• A strong public presence as the face and voice of our United coverage across video, social and live events
• Trusted relationships with sources across the club, agents and the wider football ecosystem
• Mentorship and leadership for junior reporters
• You’ll work closely with editors, producers and designers across Reach to deliver standout journalism at scale, while upholding the highest editorial and legal standards

This role is a home and hub position linked to our Manchester office, so you will need to be based within an hour commute of Old Trafford and work evenings and weekends in line with the football calendar.

Who are we looking for?

This role is aimed squarely at elite football journalists.

You’ll already have:

• A proven track record covering Manchester United or elite-level football
• A strong reputation for exclusives, insight and original reporting
• The credibility and confidence to be a public-facing authority on one of world football’s biggest clubs
• A clear understanding of what drives digital audiences and how to convert engagement into loyalty and subscriptions
• Resilience and flexibility to respond to the 24-7 news cycle of Manchester United
• The ambition to build your own journalistic profile alongside some of the biggest sports brands in the UK
• NCTJ qualifications are desirable, but your body of work, audience trust and journalistic impact matter most.

How we'll look after you

We take good care of our people - and that means more than just a pay packet. Whatever your role, you'll get a range of benefits, including:

• 25 days' holiday (plus bank holidays), as well as an extra day after you've been with us for three, five and 10 years. We also have a scheme to help you buy extra holiday if you want to.
• An extra day's paid leave each year to volunteer for a cause close to your community or your heart.
• Big moment day - an extra day’s paid leave for a moment that matters to you - like getting married, moving house or welcoming a new addition to the family (human or furry!)
• Help saving for your retirement - we'll match your company pension contributions up to 6% and you can contribute through salary sacrifice.
• Supportive and progressive people policies - we’re proud to have a range of policies to support people in their lives in and outside work, including enhanced family leave and policies to promote flexibility, inclusion and progression. We believe you shouldn’t have to wait to join us to know what to expect from us, which is why we share this overview of the policies we have in place to support families and carers. If there's something you want to understand more about, just ask - it won’t make a difference to your application.
• A healthcare cash plan - giving you money back for a range of medical expenses and fast access to doctor's appointments.
• Car lease scheme - you can buy a brand new electric or hybrid car through our leasing partner, and pay for it through salary sacrifice.
• Wellbeing support - including a 24/7 assistance programme for you and your family.
• Access to lots of discounts - including 15% off with Reach's very own online marketplace, Yimbly, where you can buy everything from homewares to beauty products.
• Interest-free loans - including for season tickets and technology.

Additional Information

Reach plc believes diversity brings benefits for our customers, our business and our people. This is why we are committed to being an inclusive employer and encourage applications from all suitable applicants irrespective of background, circumstances, age, disability, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or belief and sexual orientation.