THE JOB

We are seeking an experienced journalist, who is brimming with ideas, to cover Germany’s most important sport news. A big part of the job will involve reporting on German football, in particular the Bundesliga and national team. But beyond that, you will also be covering other key sports of interest in Germany and writing on related issues like doping, corruption in sport or sport marketing.

You will likely be part of the reporting team covering Germany at the World Cup in Qatar this year and you might be called on to participate in the coverage of the football Euros and Summer and Winter Olympics.
The successful candidate will be able to turn information into snappy and lively copy for a broad, international readership. You will need a vivid writing style and offer readers context and analysis in copy suitable for all media, including online and mobile.

You will work closely together with AFP’s sport coordinator, a francophone journalist based in Munich, as well under the responsibility of AFP’s news editors in Berlin and the heads of AFP’s sport department in Paris. You can also rely on AFP’s German sports subsidiary, Sport Information Dienst (SID), for information for your coverage.

While sports will be your main brief, you may be asked to help with general news reporting in case of major breaking news events in Germany.

SKILLS REQUIRED

  • A strong command of German is essential for this position. The job will occasionally involve producing English versions of French stories, so a working knowledge of French is also a prerequisite for the job.
  • A genuine interest in sports issues is a fundamental requirement and previous journalistic experience in this area would be a plus. High-quality writing is essential.
  • You will not only have to cover breaking news but also offer original stories and interesting angles, so creativity is key.
  • Applicants need to demonstrate an ability to work under pressure. The job requires flexibility in terms of hours. Given the timings of Bundesliga matches, you will often be required to work evenings and weekends.
  • Candidates must have a keen eye for the visual and multimedia aspects of the coverage and will work closely with the photo, video, and graphics departments. Video skills are an advantage.
  • You will closely monitor social media and strictly adhere to the Agency's guidelines on social media activity.
  • You will contribute to the fight against misinformation by helping fact-checkers in the network and ensure you are trained in the various methods of online verification, now indispensable for all journalism.
  • As a general rule, you commit to respecting AFP's ethics charter as well as all the editorial guidelines in force and in the Agency's style guide.
  • Use of social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) and networking apps is essential, in accordance with the guidelines for using social networks as an AFP journalist. Supporting the development of new formats, including close collaboration with AFP’s fact-checking journalists, is encouraged.

THE TOOLS

You will work with a variety of sources: press briefings, direct contacts with sources, press statements, rolling news channels and radios, websites and newspapers that are among the best in Europe. As mentioned, you will also be able to use the content of SID sports news agency and work closely together with its reporters, some of which are based in Berlin itself.

CONTACTS

Interested candidates should send a letter of motivation and CV to: