Senior Producer, Newstalk

About Bauer Media Audio Ireland

Bauer Media Audio Ireland is the country’s largest commercial radio group, operating eight stations including national brands Today FM and Newstalk, alongside youth-focused SPIN stations in Dublin and the Southwest. The portfolio also includes iRadio across the Northeast and Northwest, 98FM in Dublin, Beat in the Southeast, and Red FM in Cork. 

Beyond radio, Bauer Media Audio Ireland delivers a diverse and innovative audio offering. This includes Off the Ball, Ireland’s leading digital sports brand; GoLoud, a premium platform for radio, podcasts, and music; audioXi, the country’s largest digital audio advertising exchange; and Media Central, Ireland’s leading media sales house. 

Newstalk is Ireland’s fastest-growing independent talk radio station in Ireland, with a weekly reach of 846,000 people across 26 counties. Newstalk continues to grow its audience each year and is known across the nation as the independent voice of Ireland, boasting a strong line-up of Ireland’s leading broadcasters. The station is a nation favourite, with 466,000 daily listener 

About the Role 

Newstalk is inviting candidates to apply for the role of Senior Producer on our multi-award-winning afternoon show, The Hard Shoulder. 

Broadcast between 4pm and 7pm, the programme delivers comprehensive news coverage while also providing great company, conversation and sharp analysis for a broad national audience. 

We are looking for an experienced producer to bring fresh thinking, editorial rigour and strong leadership to a well-established programme: someone who can grow audience engagement, shape compelling live output and support a high-performing production team. 

You will also be part of a wider team of producers delivering cross-station initiatives and campaigns. 

If this sounds like you, and you have what it takes to lead the programme to the next level, we want to hear from you. 

What You’ll Do 

• Lead end-to-end daily production for The Hard Shoulder, including editorial planning, running orders, presenter briefings, guest preparation, studio coordination and live output between 4pm and 7pm. 
• Set and deliver the editorial vision for the programme, using strong judgement, knowledge of current affairs and an understanding of the Newstalk audience to shape distinctive stories, angles and conversations. 
• Forward-plan across the editorial calendar, anticipating major news developments, cultural moments, listener interests and cross-station opportunities. 
• Generate, develop and commission original radio ideas, interviews, features, audio pieces and on-air exclusives that feel fresh, relevant and audience-focused. 
• Use audience insight, listening trends, digital engagement and listener feedback to inform story selection, guest choices, formats and running orders. 
• Manage, coach and develop researchers, reporters and contributors working with the programme, supporting high standards of accuracy, creativity, initiative and delivery under pressure. 
• Produce live in studio with confidence, adapting pacing, tone, content and running order in response to breaking news, presenter needs, audience signals, timing constraints and technical issues. 
• Build a strong working relationship with the presenters and work collaboratively with production, newsroom, digital, technical and commercial colleagues where appropriate. 
• Book high-quality guests, develop and maintain a strong, diverse contact base, and prepare clear, accurate and engaging briefing material for the presenter. 
• Research, verify, write and edit scripts, cues, questions and programme material to a high editorial standard across live, pre-recorded, digital and on-demand output. 
• Ensure all output meets Newstalk editorial standards and complies with relevant legal, regulatory and ethical requirements, including defamation, copyright, privacy and Coimisiún na Meán codes of conduct. 
• Champion fair, inclusive and representative editorial choices, ensuring a wide range of voices and perspectives are considered in programme planning and execution. 
• Contribute to wider Newstalk initiatives, campaigns and multi-platform content opportunities, helping the show connect with audiences beyond the live broadcast. 
• Carry out other duties as required. 

If the following traits sound like you, you might be the right person for the job: 

• You are an experienced senior producer with excellent editorial judgement, a strong grasp of current affairs and a deep understanding of what makes live speech radio compelling. 
• You can lead complex live output calmly and decisively, making real-time editorial and production decisions while keeping the programme accurate, engaging, legally sound and on schedule. 
• You consistently bring original ideas, alternative angles and creative treatments to familiar stories, and you know how to turn those ideas into memorable radio. 
• You understand audience needs and behaviour, and you are comfortable using insight, analytics and listener feedback alongside editorial instinct to grow reach, relevance and trust. 
• You have strong contacts, excellent guest judgement and the confidence to secure agenda-setting interviews, exclusives and distinctive contributors. 
• You are a collaborative leader who can motivate, coach and develop researchers, reporters and contributors while maintaining clear standards and accountability. 
• You write sharp scripts, cues, questions and briefing notes, and you can shape running orders and story treatments that balance facts, tone, pace and audience relevance. 
• You are confident with audio production and editing, and you understand how sound, structure and pacing can elevate storytelling for broadcast and digital audiences. 
• You are digitally literate and comfortable thinking about how radio content can travel across social, web, app, podcast and on-demand platforms. 
• You have excellent knowledge of media law, defamation, privacy, copyright and Coimisiún na Meán codes of conduct, and you know when to escalate legal or ethical concerns. 
• You actively seek diverse voices and perspectives and bring cultural awareness and inclusivity into editorial planning and guest selection. 
• You are organised, resilient and calm under pressure, with the ability to multi-task, prioritise, meet deadlines and maintain high standards in a fast-moving newsroom environment. 

We’d like you to complete a task with your application:

Submit a paper of 500 words or less identifying three strengths and three weaknesses of the show, and then the actions you would take to tackle the weaknesses.   

Before applying, make sure you tick the following boxes 

• At least two years’ experience in a similar producer or senior producer role, ideally in live speech radio, news, current affairs or a comparable fast-paced media environment. 
• A qualification in journalism or a related discipline. 

Please note that some candidates may be placed on a panel for future similar opportunities. 

The closing date for this position is 5pm on Friday, 14 August 2026.

What You’ll Get:  

Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. Factors taken into account in determining an appropriate scale include the candidate’s knowledge, skills, experience and qualifications relevant to the job. 

Bauer Media Audio Ireland operates the following benefits for its employees: 

• 23 days annual leave including Good Friday & Christmas Eve (25 in total) 
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity pay 
• Contributory pension scheme to support your long-term financial wellbeing 
• Life cover (4 times your salary) 
• Paid sick leave - up to 20 days 
• Access (free) to Group account with Webdoctor www.webdoctor.ie 
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 
• Wide range of learning opportunities to support with your Career Development with access to Learning and Development with Bauer Academy and Learning Waves www.learningwaves.ie 
• Flexible and Hybrid Working (for relevant roles) 
• Group Discount on Laya Healthcare 
• HSF Healthcare – we fund a health cash back plan for your day-to-day medical expenses. 
• Bike to Work Scheme and Annual Tax Saver Scheme 

Bauer Media Audio Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, disability, age, gender expression or sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnic or national origin, marital or civil partnership status or culture. Bauer Media Audio Ireland is committed, where possible, to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. 

To discuss the requirements of the role, the location of the role or any reasonable accommodation you might require, please contact a member of the HR team via careers@bauermedia.ie 

All documentation received by Bauer Media Audio Ireland will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Acts, 1988 and 2003 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR; 2018). The information will only be used by BMAI in the processing of job applications and for ongoing administrative purposes with job candidates.  

If you have any feedback regarding our recruitment process, please email careers@bauermedia.ie we would love to hear from you. 

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