Andean Correspondent, Colombia

**The Role**

We are looking for a correspondent based in Colombia from August to cover one of the liveliest and most varied beats at the FT, the Andean region. This is a super-stringer position.

Stretching from the Caribbean coast down the spine of the Andes mountains to the lowland plains of the Amazon basin, the beat encompasses five nations with widely varying levels of development: Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. All face the common challenge of boosting economic growth sustainably in turbulent times and navigating the treacherous waters of populist and extremist politics. Populations are restive over high levels of inequality and corruption and rapidly rising food and fuel prices are fanning the flames of discontent.

Venezuela is one of the world's most-ignored tragedies, a once-wealthy major oil exporter reduced to destitution by years of misgovernment. Colombia has been the surprise success story of the region over the past two decades but it is deeply divided politically and its economy profoundly unequal. Peru is lurching from one government crisis to another, Ecuador's investor-friendly president is battling a hostile congress and Bolivia has relapsed into authoritarian socialist rule after a brief and highly unsuccessful interlude of conservative government.

**Your Skills**

Intuition, charm and guile are essential qualities for success in covering this region, which is unpredictable, demanding, sometimes hazardous and always fascinating.

The Andean correspondent needs to be equally comfortable writing about politics, economics and commodities in countries where all three topics often converge. An ability to develop and work high-level business and political sources is essential, along with a knack for projecting the essentials of a complex story from an unfamiliar region to a distant reader. Fluent Spanish is a prerequisite.

There is ample scope for features, magazine pieces, special reports and FT Live events as well as news.

A willingness to travel at short notice to cover breaking news in far-flung parts of the region is essential.

This is a super-stringer position which pays a good retainer and offers plenty of opportunity for a versatile correspondent to supplement that stipend with outside income.

**Key responsibilities**
- Generate exclusive interviews and thoughtful analysis
- Cover breaking news, produce original features and contribute to other sections of the FT
- Network and build contacts at a senior level in government, business, diplomacy and civil society
- Cooperate effectively with colleagues in Washington, London and Latin America
- Demonstrate expertise in reporting across digital platforms
- Show numeracy and proficiency in handling data
- Engage with our audience through social media and interactive content
- Weekend reporting and writing is required when the news agenda demands it
- A willingness to travel at short notice

**Who we are looking for**

You are an enterprising and curious reporter and a lively, intelligent writer capable of producing longer, well-structured analytical pieces as well as rapid, accurate news stories. The ability to master and explain objectively complex issues that cross politics, economics and diplomacy and to collaborate with editors and correspondents is essential. Fluent Spanish is required. Michael Stott is available for informal discussions about the role.

**Our commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace**

At the FT, we aim for employees across all regions to have a voice so that diverse perspectives are heard and valued. We believe that a supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves at work and have the flexibility they need to meet their personal needs. We'll continue to remove barriers for all, and in particular barriers facing employees from underrepresented groups.

**Further Information**
- LI-RS1