Senior Journalist, Focus on Africa at BBC

BBCLagos, Nigeria Software Development

Full Time

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the public-service broadcaster of the United Kingdom, headquartered at Broadcasting House in London. It is the world's oldest national broadcasting organisation[3] and the second largest broadcaster in the world by number of employees, with over 20,000 staff in total, of which 16,672 are in public sector broadcasting

We are looking for a highly successful Senior Journalist to supervise the production and outputting of Focus on Africa TV program as well as its digital livestreams and assets and, whenever necessary, do the radio/podcast output. The Senior Journalist will lead a talented team to produce engaging and informative content that resonates with our global audience while reflecting the rich diversity and complexities of African stories. You will be an experienced journalist with experience of handling breaking news and rolling coverage and good understanding of our audience needs.

Main Responsibilities

To Lead and oversee the planning, development, and production of engaging segments and features for Focus on Africa, ensuring that content is relevant, accurate, and visually compelling
To collaborate with journalists, researchers, and contributors to identify and produce dynamic stories that reflect the experiences and concerns of African audiences
To mentor and guide staff, providing feedback and professional development opportunities to build a high-performing production team
To ensure that all content adheres to BBC’s editorial standards and guidelines regarding accuracy, fairness, and impartiality
To review and approve scripts, video packages, and online articles before publication, ensuring alignment with the overall editorial strategy
To oversee the digital presence of Focus on Africa, including social media platforms and audience engagement initiatives and to utilize audience insights and market research to tailor content that maximizes viewer engagement and reach
To identify new opportunities for digital expansion, utilizing analytics and audience feedback to inform strategy
To coordinate with other BBC departments and international bureaus to source stories, enhance coverage, and collaborate on cross-platform features
To build and maintain relationships with correspondents and contributors as needed
To foster a culture of creativity and innovation within the team and to encourage the exploration of new formats and technologies, enhancing audience interaction and participation
To build and maintain diverse contact lists; compile and distribute information with other members of the team
To deputize the Assistant Editor whenever necessary
To seek ways to increase diversity in our workforce and to ensure that our output reflects the audiences we serve

Are you the right candidate?

Solid track record of outputting daily TV news bulletins, current affairs programmes as well as digital and streaming offers whenever necessary
Strong experience of coping brilliantly in a breaking news environment and have a deep understanding of Africa and the world. An understanding of sport, entertainment and wider cultural life is essential
Exceptional editorial judgment and a thorough understanding of the social, political, and cultural landscapes of Africa
Proficient in production technologies and techniques, with a solid understanding of digital media platforms and trends
Demonstrable experience producing digital content that has been impactful and reached new audiences on digital platforms and knowledge of social media best practice
The proven ability to drive collaboration with other journalists and teams
Ability to manage less experienced members of the team and demonstrate strong delegation skills
Excellent spoken communication skills in English, including clarity, articulation, and the ability to convey complex ideas simply
Ability to write creatively in English in an engaging manner as well as the ability to adapt material with accuracy, clarity and a style appropriate to differing audiences and forms of media
Strong research abilities to prepare for broadcasts, with the capability to analyze and distill complex information for audience consumption
An understanding of and respect for diverse cultural perspectives, enabling thoughtful engagement with various community topics and issues
Track record of dealing with complex legal and editorial policy issues
Experience of filming would be an advantage