Senior Broadcast Journalist (Planning) at BBC

Job Reference: BBC/TP/788768/22166
Location: Lagos
Department: BBC Africa
Reports to: Head of West Africa
Package: Local terms and Conditions
Contract: Continuing

Job Introduction Africa’s media landscape is changing. It is one of the fastest developing news markets in the world with mobile technology transforming lives, internet connectivity increasing, the radio market remaining relatively strong and Television migrating from analogue to digital.

The BBC World Service remains the leading international broadcaster in Africa, reaching a weekly audience of more than 100 million across all platforms and Social Media. Globally, the BBC reaches a weekly audience of 320 million weekly across various platforms.

Over the next four years, the BBC World Service will be expanding its multimedia operations in Africa by doubling the number of language services from 6 to 12.Three of the new language services, Pidgin, Yoruba and Igbo, will serve our audiences in Nigeria and West Africa. They will be based in Lagos, working alongside our operation in Abuja from where the BBC currently produces its Hausa service output. There is a strong emphasis on reaching and connecting with young audiences.

We are now looking for a first class Planning Senior Broadcast Journalist with strong digital journalism, language and team management skills to lead our planning team.

Overall Purpose of Job

• Planning SBJ will work closely with language service editors in Nigeria and West Africa to ensure that Nigeria and West Africa stories from the region are covered in the most innovative, cost-effective and relevant manner. Planning SBJ will organise coverage primarily for BBC platforms in Pidgin, Igbo and Yoruba, as well as other languages in West Africa. You will be responsible for setting and managing realistic deadlines.
• Planning SBJ will liaise with BBC Africa Planning Editor to maximise the use of material across all BBC outlets.
• Planning SBJ will work with other senior staff to maintain a consistently strong and rich editorial offer across the relevant services on all formats that work on digital platforms as well as traditional platforms.
• You will be expected to play a key role in developing and evolving work practices to meet the needs of a fast-changing digital media market.
• You must have work authorization for Nigeria.

Main Duties

• To work closely with Editors of BBC Pidgin, BBC Igbo and BBC Yoruba – as well as Editors across West Africa - to plan output and to ensure maximum collaboration and sharing of material.
• To organise and deploy reporters and producers/presenters to ensure the best possible coverage of stories across all BBC platforms in the region, particularly Pidgin, Igbo and Yoruba. They should ensure reporters provide daily news coverage and generate strong exclusive, exciting stories that work on digital and social media platforms.
• To look beyond the daily news agenda to commission rich, varied and original material across all platforms.
• To maintain a daily/weekly/monthly diary of important news and other non-news events in the target area and to plan ahead for proper coverage/deployment.
• To motivate teams to come up with original content ideas as well as creative digital treatments.
• To keep abreast of evolving (news) stories and emerging trends and brief other editors.
• To work closely with Language Service editors in the region to ensure BBC Africa news output maintains a balance between global and regional coverage.
• To help identify first rate multilingual journalists who can contribute across BBC platforms.
• To help develop and promote new working practices to meet the needs of a fast-changing market.
• To plan and ensure availability and the most efficient use of resources.
• To work with Head of West Africa and service editors to ensure the safety of all teams during deployments.
• To oversee and develop contacts lists for reporters, contributors and regional experts and to ensure they are up to date.
• To motivate and give feedback to the reporters in the overseas offices. To communicate sensitively and effectively with outside contributors and contacts.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• First rate editorial judgement; excellent understanding of Nigerian and African affairs, as well as global stories. A strong interest in trending stories is essential.
• A Thorough and up-to-date knowledge of Nigeria and West Africa.
• Recent experience as a senior journalist, preferably in a digital media environment. Experience of field reporting is an advantage.
• A full command of English and at least one additional language from among Pidgin, Yoruba and Igbo.
• Familiarity with digital news and social media (including the market, technologies and content) and how to exploit them to maximum benefit.
• Ability to write, with clarity and style, appropriate to different audiences and platforms.
• Ability to anticipate changes in the market and to plan and guide the BBC’s output accordingly.
• Experience of supervising staff and ability to assist in training and development.
• PC literacy, keyboard skills and sufficient technical ability to operate appropriate equipment and software.

Competencies
The following competencies (behaviours and characteristics) have been identified as key to success in the job. Successful candidates are expected to demonstrate these competencies:

Editorial Judgement:

• Demonstrates balanced and objective judgement based on a thorough understanding of BBC editorial guidelines, target audience, programme and department objectives. Makes the right editorial decisions, taking account of conflicting views where necessary.

Creative Thinking:

• Able to transform creative ideas into practical reality. Can look at existing situations and problems in novel ways and come up with creative solutions.

Strategic Thinking:

• Can identify a vision along with the plans which need to be implemented to meet the end goal. Evaluates situations, decisions, issues etc. in the short, medium and longer-term.

Planning and Organisation:

• Able to think ahead in order to establish and efficient and appropriate course of action for self and others. Prioritises and plans activities taking into account all the relevant issues and factors such as deadlines, staffing and resources.

Communication:

• Able to get one’s message understood clearly by adopting a range of styles, tools and techniques appropriate to the audience and the nature of the information.

Influencing and Persuading

• Able to present sound and well reasoned arguments to convince others.
• Can draw from a range of strategies to persuade people in a way that results in agreement or behaviour change.

Managing Relationships and Team Working:

• Able to build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of people. Works co-operatively with others to be part of a team, as opposed to working separately or competitively.

Resilience:

• Manages personal effectiveness by managing emotions in the face of pressure, set backs or
• when dealing with provocative situations. Demonstrates an approach to work that is characterised by commitment, motivation and energy.

Flexibility:

• Adapts and works effectively with a variety of situations, individuals or groups. Able to understand and appreciate different and opposing perspectives on an issue, to adapt an approach as the requirements of a situation change, and to change or easily accept changes in one’s own organisation or job requirements.