Broadcast Journalist (Planning) at The BBC

The BBC, is the leading international broadcaster in Africa reaching a weekly audience of more than 100 million on Radio, TV, Digital (language sites and bbcafrica.com), Mobile and Social Media. We broadcast to Africa in English, Hausa, Somali, French, Kinyarwanda/Kirundi, Kiswahili & Arabic. We are committed to broadcasting to and from the continent in a style that meets the demands of our growing audience and as well as our language services, our presence in the region is also defined by our bureaux, special correspondents and bilingual reporters.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Broadcast Journalist (Planning)
Job Reference: BBC/TP/869092/25989
Job Code: AF 246
Job Location: Abuja
Department: BBC Africa TV
Contract: Continuing
Reports to: West Africa Deployment Editor
 
The Job

• The Broadcast Journalist will work within the BBC Africa Planning team in Abuja to assist the Deployment Editor to deliver the very best journalism to audiences in Hausa, English and other African Service languages.
• The post holder will work closely with planning teams in Dakar, Nairobi, London, Lagos and Johannesburg to ensure that stories are developed and shared.
• You will need to have excellent knowledge of News and Current Affairs in Africa, and an understanding of what Hausa-speaking audiences are looking for in multiplatform coverage as well as a real nose for original, creative journalism.
• You will be expected to script, write, make packages and translate.

Main Duties

• To suggest and develop original ideas and treatments for stories relevant to English- and Hausa-speaking audiences.
• To produce accurate, informed and interesting content, and to achieve high impact journalism across all platforms.
• To ensure the commissioning of new innovative digital content which is shareable across African languages and the rest of the BBC World Service.
• To write content for TV, online and digital platforms using a Content Management System.
• To brief and provide information to reporters, producers and editorial teams on stories, contributors and events.
• To plan for big news events and communicate plans to the wider BBC.
• To work with and to maintain clear and regular communication with the Planning Producers of the African services together with the Deployments Editors in Africa, the Planning Editor in London and BBC Newsgathering on coverage of stories and editorial themes for all of BBC News.
• After training, to be able to use a range of digital equipment and technology to research, write, assemble, edit and deliver programmes and content.
• To ensure that BBC Editorial values and guidelines and all relevant legal and copyright requirements are met, asking for the support of managers in cases of difficulty or doubt.
• To maintain professional journalistic standards of accuracy, impartiality and fair dealing and adhering to the BBC’s editorial guidelines.
• All journalists may be required to work with or move to other programme teams on a multi-media basis and to have the ability to work across a range of skills.

Required Skills Abilities and Experience

• Outstanding fluency and up to date knowledge of spoken and written Hausa and English.
• Editorial judgement and organisational excellence.
• Experience of planning for broadcast news content and understanding what elements are required to produce fair and balanced output. Relevant experience as a journalist, both in originating material and editing the work of others.
• Innovative ideas and initiative to contribute to editorial strategies, planning and the development of the programme agenda.
• A good knowledge of what audiences want on TV and digital platforms within the market.
• A passion for African and international news and current affairs, as well as business, sport, social issues, history and arts/culture.
• Knowledge and understanding of digital platforms across Africa. A demonstrable interest in new media and how to exploit it for the BBC’s purposes.
• Great contacts with West Africa and Africa experts, officials and potential contributors in a variety of areas.
• To be able to use editing software to edit content. The ability to acquire technical skills and to operate technical equipment. Good keyboard/computer skills.
• The ability to work with team members across different sites and to advise and liaise with colleagues on stories.
• Understanding the cost of delivering stories and managing plans within budget.

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.
• Decision Making - is ready and able to take the initiative, originate action and be responsible for the consequences of the decision made.
• Imagination / Creative Thinking - is able to transform creative ideas/impulses into practical reality. Can look at existing situations and problems in novel ways and come up with creative solutions.
• Planning and Organisation - is able to think ahead in order to establish an 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 requirements.
• Leadership - ability to create a vision and inspire others to realise it irrespective of circumstances.
• Resilience - can maintain personal effectiveness by managing own emotions in the face of pressure, set-backs or when dealing with provocative situations. Can demonstrate an approach to work that is characterised by commitment, motivation and energy.
• Influencing and Persuading - ability 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.
• Communication - the ability 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.
• Talent Management - is able to recognise potential (managerial, professional, artistic or otherwise) and is willing to foster the development of that potential. Creates a climate in which potential can be realised.
• Managing relationships - able to build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of people.
• Self Development - is able to identify and apply opportunities for learning and development.

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