Senior Trainer

BBC Media Action was founded in 1999 by the BBC as its international development charity. We apply the editorial standards of the BBC, build on its values and often work closely with the BBC World Service and other BBC departments. However, we are legally and financially independent and work to a distinct mission. Originally known as BBC World Service Trust we changed our name to BBC Media Action in December 2011.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Senior Trainer
Job Location: Abuja, Nigeria (with regular travel around Nigeria)
Department: Production & Training
Reports to: Head of Production and Training                             
Type of Contract: Fixed Term
Duration of Contract: 6 months (with possibility of extension)

Job Purpose

• This role requires a dynamic trainer or mentor with a background of leading teams in radio and/or TV production and experience developing the capacity of media professionals. Experience in digital media production is an advantage. The position will be based in Abuja, though the Senior Trainer may spend up to one month at a time away from base delivering training and mentoring activities for radio stations and other partners across Nigeria.
• The Senior Trainer will lead a team of Producer Trainers to train and support media professionals across Nigeria in a wide range of programme production skills with emphasis on digital media. Also, she/he will take overall responsibility for the design of training materials and methods of evaluation.
• The Senior Trainer will lead on offering on-going mentoring support to trainees when in Abuja. She/he will ensure coordination of activities with other members of the BBC Media Action training team.
• In addition to the above duties, the Senior Trainer will lead on coordinating the logistics and operational aspects of BBC Media Action’s training activities, with a particular emphasis on scheduling, proper deployment of training resources, and coordinating with other teams and departments to ensure training activities are carried out as planned. 

Main Duties

• With the guidance of the Head of Production and Training and other relevant department heads, take overall responsibility for detailed scheduling and planning of all BBC Media Action trainings. Manage staff time and schedules, think through operational and logistical issues, ensure proper deployment of training resources.
• Conduct training activities in Abuja and in other states across Nigeria, and take responsibility for leading the Training team as they conduct trainings.
• Work with relevant BBC Media Action departments to design creative, innovative approaches to training, including setting objectives for trainings, determining the appropriate content/theme of different sessions, and establishing criteria for evaluating training impact.
• Design and deliver trainings that meet the project’s development objectives and meet the needs of trainees. Develop work plans, facilitate training logistics, create training materials, and identify and document lessons learned from each training.
• Conduct training needs assessment of partner stations and help prioritize capacity building support.
• Design and deliver in-house training and refresher courses for colleagues at BBC Media Action as needed.
• Liaise and network with a range of partners, including partner station staff at senior and junior levels.
• Coordinate closely with other departments to guarantee that training plans are drawing on and informing other activities as appropriate and in compliance with all BBC Media Action policies and procedures.
• Travel regularly within Nigeria when necessary and - if required - at short notice.
• Perform any other duties that may be assigned.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Extensive radio and/or TV production or journalism background at a leadership level. Experience with any of the following would be a plus: digital journalism, interactive radio/television production, behaviour change communication, spot production.
• Experience leading a team of journalist, producers, trainers, or any other relevant team.
• Experience coordinating the logistics and operational aspects of activities, including scheduling and deployment of team members.
• Understanding of Nigerian media industry and working practices as applied by private and public stations.
• Thorough understanding of best practice in media training.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and influencing skills, including the ability to enthuse trainees, give constructive feedback and facilitate learning in a focused arid friendly atmosphere.
• Proven ability to analyse and critically evaluate editorial content, identifying strengths and weaknesses in programme content and driving constant improvement in output.
• Evidence of high level editorial skills and ability to thoroughly understand BBC editorial values.
• Evidence of imagination and an enthusiasm for generating new ideas, particularly those with the widest possible audience appeal.
• Evidence of full understanding of the latest production-related technology.
• Strong understanding of the role of communications in development.
• Experience in operating effectively in difficult, political, sensitive and often fluid environment.
• Ability to grasp core BBC Media Action values.

Key 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 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.
• 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.
• Strategic Thinking: Can identify a vision along with the plan which needs to be implemented to meet the end goal. Evaluates situations, decisions, issues, etc. in the short, medium and longer-term.
• 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 working separately or competitively.
• Developing Others - 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.
• Resilience - Can maintain personal effectiveness by managing own emotions in the lace of pressure, setbacks 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.

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Note

• A job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.