Women's Affairs Journalist at BBC

Job Reference: BBC/TP/788771/33649
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Contract Type: Permanent - Full Time
Job Category: Journalism
Business Unit: News - W2020 - Africa
Division: World Service Africa  DIGITAL
Reports to: (title) Senior Broadcast Journalist 

Context

• Here the vision is simple- join African digital innovation team of multitalented journalists , developers , illustrator and graphic designer with the mandate to innovate and influence the next generation of African women.
• The BBC has a new digital innovation hub in Lagos with the ambition to develop digital journalism in Africa. Your role as Women Affairs Journalist will play a key role in helping our content reach underserved audiences – such as younger, more female and more diverse demographics in Africa.
• We have an exciting opportunity to create new forms of digital storytelling and journalism that reaches 111 million people in Africa.
• As a Women Affairs Journalist you will join a new multidisciplinary digital team in Lagos made up of news gatherers, data journalists, software developers and social media specialists who will be working with journalists working across  African l language services (English, French, Pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa and Amharic , Tigrinya, Afaan Oromo, Swahili, Somali,)
• The BBC’s Africa Hub is looking for a creative journalist aware of the emerging and unreported stories about African women. This candidate will have a background creating content that represents and targets African women. As a journalist you’re already creating compelling stories about women.
• This candidate must be an experienced journalist who is literate in social media. The candidate will play an integral role in brainstorming, creating and executing women’s content.
• We’re looking for someone who genuinely believes there are many stories about African women to be told who will source, curate and commission content on women’s issues from across Africa. 
• You’ll also be expected to contribute regularly and host our new TV programme The SheWord  so we are looking for candidates who are comfortable in front of the camera  Role Responsibility

Job Purpose

• Originate and produce, as part of a team, a wide variety of news and current affairs content for relevant output.

Key Aspects of the Role:

• BBC the Women Affairs Journalist is responsible for originating and producing stories which may include scripting, editing, filming and presenting for a range of BBC output.

Job Descriptions

• Understands how a team works effectively and adopts the most appropriate role
• Able to build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of people
• Demonstrates a commitment to improving diversity in the BBC and understands how individual differences can benefit the BBC
• Effective planning and organising skills, ability to concentrate on several areas of work at one time, prioritising, delivering consistently to deadlines and reacting positively to changes and conflicting priorities
• Ability to write creatively in an engaging manner, adapt, produce and translate with accuracy, clarity and style appropriate to differing audiences and forms of media suitable for multimedia output
• The flexibility and adaptability to sustain performance, particularly under pressure to meet deadlines and changing priorities and circumstances
• An understanding of Health & Safety procedures and how it applies to broadcasting
• The journalist will be expected to contribute regularly and to join panel weekly TV women’s discussion programme The She Word. You’ll be expected to build on our new social mediafirst discussion format The Girl Talk 
• To write text pieces for BBC News online and non-English sites  website and its social media platforms, ensuring a high standard 
• To produce and develop women’s blogging network within  Africa
• To identify compelling blogs/ bloggers and translate content in a form suitable for our multiple platforms.
• Desirable if you can shoot and edit videos for digital pieces that will be aired on the website and social media platforms and think of creative treatments for content 
• To suggest ideas about new ways of engaging the female audience, and to put these ideas into practice.
• To participate in short- and long-term planning, offer new ideas and to suggest new angles on existing stories and to put forward stories not yet covered.
• To be aware of the distinctive news agenda across the BBC 
• Take the lead within a team setting or on delivering a specific piece of journalism or project as appropriate
• To work with other women’s affairs journalists across regions – identify themes and opportunities for collaboration
• The ability to travel to gather interviews and material for output.
• The ability to work flexibly and over weekends may be needed.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• Use a range of video, audio and digital equipment and information technology to research, write, assemble, edit and deliver outputs in the appropriate medium, to the highest professional standards.
• May be required to present the content on radio, TV or on line. This might be live or recorded.
• May include the production and presentation of programmes. This might be live or recorded
• Exercise editorial judgment in developing story ideas and producing accurate and impartial journalism.
• To undertake pre and post production and studio work, live and pre-recorded. Use a range of video, audio & digital equipment and information technology to research, write, assemble, edit and deliver programmes in the appropriate medium, to the highest professional standards.
• To liaise closely with other team members and with other departments in the BBC, to ensure that output material is shared, duplication is avoided, and best practice is upheld
• Take a lead within a team setting or on delivering a specific piece of journalism or project as appropriate
• To tailor different news treatments for different audiences ensuring that the output  reflects the audiences we serve
• To prioritise and plan activities taking into account all the relevant issues and factors such as deadlines staffing and resources available
• To produce engaging packages through a range of production skills
• Delivering to tight deadlines while maintaining the highest editorial standards.
• At all times to carry out duties in accordance with the BBC Health and Safety policy

Job Impact
Decision making:

• High level of responsibility and decision making; able to operate alone. No managerial responsibility.
• May be informally supported by Junior staff i.e. Researchers, Coordinators and Assistants.

Scope:

• Covers a wide range of journalism activity, producing news content and supporting the production and presentation of programming.

Knowledge, Skills, Training and Experience 

• Significant recent experience as a journalist, with a good knowledge and examples reporting stories about women.
• Comprehensive knowledge of writing and editing content for publication to high editorial standards. 
• Understanding of the women’s agenda in the target region and in the world.
• Evidence of sound editorial and community judgement as well as an understanding of the power of online communities.
• The ability to plan and organise time and resources effectively and to manage projects to conclusion according to deadlines.
• Demonstrable experience of making content behind or in front of a camera
• Conceive, shoot, write, edit content for Instagram channels, as well as emerging platforms
• Video and audio editing skills is advantageous 
• Significant recent experience as a journalist, with a good knowledge of production techniques
• Demonstrates sound editorial and policy decisions based upon a clear understanding of the BBC’s distinctive news agenda, the requirements of news and current affairs coverage, the programme departments and the audience
• Ability to use technology as required, in order to gather material for broadcast.
• High standard of English including complete comprehension of written and spoken English and the ability to communicate effectively.
• The ability to work quickly, accurately and under pressure.
• A comprehensive knowledge of BBC health & safety procedures.

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. 
• Ability to take public comments on board and to make appropriate editorial changes to content.

Creative Thinking:

• Able to transform creative ideas into practical reality.
• Evidence of innovation and the ability to devise creative solutions by developing novel ideas or adapting existing ones in new ways.
• Evidence of a desire to create beautiful, quality content.

Planning and organisation:

• 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.

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.
• As well as the ability to motivate and deal sensitively with people who may be working to tight deadlines

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 cooperatively with the ability to work with other teams in developing tools, features and services.

Resilience:

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

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 adopt an approach as the requirements of a situation change, and to change or easily accept changes in one’s own organisation or job requirements.