News Editor, BBC News - Pidgin Service at BBC

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.
• Three of the language services, Pidgin, Yoruba and Igbo, serve our audiences in Nigeria and West Africa. They are 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 News Editor to provide editorial leadership to the Pidgin Service which has staff in Nigeria and Ghana.

Job Purpose

• Responsible for managing a small team of Journalists, with editorial responsibility for a small programme or service.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

• Develop and maintain high professional standards of journalism, ensuring delivery of high quality news programmes.
• Establish the content and running order of the programme and lead others on the production of items through to transmission, including assigning, briefing and establishing priorities for operational and editorial teams.
• Continue the development of the programme across social media and digital platforms, exploring the potential for expanding.
• Responsible for building team spirit within permanent or temporary teams; ensuring the best use of individual skills. Encouraging team members to think about potential improvements.
• Sets team and individual objectives, as well as clear expectations about required performance levels, rewards success and addresses performance issues promptly and fairly, treats team members with respect. 
• Seek ways to increase diversity in our workforce and to ensure that our output reflects the audiences we serve.
• Assist in the development, commissioning and management of relevant business plans and manage individual programme budgets, ensuring value for money in use of resources.
• To act as a facilitator of change, clearly communicating and distributing best practices between teams.
• Foster an environment of productive employee relations, responding to and anticipating challenges from staff, unions and audiences.
• Responsible for ensuring safe working practices and the observance of BBC’s health and safety regulations, including completing hazard assessments.

Knowledge, Skills, Training and Experience
Essential:

• Either a professional journalist or a senior operational professional with extensive editorial
• experience of broadcast news and the ability to develop and implement new and innovative approaches to programme structure and content.
• Proven editorial judgement, able to make sound decisions promptly .
• A detailed understanding of current techniques and technology for newsgathering and
• production. An ability to use new technologies to create opportunities to enhance output and improve working practices.
• Ability to work effectively as a member of more than one team. Resolving conflicts as necessary.
• Can identify a concept 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.
• Demonstrates a commitment to improving diversity in the BBC and understands how individual differences can benefit the BBC.
• Able to prioritise and plan activities taking into account all the relevant issues and factors such as deadlines, staffing, programme budgets and resource requirements.
• 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.
• Maintains personal effectiveness in the face of pressure, setbacks or when dealing with demanding situations. Demonstrates an approach to work that is characterised by commitment, motivation and passion.

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to speak and write in Pidgin fluently.
• The ideal candidate must have a clear understanding of what public service journalism is and how to sustain its principles within a commercial market.
• A keen understanding of BBC Editorial Guidelines and in-depth knowledge of DueImpartiality.
• Responsible for ensuring safe working practices and the observance of BBC’s health and safety regulations, including completing hazard assessments.
• Hands on experience of managing a diverse team that supports inclusion of people from varying backgrounds and beliefs.