Journalists at BBC World Service

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

BBC Dars is an award-winning programme from the World Service which supports learning aimed at 11-16 year olds. It is designed for audiences of need where children are denied or restricted from accessing education. Since 2023, it has aired in Dari and Pashto and in 2025 it expanded to Arabic. The team have produced 6 series in Pashto and Dari and 2 in Arabic; each series consists of 12 episodes each for TV, audio, digital and social; each episode features maths, learning English, science, mental health, life skills and global inspirational stories. Our programme brings quality, accurate, educational content to young audiences.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

Joining the team offers the opportunity to pitch creative ideas and tailor treatments and storytelling to engage young audiences, while developing engaging thumbnails, SEO optimised titles, and social media posts and captions to maximise reach. You will present content for social media and TV in a manner that connects with younger audiences and undertake both pre and post production and studio work.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:

• Translate content from English into Hausa accurately, ensuring clarity, cultural relevance, and a natural, native tone.
• Produce engaging scripts for digital videos, social media content, and TV packages using a range of production skills.
• Use a range of video, audio and digital platforms and equipment to research, write, assemble, edit and deliver content to the highest professional standards.
• Deliver to tight deadlines while maintaining the highest editorial standards.
• Take a lead within a team setting to deliver a specific piece of journalism or project as appropriate.
• Exercise editorial judgment in developing story ideas and producing accurate and impartial journalism in line with BBC editorial guidelines.
• Liaise closely with other team members and departments to ensure content is shared, duplication is avoided, and best practice is upheld.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Fluent in Modern standard Hausa and English. Able to translate accurately between Hausa and English
• Brilliant presentation skills for digital video, TV and audio. Able to present in a way that is appealing and engaging for young audiences.
• An up-to-date understanding of what makes compelling digital video, and the requirements of different digital platforms.
• A proven background in writing engaging scripts in Hausa for multi-platform content, including digital, audio and television, that appeals to young audiences. Experience in creating teaching/educational content would be desirable.  
• A good understanding of young audiences in the region and how stories need to be adapted for them.  Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a proven ability to work in multicultural and diverse team environments.

We are looking for three people to join the team. Along with the above essential criteria for all three roles, we are also keen to hear from people who have the following experiences as well.

Social media skills 

• Experience in producing and posting successful, engaging social media content and associated elements including thumbnails, headlines, SEO. A clear understanding the best practices for YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok. 
• A proven ability to use the analytics of social media platforms to inform changes in content strategy and build audiences. 
• Ability to use the built-in editing tools of the social media platforms

Picture editing skills

• Proven ability to edit videos on FCPx and QEdit.
• Proven ability to edit audio 
• Able to use plugins like aftereffects is desirable
• Extensive experience in editing Reels and Shorts, in addition to long-form video, in a way that engages with and appeals to younger audiences

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PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

BBC Dars is an award-winning programme from the World Service which supports learning aimed at 11-16 year olds. It is designed for audiences of need where children are denied or restricted from accessing education. Since 2023, it has aired in Dari and Pashto and in 2025 it expanded to Arabic. The team have produced 6 series in Pashto and Dari and 2 in Arabic; each series consists of 12 episodes each for TV, audio, digital and social; each episode features maths, learning English, science, mental health, life skills and global inspirational stories. Our programme brings quality, accurate, educational content to young audiences.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

You will be responsible for the output of the Dars Hausa digital programmes, social media strategy and publishing grid. You will also lead on production for TV and radio. You will manage a small team of journalists in Abuja, and be responsible for planning, production and delivery of multiplatform content. You will also represent the Dars Hausa team internally and externally where necessary.  

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:

• Commission Dars output for multiple platforms through liaising with education consultants.
• Assign and commission stories, briefing presenters/producers/VJs. Steering treatments, with an emphasis on multiplatform output while maximising value for money.
• Support digital growth through effective application of analytics and best practices
• Oversee production and delivery of digital/social output content as required while also outputting for TV and radio consistently.
• Maintain a high level of journalistic, linguistic and production standards in the output. Giving proper editorial consideration to all output and making decisions based on risk, safety, suitability, quality and emergency changes.
• Ensure material is fact-checked, legally clear and compliant with BBC editorial policy, including flagging up issues and discussing them with member of editorial hierarchy
• Supervise, support and motivate a team of journalists to produce lively, interesting and high-quality content relevant to young audiences (11–16-year-olds).  Liaise proactively and collaborate with Hausa service colleagues.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Fluency in Modern Standard Hausa and English, with the ability to translate accurately between both languages; proven ability to communicate effectively in English (written and spoken), and to translate content from English to Hausa and vice versa; excellent writing and sub-editing skills, including the ability to rewrite and restructure digital scripts and stories to a high standard.
• Demonstrable ability to script, film, produce, and edit high-quality digital video content; strong presentation skills across digital video, television, and audio, with the ability to engage and appeal to young audiences; experience in producing TV recordings in a studio environment and managing on-screen presenters.
• Sound editorial judgment, with a strong understanding of the BBC’s child safeguarding guidelines; proficiency in maximising the use of existing and emerging technologies.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills; ability to make proactive decisions, working both independently and in close collaboration with the Assistant Editor; ability to work effectively across multiple teams and resolve conflicts when necessary.
• Strong resource management skills, including staff, technical facilities, and budgets, ensuring cost-effectiveness; effective planning and prioritisation skills, taking into account deadlines, staffing, and resource constraints; flexibility and adaptability, with the ability to maintain high performance under pressure and manage changing priorities; a demonstrated commitment to improving diversity within the BBC, with an understanding of how individual differences add value.