Senior Journalist, Focus on Africa

The Focus on Africa program is the BBC's primary news and current affairs offering for African audiences and those interested in African stories worldwide, delivered across TV, radio, and digital platforms. It aims to provide a comprehensive view of the diverse experiences, cultures, and challenges facing African nations, covering politics, economics, environment, health, and social issues, while also highlighting achievements and innovations. The program seeks to bridge the gap between African societies and global audiences, fostering understanding and dialogue through high-quality journalism that educates and informs. The successful candidate will supervise the production and output of the Focus on Africa Podcast, its digital livestreams, and assets, and occasionally contribute to TV output, leading a talented team to produce content that resonates with a global audience and reflects the richness of African stories. The role requires an experienced journalist with a strong understanding of audience needs and a proven ability to handle breaking news.

1. Lead and oversee the planning, development, and production of engaging segments and features for Focus on Africa, ensuring content is relevant, accurate, and visually compelling.
2. Collaborate with journalists, researchers, and contributors to identify and produce dynamic stories reflecting the experiences and concerns of African audiences.
3. Mentor and guide staff, providing feedback and professional development opportunities to build a high-performing production team.
4. Be responsible for the daily episode's output, ensuring all content adheres to BBC’s editorial standards and guidelines regarding accuracy, fairness, and impartiality.
5. Review and approve scripts and video packages before broadcast, ensuring alignment with the overall editorial strategy.
6. Oversee the digital presence of Focus on Africa, including podcast and social media platforms and audience engagement initiatives.
7. Utilize audience insights and market research to tailor content that maximizes viewer engagement and reach, identifying new opportunities for digital expansion using analytics and feedback.
8. Coordinate with other BBC departments and international bureaus to source stories, enhance coverage, and collaborate on cross-platform features.

1. Strong track record in producing or commissioning in-depth and original stories.
2. Solid experience in outputting Audio Visual Podcast, current affairs programs, and digital/streaming offers.
3. Demonstrable experience producing impactful digital content, including podcasts, that reached new audiences on digital platforms, along with knowledge of social media best practices.
4. Strong experience in managing breaking news environments with a deep understanding of Africa and the world, including sport, entertainment, and wider cultural life.
5. Proven ability to lead and manage collaborative editorial teams delivering TV, Podcast, and Digital content, including managing less experienced team members and demonstrating strong delegation skills.
6. Extensive expertise in overseeing and subbing English text and editing video.
7. Strong working knowledge of data and visual journalism.
8. Excellent spoken communication skills in English, including clarity, articulation, and the ability to convey complex ideas simply.
9. Ability to write creatively in English in an engaging manner, adapting material with accuracy, clarity, and an appropriate style for different audiences and media forms.
10. Experience of filming is desirable.