Journalism
Permanent - Full Time
Lagos, LA, NG, 101233
BBC PS - Nigeria
Job Closing Date: 27/04/2025

JOB INTRODUCTION

Focus on Africa is BBC’s flagship news and current affairs program for our audiences in Africa and those interested in African stories across the world. The program, across TV, radio and digital platforms, aims to provide a comprehensive view of the diverse experiences, cultures, and challenges facing African nations and their people. This includes engaging stories on politics, economics, environment, health, and social issues, along with highlighting achievements and innovations within Africa.
Focus on Africa aims to bridge the gap between African societies and global audiences, offering a platform for voices that often go unheard. The program seeks to foster understanding, promote dialogue, and celebrate the richness of African life by presenting high-quality journalism that motivates, educates, and informs viewers.
We are looking for a highly successful Senior Journalist to supervise the production and outputting of Focus on Africa TV program as well as its digital livestreams and assets and, whenever necessary, do the radio/podcast output. The Senior Journalist will lead a talented team to produce engaging and informative content that resonates with our global audience while reflecting the rich diversity and complexities of African stories. You will be an experienced journalist with experience of handling breaking news and rolling coverage and good understanding of our audience needs.

DISCLAIMER

This 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.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• To Lead and oversee the planning, development, and production of engaging segments and features for Focus on Africa, ensuring that content is relevant, accurate, and visually compelling
• To collaborate with journalists, researchers, and contributors to identify and produce dynamic stories that reflect the experiences and concerns of African audiences
• To mentor and guide staff, providing feedback and professional development opportunities to build a high-performing production team
• To ensure that all content adheres to BBC’s editorial standards and guidelines regarding accuracy, fairness, and impartiality
• To review and approve scripts, video packages, and online articles before publication, ensuring alignment with the overall editorial strategy
• To oversee the digital presence of Focus on Africa, including social media platforms and audience engagement initiatives and to utilize audience insights and market research to tailor content that maximizes viewer engagement and reach
• To identify new opportunities for digital expansion, utilizing analytics and audience feedback to inform strategy
• To coordinate with other BBC departments and international bureaus to source stories, enhance coverage, and collaborate on cross-platform features
• To build and maintain relationships with correspondents and contributors as needed
• To foster a culture of creativity and innovation within the team and to encourage the exploration of new formats and technologies, enhancing audience interaction and participation
• To build and maintain diverse contact lists; compile and distribute information with other members of the team
• To deputize the Assistant Editor whenever necessary
• To seek ways to increase diversity in our workforce and to ensure that our output reflects the audiences we serve