The primary objective of this position is to manage and oversee critical operations within the organization, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and objectives. This role requires a proactive approach to problem-solving and decision-making, with a strong emphasis on fostering collaboration across departments. The successful candidate will be responsible for driving key initiatives, optimizing workflows, and ensuring compliance with established policies and procedures. Additionally, this individual will play a pivotal role in mentoring team members, analyzing performance metrics, and implementing improvements to enhance overall productivity and efficiency.
Join the BBC’s Digital News team in Nairobi as the Africa News Editor, where you will play a pivotal role in shaping global understanding of one of the world’s most evolving new regions. In this role, you will lead and commission groundbreaking journalism in both written and video formats for the BBC News website in English. You will oversee a dynamic team tasked with responding to breaking news and major stories, managing live coverage, video productions, and in-depth reported features. Additionally, you will ensure our coverage remains incisive, authoritative, and unmistakably distinctive across all BBC platforms.
As your primary duties, you will play a pivotal role in driving key initiatives that significantly influence our organization’s success. Your contributions will encompass high-impact responsibilities and measurable outcomes, directly shaping project trajectories and strategic decisions. This position demands a commitment to excellence, with a focus on delivering tangible results that align with our overarching goals. Additionally, you will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless execution and innovation across all assigned projects.
Headline the BBC’s English-language digital coverage produced in Africa, managing the timely delivery of breaking news, exclusive journalism, in-depth backgrounders, insightful analysis, and compelling features for the News website.
Collaborating with senior editorial leadership, develop and implement a sustainable editorial strategy for Africa across digital channels, ensuring content remains responsive to shifting audience demands and innovative formats.
Collaborate effectively with our Africa desk in London and teams across the continent to strategize and assign story coverage.
Assume leadership during breaking news events by overseeing output, organizing coverage, and assigning staff responsibilities.
Oversee and lead a seasoned team spanning various sites, delivering precise guidance and meticulous editorial supervision.
Work alongside senior stakeholders within BBC News, the World Service, and other relevant departments to collectively achieve our organizational objectives.
Safeguard the integrity and excellence of editorial standards across every piece of content produced.
Seeking a highly skilled professional with a proven track record in [industry/field], along with extensive experience in [specific skills or areas]. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in [relevant areas], demonstrated through [X] years of hands-on experience in [specific functions]. Proficiency in [tools, software, or methodologies] is essential, along with exceptional problem-solving abilities and a keen attention to detail. The role requires the capacity to [specific responsibilities], while also collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams to [specific outcomes]. A commitment to continuous learning and adaptability in a fast-paced environment is highly valued.
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:
Demonstrates extensive senior-level and practical expertise in digital news journalism, equipped with a solid grasp of effectively responding to breaking news within digital environments.
Proficiency in making well-informed editorial decisions in intricate news and coverage situations, coupled with the capacity to act promptly and effectively under pressure, is essential.
A strong grasp of African news and politics is essential, enabling the identification and development of compelling, lesser-known stories through extensive knowledge and valuable connections.
Profound knowledge of African audiences is essential, coupled with the capacity to interpret BBC strategy and implement it through compelling digital journalism initiatives, thereby expanding both African and international viewership.
Possesses extensive familiarity with global current affairs and international developments.
A solid grasp of how various text and video formats enhance news coverage and storytelling is essential.
Experienced professionals with a solid grasp of leveraging search and social platforms to enhance and expand our journalistic efforts are encouraged to apply. Proficiency in utilizing these digital tools to gather insights and disseminate content effectively will be essential to success in this role.
Demonstrates proficiency in independent work while consistently meeting stringent deadlines, along with the capacity to guide teams through transitional phases and advocate for innovative operational approaches.
Bring extensive expertise in leading and developing teams with diverse cultural backgrounds across various geographic locations, while providing mentorship to staff facing novel editorial challenges.
DESIRABLE:
Skilled in reimagining and repurposing content to align with evolving digital platforms and innovative formats.
Proven understanding of business dynamics within digital news operations is essential.
Proficiency in one or more African languages besides English is required.
Proven expertise in operating digital content production systems is required.
Qualifications
BA/BSc/HND
