JOB DESCRIPTION 

Job Title: Reporter, BBC Africa 

Location: Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Grade: Local terms and conditions 

Reports to: BBC East Africa Regional Deployments Editor 

The Job 

The Reporter will play a crucial role providing timely, expert and authoritative coverage of news and current affairs events in Tanzania and the surrounding regions. 

The Reporter will be required to report for multi-platform outlets, including television, online, social media, and radio. 

The successful candidate must have: 

Outstanding level of spoken and written English and Swahili.  

Excellent skills in both TV and Radio scripting and presentation.  Demonstrated ability to identify strong and distinctive stories. 

Responsibilities 

• To originate, select stories and provide expert news coverage and analysis for broadcast, fully observing BBC Editorial Guidelines. 
• To pitch original stories with both TV and digital treatments, making sure that they work for online, social and TV platforms. 
• To act within the framework of overall BBC coverage, especially by Reporters and Producers in the region working for BBC Newsgathering; to maintain co-operative relations and ensure coverage forms part of a coherent overall offer. 
• To provide a variety of content in English and Swahili, often with tight deadlines. 
• To follow safety requirements and instructions, especially in relation to emergencies; and to report any accidents, dangerous situations or defects in safety arrangements. 
• To follow the BBC guidelines on business expenditure, including timely and accurate filing of expenses claims. 

MAIN DUTIES 

Broadcast Coverage  

• To broadcast in English and Swahili on news topics and events (political, economic, social, cultural, scientific, sport, etc.) in a manner which is timely, authoritative, lively, interesting and readily understandable by a non-specialist audience. 
• To deliver stories which are innovative and engaging for digital platforms. 
• To be able to use social platforms to inform newsgathering decisions. 
• Have a good sense of spotting stories and subjects that would trend or go viral digitally. 
• To alert Editors to breaking news and be ready to file accurate, immediate on-the-spot reports. 
• To be prepared to check and advise against coverage when news agencies or other organisations’ reports are unreliable. 
• To help provide contact numbers, interviewees, set up big interviews and provide other programme material to the BBC. 
• To maintain regular and clear communication with the African Service and BBC Newsgathering teams so that colleagues are briefed on the Reporter’s movements and contact numbers at all times, through the assignment.  
• To travel within the target region and beyond on reporting trips, assignments and for training. 

Advice & Briefing 

• To provide regular advice on news developments, briefings on government policy, guidance on agency or newspaper stories and provide input into BBC Africa’s broadcasting strategy.  
• To supply original items for the BBC Africa, coming up with a stream of realistic and costed coverage ideas, working collaboratively with the Deployment Editor.  
• Contributing constructively to feedback, programme reviews and editorial discussions to improve programme quality. 

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED 

Essential 

• Fluency in English and Swahili (written and spoken)
• Excellent level of scripting for Radio and TV, with good on-screen presence. 
• Recent and relevant experience as a TV Reporter and/or Journalist, both in originating material and editing the work of others. 
• A thorough knowledge of national affairs together with an understanding of international affairs. 
• Excellent independent and balanced editorial judgement. 
• A thorough familiarity of the region, an in depth knowledge of the audience requirements and a good understanding of youth issues and the media interests of various age groups. 
• A good understanding of digital platforms and the types of content which do well on them. 
• Knowledge of and aptitude for information technology skills. 
• A demonstrable interest and proven track record in social media. 
• Ability to present programmes appropriate to the needs of BBC Africa. 
• Authoritative microphone voice and ability to communicate effectively to listeners and viewers. 
• Proven skills in filing dispatches and ability to produce two-ways and make television and radio packages. 
• Ability to convey story and programme ideas and to contribute fully to the planning process. 
• Ability to learn new skills (technically and editorially) and accept constructive feedback. 
• Ability to remain calm while working to deadlines, apply sensible work priorities and pace throughout assignments. 

COMPETENCIES 

The following competencies (behaviours and characteristics) have been identified as key to success in the job. Successful candidates are expected to demonstrate these competencies. 

• Editorial Judgement - demonstrates balanced and objective judgement based on a thorough understanding of BBC Editorial Guidelines, target audience, programme and department objectives. 
• Makes the right editorial decisions, taking account of conflicting views where necessary. 
• Ability to explain domestic and regional stories to a pan Africa and international audience. 
• Creative Thinking - able to transform creative ideas into practical reality. Can look at existing situations and problems in novel ways and come up with creative solutions. 
• Planning and organisation - able to think ahead in order to establish and efficient and appropriate course of action for self and others. Prioritises and plans activities taking into account all the relevant issues and factors such as deadlines, staffing and resources.
• Communication - able to get one’s message understood clearly by adopting a range of styles, tools and techniques appropriate to the audience and the nature of the information. 
• Influencing and persuading - able to present sound and well-reasoned arguments to convince others. Can draw from a range of strategies to persuade people in a way that results in agreement or behaviour change. 
• Managing relationships and team working - able to build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of people. 
• Works co-operatively with others to be part of a team, as opposed to working separately or competitively.