About us

BBC News brings together Network News, English Regions and the World Service Group’s English and Language Services to serve a large variety of audiences in the UK and around the world on many platforms.

As part of the World Service Language Services, BBC Africa newsgathering teams provide news reports, pictures and audio material from Africa to all BBC News programmes and services - both in the UK and internationally - in English and other languages. This content is of the highest possible editorial and technical standard, which in turn provides the best value for money for BBC audiences around the world. BBC Africa newsgathering teams have to ensure that in the face of increasing competition, BBC News is the world leader in newsgathering and is at the forefront of both its editorial coverage and technological innovation in broadcasting and digital services.

Context

Tanzania is at the heart of the BBC’s audiences in East Africa. Its importance for the BBC in audience terms cannot be overstated both in Kiswahili and in English. In news terms, the rapid change in the multiparty political system and the transforming space of freedom of expression, and the growth of more critical voices from outside Tanzania dominate the headlines. Yet Tanzania is also the home to the Kiswahili language and the human interest stories from the country just keep pressing to be told.

Dimensions

You will provide quality, informative programmes and reports in English and Kiswahili for BBC Television, Radio and Digital news programmes.

You will report to the Deployments Editor, East Africa and the Africa Bureaux Editor liaising with the Bureau Editor, BBC Dar es Salaam, the Africa TV Editor and the Regional Planning Editor in London.

You will report on all aspects of national political, economic and cultural life in Tanzania and East Africa and potentially travel across the region. You will stay well briefed on the region in order to report and comment with authority, reporting in both English and Kiswahili.

Main duties of the role are summarised below:

BROADCAST COVERAGE

To provide expert coverage of news and events within Tanzania and relations with her neighbours and the wider world.
To report live from breaking stories, for different areas of output as well as from planned events.
Interviewing and reporting, preparing and voicing reports for broadcast.
To provide material for digital and social media, and radio and TV news bulletins.
To originate and sell story ideas to the relevant News Planning Units.
To write and produce finely-crafted, imaginative packages and reports for all BBC outlets.
To broadcast clearly and calmly, professional and entertaining news stories that are of value to UK, local and international audiences.
To provide programme material dealing with the geographical area.
To come up with good newsworthy stories and creative story treatments for different platforms.
To accurately dissect, analyse and contextualise an event or story or situation.
To translate complex material into its most simple form and tailor it for the relevant audience.
To build strong relationships with relevant programme teams and crews.
To develop a wide range of contacts and contributors to ensure the widest range of information as possible.

ADVICE / BRIEFING

To advise and brief editorial/production colleagues, both in London and in the field, on relevant topics and events.
To work closely with the Deployments Editor, Africa TV Editor, & the Editor, BBC Swahili Service and Bureau Editor, Dar es Salaam and other regional colleagues.
To contribute as required to a range of editorial discussions and programme reviews aimed at optimising BBC News coverage of world events.

OVERSEEING / GUIDING WORK OF OTHERS

To be responsible editorially in the field for the work of ENG crews.

BBC REPRESENTATIVE

To ensure the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines are met within the role’s own local team.
To contribute to the overall management and editorial policies/strategies of the newsgathering operation.

OTHER

To follow BBC safety requirements and instructions, especially in relation to emergencies; and to report any accidents, dangerous situations or defects in safety arrangements.
To work within the budget set by Africa TV and newsgathering.

Person Specification

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Substantive experience as a Reporter/Journalist including reporting assignments abroad.
Notable and significant TV Experience.
Experience of reporting on live/breaking news.
Knowledge of the key editorial and audience priorities for the range of global and UK output.
Sound knowledge of Tanzania including political, economic and security developments in the region.
A thorough knowledge of the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines.
A highly developed news and current affairs judgement.
A thorough understanding of the output of BBC News in English and Kiswahili.
A thorough understanding of the range of platforms and formats.
A high level of editorial awareness and judgement.
Diversity, reaching new audiences, multi skilling, health and safety and the ability to put these policies into practice.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

An excellent level of spoken and written and broadcast English and Kiswahili.
Ability to originate programme ideas.
Ability to build relationships/rapport with a variety of key people e.g. guests, contributors, camera operators and influence them where necessary.
Ability to negotiate/exercise diplomacy with people where necessary.
Possession of the specific skills, in writing, recording, editing, interviewing, reporting and presenting required for this job; this involves providing radio and television material in a variety of forms, working live to air and producing different types of digital content in text, video and stills.
Ability to work alone and in teams.

Competencies

EDITORIAL JUDGEMENT: Makes the right editorial and policy decisions based upon a clear understanding of the BBCs distinctive news agenda, the requirements of news and current affairs coverage as well as those of the programme departments.

CREATIVE THINKING: Translates news and current affairs into high quality programming through a detailed understanding of the requirements of the broadcast media and possession of the necessary writing, directing and reporting skills.

SUBJECT KNOWLEDGE: Demonstrates an expanding knowledge of news and current events in general and specific areas of expertise in particular, including language skills. Develops increasingly useful and exclusive sources of information.

ANALYTICAL SKILLS: Simplifies complex problems, processes or projects. Identifies casual relationships and constructs frameworks for problem-solving and/or development.

DECISION MAKING: Is ready and able to take initiative, originate action and be responsible for the consequences of decisions.

INFLUENCING OTHERS: Presents sound and well-reasoned arguments to convince others. Draws from a range of strategies to persuade people in a way that results in agreement or behaviour change.

MOTIVATION/DRIVE: Constantly seeks to do things better through setting more challenging goals. Is prepared to question the current way of doing things and take risks in pursuit of excellence.

FLEXIBILITY: Adapts to changing circumstances and displays a positive attitude to the process of change.