Senior Research Officer - Learning

About BBC Media Action

BBC Media Action is the BBC’s international development organisation, and we believe in the power of media and communication for good. We work in more than 20 countries around the world, supporting the independent media essential to democracy and development. Each year our projects and programmes reach over 100 million people facing poverty, inequality, and insecurity with information they can trust, helping to improve health, bridge divides, challenge prejudice, and save and change lives. We follow the editorial standards and values of the BBC, but we rely on funding from donors and partners to carry out our work.

Overall Purpose of the Job

The Senior Research Officer-Learning will work primarily with the research team to generate evidence from across our research projects and translate it into internal and external learning outputs. This role will support the Research Manager in learning documentation, communication, and sharing, working closely with the projects, production, and capacity strengthening teams.

The Senior Research Officer-Learning will support multiple qualitative and quantitative research activities under all our projects and will lead in ensuring that research outputs are effectively advancing the organization’s learning agenda. The Senior Research Officer-Learning will be expected to work flexibly across a range of thematic areas, irrespective of their area of specialism, in line with business needs and to develop their understanding of the wider media development environment positively. As a member of a global team of research and communications practitioners, the officer will contribute to the Research & Learning team to synthesize and analyses best practices for BBC Media Action’s projects.

Main Duties and Accountabilities

• To lead the delivery of BBC Media Action’s learning agenda in Tanzania through evidence generation and documentation.
• To effectively document research, project learning, and findings and communicate with partners, other departments, and critical stakeholders.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative research to gather insights on learning trends, best practices, and key outcomes of our studies.
• Analyze data from various internal and external sources and literature reviews to identify patterns, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare comprehensive reports and presentations to communicate findings and recommendations to the capacity strengthening, production, project teams, and other key stakeholders.
• To support the research manager in delivering research and learning activities as required and keep it at that.
• To prepare research outputs for diverse audiences, from academic papers to young media professionals.
• Understand and comply with BBC Media Action’s safeguarding policy, the staff code of conduct as well as financial policy especially on retirement and fraud.
• Participate in relevant mandatory training on safeguarding and respect at work.
• Report any safeguarding concerns immediately, either to the Country Director, or to use the Whistleblowing Policy.
• Perform any other duties that may be assigned.

Required Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Master’s degree in research, social sciences, media studies, or any related field.
• Fluent in English and Swahili, writing reports and scripts in these languages.
• At least three years of experience working for an international development organization where producing insights and lessons from various research activities was a core function.
• Ability to write abstracts and paper drafts and present them in conferences and workshops.
• Demonstrable experience designing, implementing, reporting, and disseminating research findings using diverse techniques relevant to stakeholders.
• Demonstrable experience managing fieldwork logistics in Tanzania, including ensuring ethics, monitoring of staff, recruitment of participants, and liaison with officials.
• Practical IT skills, including MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The ability to use statistical software, especially SPSS, with the ability to understand the dataset and run some average analysis and reporting will be an added advantage.
• Ability to communicate clearly and appropriately to senior internal and external stakeholders and research participants.
• Self-motivated and willing to learn using initiative, demonstrating a proactive approach and ability to deliver on time and briefly without close supervision.
• Excellent organizational and administrative skills: responding flexibly to rapidly changing priorities, planning and prioritizing activities, and tailoring outputs effectively, considering deadlines and resources.
• Ability to travel up to 30% of the time.

Desirable

• An understanding of, or enthusiasm to learn about, communication strategies, media formats, and journalism.
• A creative writer who can generate insights and learnings and share them with diverse audiences.
• Strong and varied research background, with the ability to distill complex information into simple and actionable recommendations.
• Experience working closely with a media production team in applying research findings to media formats and outputs.

Key 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.

• Analytical thinking – able to simplify complex problems, processes or projects into component parts, explore and evaluate them systematically. Able to identify causal relationships, and construct frameworks, for problem-solving and/or development.
• Decision making – is ready and able to take the initiative, originate action and be responsible for the consequences of the decision made.
• Planning and organisation – is able to think ahead in order to establish an 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 requirements.
• Resilience – can maintain personal effectiveness by managing own emotions in the face of pressure, setbacks or when dealing with provocative situations. Can demonstrate an approach to work that is characterised by commitment, motivation, and energy.
• Influencing and persuading – ability 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.
• Communication – the ability 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.
• Managing relationships – able to build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of people.
• Self-development – is able to identify and apply opportunities for learning and development.

How to Apply

Candidates should send: 1. their CV; 2. a cover letter (in English, PDF or Microsoft Word format) which outlines their experience and suitability for the role; and 3. one sample of their written work by email to: recruitment@tz.bbcmediaaction.org – please include the title of the position applied for in the subject line and send by 5pm on 23rd October 2024.

Please do not send certificates or other attachments. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Closing date: 23rd October 2024