Journalist, Focus On Africa

Role Overview

As a journalist on Focus on Africa, you will create video-first journalism that carries African stories to audiences across the continent and around the world — shooting, scripting and editing original segments, and presenting live across television, radio-style podcast formats and digital livestreams. The role sits at the centre of a flagship programme that covers politics, economics, environment, health and social affairs, so your reporting helps shape how millions of viewers understand the forces at work in African nations and their diasporas. You will be expected to move fluidly between planned features and breaking news, and to keep the programme's social and digital output as sharp as its broadcast coverage.

Key Responsibilities

• Shoot and edit video segments for both broadcast and digital output, holding every piece to the programme's editorial and visual standards.
• Write accurate, tight and engaging scripts that turn complicated subjects into clear narratives for video reports.
• Report from the field — attending events, press conferences and fast-moving breaking news situations to gather first-hand information and original visual material.
• Present stories, reports and features live on air, adapting tone and delivery for visualized radio and podcast formats as well as digital video.
• Develop and pitch story ideas in collaboration with editorial colleagues, producers and field reporters, and contribute to the programme's overall editorial direction.
• Run Focus on Africa's digital presence, including its social media platforms, and help grow the reach of its online content.
• Uphold BBC editorial principles alongside all relevant legal, contractual and copyright requirements, escalating any area of difficulty or doubt upward.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience producing original short- and mid-form video that has landed with audiences and reached new ones, plus a working knowledge of social media best practice.
• Strong storytelling ability, including the skill to translate complex issues into compelling video narratives.
• In-depth knowledge of the news agenda across Africa and its diaspora, with a sharp eye for a shareable story and the ability to write headlines that match it.
• Excellent communication and interviewing skills, and the confidence to engage a wide range of subjects and audiences.
• A track record of creative use of pictures, graphics and audio to explain fast-moving events and intricate stories.
• Proven ability to work under pressure and hit tight deadlines, with the self-starting instincts to generate an idea, get it commissioned and deliver it efficiently.
• Extensive experience in video making and thorough knowledge of digital production workflows.
• Excellent writing, editing and communication skills in English.
• Knowledge of North African affairs and proficiency in Arabic would be a distinct advantage.

Why Join the Team

Focus on Africa is the BBC's flagship news and current affairs programme for African audiences and for anyone worldwide drawn to African stories, spanning TV, radio and digital platforms. Its purpose is to reflect the breadth of experience, culture and challenge across African nations while giving airtime to voices that often go unheard, and to celebrate the achievements and innovations emerging from the continent. Joining means producing high-quality journalism that informs, educates and motivates — and that builds understanding between African societies and global audiences.