Senior Journalist

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

• BBC World Service is creating a new Horn of Africa Language Services Unit in Nairobi, bringing together BBC Amharic, BBC Afaan Oromo, BBC Tigrinya and BBC Somali under a single editorial leadership structure for the first time.
• BBC Amharic is a trusted source of independent journalism for millions of Amharic speakers across Ethiopia and across a significant global diaspora.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

• As a Senior Journalist, you will play a leading role in shaping and delivering BBC Amharic's journalism across digital, video, audio and social platforms. Working closely with the Assistant Editor and colleagues across the Horn of Africa services, you will contribute to the service's digital transformation, helping to grow audiences while maintaining the highest editorial standards and audience trust.
• This role combines strong journalistic judgement, creative storytelling and digital ambition. You will commission, create and deliver distinctive journalism that serves audiences with accuracy, impartiality and innovation across multiple platforms.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Contribute to BBC Amharic’s transition to a digital-first, video-led service by supporting a culture of editorial excellence, innovation, collaboration and continuous learning.
• Produce, edit, commission and publish high-quality journalism across digital, video, social, audio and radio platforms, creating content that meets audience needs and platform behaviours.
• Support the delivery of major news stories, special coverage, investigations, explainers and original journalism, helping to ensure timely, engaging and impactful output.
• Use audience insights, analytics and performance data to inform content decisions and improve reach, relevance and audience engagement.
• Work closely with colleagues across the Horn of Africa services and wider BBC teams to coordinate coverage, share knowledge and contribute to collaborative storytelling projects.
• Support the development of digital storytelling, visual journalism and emerging content formats, particularly those that engage younger and underserved audiences.
• Apply BBC Editorial Guidelines at all times, ensuring content meets the highest standards of accuracy, impartiality, fairness and compliance, and contribute to editorial decision-making within agreed parameters.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• Significant experience producing high-quality journalism in a fast-paced, multimedia news environment, with the ability to deliver accurate and engaging content to tight deadlines.
• Strong editorial judgement and the ability to identify, develop and tell distinctive stories that resonate with target audiences.
• Proven experience creating content for digital-first audiences, with a strong understanding of video, social media and mobile journalism.
• Ability to use audience insights, analytics and performance data to inform content decisions and maximise audience reach and engagement.
• Good knowledge of major digital and social platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp and BBC digital products.
• Experience editing, producing and publishing content across a range of formats and platforms.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues across teams and services, alongside a sound understanding of BBC Editorial Guidelines and a commitment to accuracy, impartiality and fairness.

DESIRABLE

• Experience of reporting on Ethiopia and the wider Horn of Africa region.
• Experience in data journalism, investigative reporting or visual storytelling.
• Experience presenting content on video, audio or live digital platforms.
• Knowledge of audience growth strategies, SEO and content optimisation techniques.