Senior Journalist – On the Day

About the role

The BBC Swahili service is expanding its story‑led model and needs a senior journalist to lead the fast‑moving "On the Day" editorial shift. You will coordinate digital, radio and TV output, drive commissioning and ensure the audience receives timely, impartial news across platforms.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the on‑shift editorial team, making content decisions and setting standards for digital, radio and TV output.
• Commission and edit stories with a digital‑first mindset, ensuring they are ready for website, social media and broadcast.
• Oversee continuous publishing on the BBC Swahili website, including articles, video embeds, image galleries and social posts.
• Create and edit short‑form video and social media clips for TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook and YouTube Shorts.
• Use audience analytics tools to monitor performance and adjust commissioning in real time.
• Supervise the production of visualised and linear radio programmes, guaranteeing high‑quality live broadcast and YouTube streaming.
• Cover morning, afternoon or night shifts and deputise for the Assistant Editor as required.

Required profile

• Extensive experience in newsrooms, preferably in broadcast or digital journalism.
• Strong news instincts and the ability to make quick editorial decisions under pressure.
• Digital‑first editorial mindset with a clear understanding of audience habits.
• Proven leadership skills to guide journalists and presenters across multiple platforms.

Required skills

• Video editing for short‑form content.
• Social media content creation (TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook, YouTube Shorts).
• Use of audience analytics tools.
• Commissioning and editing of news articles and multimedia.

What we offer

• Flexible working arrangements discussed at offer stage.
• Competitive BBC benefits and professional development opportunities.
• Opportunity to shape a leading Swahili news service with a global reputation.