BBC Senior Journalist, News Content ( Lagos )

Senior Journalist, News Content

Job Description

Job Requisition ID:  38897
Job Closing Date:  17 February 2026
Lagos, NGA, 101233

JOB DETAILS
JOB BAND: D
CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent, Full-time
DEPARTMENT: BBC News Content
LOCATION: Lagos, Nigeria

Local terms and conditions apply

Any offer of employment with the BBC is conditional upon the candidate having the legal right to work in Nigeria and having successfully completed the mandatory National Youth Service Programme (NYSC).

We’re happy to discuss flexible working. If you’d like to, please indicate your preference in the application – though there’s no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

Please note: We hope to conduct interviews in person in Lagos in the week of March 9.
PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
BBC News brings together Network News, English Regions and Global News’ English and Language Services to serve a large variety of audiences in the UK and around the world on many platforms.

At the heart of this structure, BBC News Content provides news reports, pictures and audio material 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 News Content must 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.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM
We are looking for a Senior Journalist to join our team based in Lagos, Nigeria.

This is a permanent role on the News Content team which will involve significant international travel to deployments across Africa as well as to other international news stories as required, including to Ukraine and the Middle East.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:

• Reporting to the News Content Africa Bureaux Chief, you will be responsible for producing content for all output.

• You will act as a point of editorial reference for journalists and correspondents, providing editorial leadership as required.

• You will exercise your editorial judgement, creativity and flair to make original and compelling multimedia content for all platforms including social networks.

• You will also offer ideas for daily output and future diary events, suggesting new angles on existing stories and putting forward stories not yet covered.

• You will be the News Content producer in west Africa, working with the News Content correspondent and shoot/edit camera operator from the Lagos bureau. You will help to shape and drive coverage of the region for all platforms.

• You will be deployable, too, across the rest of the continent and globally, working with colleagues from across the department to help cover breaking news and big stories from anywhere in the world. You will have the necessary experience to support BBC journalism from all around the world.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• The successful candidate will have a demonstrable background in a senior journalistic role, in field production, with first class knowledge of news for UK, global and African audiences.

• A broadcast-level of English, written and spoken, is essential.

• You will have notable experience of working across all platforms including TV, digital and radio.  In addition, you must have evidence of producing high-impact stories for digital, TV and radio.

• You will have a solid understanding of news and current affairs across west Africa and the continent, and of global current affairs and politics generally.  A thorough understanding of the latest developments in storytelling is key.  You will have a wide range of contacts in your network.

• You will have demonstrable, extensive experience of working in hostile environments.  You will have a proven track record of deploying on breaking stories, and will be ready to travel often and at short notice to anywhere in the world.

For more information on this role, contact stewart.maclean@bbc.co.uk