Job Introduction

Part of BBC News, BBC Monitoring is a centre of expertise providing insightful and reliable coverage of political, economic, security and media news and information based on monitoring open source media from over 150 countries in more than 100 languages and across all platforms including TV, radio, press, digital media and news agencies.  Reporting media coverage from anywhere in the world during emerging crises and conflicts, more regularly BBCM focuses on countries and regions vulnerable to insecurity, or which pose security challenges to other states; including the former Soviet Union, China, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and anywhere where freedom of information can be compromised or it is difficult to source news via conventional newsgathering. You can read more about us here https://monitoring.bbc.co.uk/

Role Responsibility

We are recruiting a Senior Journalist Team Manager to run BBCM’s new China Media Monitoring Team.  The China Media Team will inform the work of other teams including those specialising in investigation and disinformation. Increasingly, false information presents a real world threat to individuals and societies across the globe. BBC Monitoring’s China Media Team will work alongside colleagues in other areas of News to help understand and explain Chinese media narratives and also to spot dis- and misinformation, and the often complex infrastructure around its dissemination. In this role, you will monitor and report on how information is created, spread and amplified by state and non-state actors to promote policies or ideologies.  You will use digital techniques and journalistic expertise to look for patterns and trends behind individual and state-sponsored mis- and disinformation. You will understand how to translate your findings into compelling editorial content across BBC Monitoring and BBC News platforms.  You will work with colleagues from different editorial teams to produce engaging, informative output.  This role requires working with a wide range of stakeholders from both inside and outside the BBC, including requests to speak to external organisations.

The Ideal Candidate

• Proven editorial judgement, flair, excellent news writing and subbing ability
• Experience of taking editorial decisions quickly and independently
• Fluency in Mandarin Chinese, a thorough knowledge and understanding of China’s media narratives (internal and external) and expertise in the media environment
• Ability to write about developments in a way that is engaging and relevant for the intended audience, and suitable for delivery on multiple platforms
• Significant line management experience with substantial experience of directing other journalists as part of a dispersed operation
• Ability to provide constructive and timely editorial feedback and coaching to team members to facilitate their professional development
• Ability to manage resources in order to deliver excellent content in the most cost-effective manner
• Willingness and enthusiasm to embrace new ways of working and new technology and to then promote this to staff
• Desirable – on-air broadcast and/or public speaking experience

Package Description

Band: D
Contract type: 6 month attachment / fixed term contract
Location: London

We’re happy to discuss flexible working. Please indicate your choice under the flexible working question in the application. There is no obligation to raise this at the application stage but if you wish to do so, you are welcome to. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

• Excellent career progression â€“ the BBC offers great opportunities for employees to seek new challenges and work in different areas of the organisation.
• Unrivalled training and development opportunities â€“ our in-house Academy hosts a wide range of internal and external courses and certification.
• Benefits- We offer a competitive salary package, a flexible 35-hour working week for work-life balance and 26 days (1 of which is a corporation day) with the option to buy an extra 5 days, a defined pension scheme and discounted dental, health care, gym and much more.

The situation regarding the coronavirus outbreak is developing quickly and the BBC is keen to continue to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people across the BBC, while continuing to protect our services. To reduce the risk access to BBC buildings is limited to those essential to our broadcast output. From March 2020 until further notice all assessments and interviews will be conducted remotely. For more information go to https://www.bbc.co.uk/careers/

Any offer of employment with the BBC will be conditional upon you having the right to work in the UK.

About the Company

We don’t focus simply on what we do – we also care how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are important to us. Please make sure you’ve read about our values and behaviours in the document attached below.

Diversity matters at the BBC. We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, enabling all of our employees to thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to be part of the BBC – whether that’s to contribute to our programming or our wide range of non-production roles. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity. 

We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles, unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.

 Closing Date20 October, 2022