Assistant Editor, BBC Great Lakes at BBC World Service

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

• BBC Great Lakes (Gahuza) is a highly respected provider of news and information in Kinyarwanda and Kirundi. This includes courageous journalism that holds the power to account. It also offers engaging stories on politics, economics, environment, health, and social issues, along with highlighting achievements and innovations in Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo and neighbouring countries.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

• We are recruiting an experienced Assistant Editor to lead our news team in producing high-quality, accurate, and compelling news content that reflects the diverse voices and issues of the Great Lakes region. The Assistant Editor will play a crucial role in shaping the editorial direction of our broadcasts and digital platforms, ensuring that our reporting is timely, relevant, and impactful. The successful candidate will ensure skills sets in their team support high editorial, production and brand values.
• This is a role for an editor who combines strong journalistic instincts with genuine digital ambition; someone who can lead a team through a significant transformation in how BBC Great Lakes reaches and serves its audiences, while maintaining the editorial standards and audience trust that make the service matter.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:

• Lead the editorial vision of BBC Great Lakes, ensuring that all content reflects the multifaceted nature of our diverse audience. You will set high editorial standards for reporting without fear or favor.
• Lead BBC Great Lakes transformation to a digital-first, video-led service, creating a culture of editorial ambition, personal accountability, mutual respect and continuous learning.
• Develop and implement a data-led video strategy designed to drive measurable digital growth, with a focus on expanding reach among younger and female audiences.
• Use audience insight, analytics and platform trends to inform commissioning, distribution and editorial decision-making.
• Set the editorial agenda, prioritising stories that matter most to target audiences
• Commission, edit and deliver high impact original journalism, including exclusives, investigations, explainers and digital-first content.
• Mentor and inspire a diverse team of journalists, fostering their professional growth and enhancing their storytelling skills. Provide constructive feedback and support a collaborative work environment that values diverse perspectives.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Recent track record in leading content production and output (radio and digital) at a senior level, with focus on the Great Lakes region news
• Demonstrable experience of managing and motivating teams across multiple locations and in fast-paced news environments.
• Proven track record of developing and implementing successful data-led video strategies that delivered measurable digital growth.
• Strong editorial judgment and the ability to quickly identify and develop impactful stories that reflect complex issues and diverse perspectives
• Demonstrable recent experience of launching new digital products or programs that have led to growth in reach and reputation across platforms
• Proven experience in breaking news stories as well as producing features, investigations and original journalism about the Great Lakes region
• Exceptional writing, editing, and communication skills in Kinyarwanda, Kirundi and English are all essential.

DESIRABLE:

• Proven ability to shoot, script and edit video stories using tools such as Final Cut Pro (FCPx) and QEdit, with the ability to deliver polished, engaging, audience-focused content which is optimised for digital platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook