Senior Journalist, Core Lifeline Program

This is your opportunity to join as a Senior Journalist and help lead a ten month project to develop the role of this team.

Job Requisition ID: 44387

Job Closing Date: 07th May 2026

London, GBR, W1A 1AA
| London, GBR, W1A 1AA

Job Details

JOB BAND: D
CONTRACT TYPE: Fixed-term Contract, Full-time
DEPARTMENT: BBC World Service
LOCATION: London – Hybrid
PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: £45,000 – £55,000 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

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

Internal candidates will be asked to share the name of your line manager from whom you have asked permission to apply for this attachment on the application form.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
Emergency Lifeline Programming is special programming for people who are affected by humanitarian crises, conflicts or natural disasters, offered on a range of output – from digital and social to linear, including radio. It aims to give them a voice and provide them with timely, relevant, essential information to navigate the events unfolding around them, expert practical advice and real stories of their affected communities.
This role will be reporting directly to the Assistant Editor, Core Lifeline Programming.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM
This is your opportunity to join as a Senior Journalist and help lead a ten month project to develop the role of this team.
You will help draw up a BBC World Service strategy and manual for launching and running lifeline content offers in audio and digital forms, which can be adapted to new situations.
You will be ready to support the launch of new lifeline services and offers in any language, as the need arises.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT :

Demonstrating an accomplished team-leading style, developed through training and experience in producing lifeline and news content.
Generating workflows, formats, ideas and stories, contributing to creative treatments, and providing clear proposals, ensuring consistency in content, quality, and accuracy.
Researching, scripting, and producing content that meets high journalistic standards while fully adhering to BBC Editorial Guidelines, particularly focused on growing and maintaining an evergreen bank of lifeline content which can be quickly adapted at speed for future launches in a variety of formats.
Supporting new or emerging temporary lifeline offers to ensure the best of their content reaches the widest possible audience and also ensuring that the best of BBC journalism relevant to their offer is made available to them in the form that they need.
Utilising a range of technologies, particularly in social media, to effectively deliver journalism to audiences, setting an example by learning to operate new systems and adapting to different working methods. Also, using innovative AI approaches, within all BBC parameters.
Using a range of digital and other tools to evaluate the reach and impact of established lifeline content, and optimise it for audiences who are most at need, including women and young people.
Maintaining an organised approach to work, with the ability to meet tight deadlines with minimal supervision.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA :

• Experience leading teams in producing live and pre-recorded lifeline and news-based content, with thorough understanding of production methods used in BBC News, including social media.
• Developed or specialist knowledge of lifeline audience needs across digital, social and linear platforms, and knowledge of audiences of need in World Service languages, with an understanding of the broader context of individual stories.
• Balanced and unbiased judgment based on a thorough understanding of BBC Editorial Guidelines, target audience, programme objectives, and departmental goals.
• Strong teamwork skills and the ability to build relationships with key individuals across the BBC and beyond.
• Strong written English.

DESIRABLE:

• Additional language skills are also advantageous.

If you can bring some of these skills and experiences, along with transferable strengths, we’d love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.

Disclaimer

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.

Please note: If you were to be offered this role, the BBC will conduct Employment screening checks which include Reference checks; Eligibility to work checks; and if applicable to the role, Safeguarding and Adverse media/Social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.

Before your start date, you may need to disclose any unspent convictions or police charges, in line with our Recruitment policy. This allows us to discuss any support you may need and assess any risks. Failure to disclose may result in the withdrawal of your offer.

For any general queries, please contact: [email protected]

Redeployment

The BBC is committed to redeploying employees seeking suitable alternative employment within the BBC and they will be given priority consideration ahead of other applicants. Priority consideration means for those employees seeking redeployment their application will be considered alongside anyone else at risk of redundancy, prior to any individuals being considered who are not at risk.