Job Title: Country Director, Nigeria
About BBC Media Action
BBC Media Action uses media and communications to reduce poverty and promote human rights in developing countries. To achieve this, it partners with civil society, local media and governments to:
produce creative programmes in multi-media formats which inform and engage audiences around key development issues; and
strengthen the media sector through building professional capacity and infrastructure;
BBC Media Action promotes development and human rights through the three main thematic areas of:
health;
governance and rights; and
humanitarian and emergency preparedness.
BBC Media Action in Nigeria
BBC Media Action in Nigeria has several multi-year projects addressing health and governance through different outputs, including factual and drama. The organisation will be developing new projects in 2014-15 and requires a dynamic manager with a highly-developed understanding of media and development along with solid management experience to lead BBC Media Action in Nigeria into the next phase of development.
Overall Purpose of Job
You will assume overall responsibility for developing and securing funds for new projects, and delivering BBC Media Action’s current project work in Nigeria to a high standard, on time and within budget. This will include identifying funding opportunities, developing funding proposals and securing funding, as well as delivering projects, managing in-country teams and ensuring the quality and cohesion of project outputs.
The Country Director will be responsible for the financial management of projects and reporting on editorial and operational progress to London headquarters and to project donors. Representing BBC Media Action in Abuja, the Country Director will ensure effective relationships and partnerships with funding agencies, government bodies, broadcasters, NGOs, academic institutions, international development agencies and others.
The role of will also involve leading the development and implementation of BBC Media Action’s Country Strategy for Nigeria and contributing to the development and strategy of the overall programme in Africa.
You will have substantial management experience, ideally in a media and/or international development setting, with proven ability to deliver complex projects within deadlines and budgets. It’s essential you have significant experience in managing large-scale budgets of no less than £500k p.a. You will have a strong understanding of international development and using the media for development goals, combined with a track record of developing proposals and raising funds from donor agencies.
Main Duties
To represent the interests of BBC Media Action in Nigeria and to ensure the sustainability of its work in-country.
To ensure the effective execution of all BBC Media Action activities in Nigeria, including:
ensuring that all initiatives are delivered within agreed standards, timescales and budgets.
developing and managing effective relationships with funding agencies, stakeholders and partners.
meeting the requirements of funding agencies and other stakeholders.
taking overall responsibility for all programme outputs, based on a thorough understanding of BBC Media Action’s methodologies and objectives, the needs of target audiences and of BBC editorial values.
reporting regularly to the London office of BBC Media Action on editorial, operational, legal and financial issues.
To be responsible for developing and implementing BBC Media Action’s strategy for Nigeria including:
identifying future business development opportunities.
raising funding to secure a long-term future for BBC Media Action in the country.
To take overall management responsibility for BBC Media Action’s team in-country, including
providing dynamic, inspirational leadership and management to local production and administrative teams.
managing staff safety and security, and ensuring appropriate security plans are in place and adhered to.
ensuring staff development plans are created, supported and delivered.
ensuring effective management of project office and that finance and administrative functions are carried out in line with BBC guidelines and local regulatory requirements.
leading on staff recruitment as required.
Profile
Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required
Substantial international management experience, ideally in a media and/or international development setting.
Excellent field-based knowledge of the development and/or media context in Africa.
Proven track record of developing and securing funding for large complex international development or media projects.
Substantial experience in the management of diverse and creative teams of staff, ideally to include distance management and security management.
Significant experience in the management of budgets, with an ability to demonstrate effective use of resources including financial management of budgets of no less than £500k.
Proven ability to deliver complex projects to deadlines and within budget, with good track record of donor liaison and reporting.
Excellent interpersonal and diplomatic skills, with a proven track record in forming effective relationships with a range of local and international partners, including at the highest levels of government and media.
Managing effective collaboration between partners and stakeholders, including those with differing agendas.
Strong understanding of, and commitment to, international development—including the use of media for developmental goals.
Demonstrable understanding of public service broadcasting and BBC editorial values.
Competencies
The following competencies (behaviours and characteristics) have been identified as key to success in the job. Successful candidates are expected to demonstrate these competencies.
Planning & Organising
Excellent planning and organisational skills including the ability to prioritise and manage the complexities of large projects. Able to think ahead and juggle priorities taking into account all the relevant issues and factors.
Consistently delivers to agreed deadlines and delegates tasks appropriately.
Analytical Skills
Ability to organise work effectively and methodically with attention to detail. Sifts information, and selects what is significant. Identifies gaps and knows how to find relevant data.
Can interpret and evaluate information from a range of sources and in a variety of formats. Ability to research, connect with and provide feedback on specific audience groups.
Has, or is able to acquire, knowledge of BBC Producer Guidelines and Fair Selection procedures.
Collaborative Working & Managing Relationships
Excellent team-working and interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships quickly and efficiently with people at all levels both within and outside the BBC.
Is aware of, and shows understanding and respect for, other people’s needs and actions.
Values individuals’ differences.
Committed to knowledge sharing and informal learning for the benefit of the team.
Resilience
High levels of self-motivation, with the ability to work on own initiative.
Demonstrates an approach to work that is characterised by commitment, motivation and enthusiasm.
Communication
Highly-developed written and verbal communication skills. Listens, encourages discussion and establishes two-way communication.
Able to make messages clearly understood by adopting a range of styles, tools and techniques appropriate to the audience and the nature of the information.
Influencing, Persuading And Negotiating Skills
Able to create a vision and inspire others to realise it, irrespective of circumstances.
Ability to present sound and well-reasoned arguments to convince others. Can draw from a range of strategies to persuade people and obtain agreement or behaviour change.
Can identify key influencers in the organisation.
Constantly develops and expands own sources of influence.
Diversity Statement
At the BBC we respect each other and celebrate our diversity so that everyone gives their best. The BBC positively encourages applications from all parts of the community and is committed to promoting equality of opportunity.
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