Senior Journalist – Today Programme

CONTRACT TYPE: Fixed-term Contract, Attachment 6 Months

DEPARTMENT: BBC News

LOCATION: London

PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: Up to £43,000 - £53,000 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

The successful candidate will work a full range of shifts including night and weekend shifts. Please note that this is an office-based role with no capacity for working from home.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

Today needs to keep adapting to the changing broadcasting landscape, to new platforms, and to the needs of its listeners. The high profile of the programme means that it has a major impact on the BBC's public standing and its relationship with opinion formers. Sensitive negotiations with influential people are a daily occurrence.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

Today is unique. Its reach, its ambition, its range, and its importance to BBC News and to the wider BBC are without parallel. You’ll be working with some of the biggest names in news broadcasting and your work will be heard by around 6 million people, a large and very varied audience who demand high standards and a varied mix of engaging radio in the mornings.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT

• Today Senior Journalists work to ensure the ongoing high standard and creativity of the programme’s output.
• You will be principally responsible for day and night editing the programme; in addition, you will work as producers both on the desk and in the field and spend time working on commissioning.
• You will work closely with the programme’s team of high-profile presenters.
• Strong editorial judgement, an ability to think creatively and generate original stories are essential.
• A good knowledge of British politics, domestic and foreign affairs is essential – but we also need people who can tap into the other subjects which affect and enliven listeners’ lives.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Experience/evidence of leading teams in a fast-paced and pressured environment.
• Understanding how to get the best out of our teams, providing leadership for presenters and demonstrating clear and decisive news judgment.
• Experience of output editing engaging and news-making radio programmes which also produce strong content for digital platforms.
• Evidence of managing breaking news in a live broadcast setting and offering ideas for creative radio treatments.
• Excellent news judgment; the ability to identify news lines or news-making contributors with a commitment to increasing diverse representation across output.
• Proven ability to originate relevant content for a national audience in news or current affairs, and a solid track record of collaborative working, pitching ideas that get on air.
• Strong knowledge of the domestic news agenda, with an in-depth knowledge of politics.

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.

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.

Information at a Glance

This is your BBC. At the BBC you can create and innovate in an inclusive environment while contributing to some of the world’s best-loved content, and the BBC’s mission to inform, educate and entertain.

Find out more about the BBC Life at BBC. Here you will benefit from:

• Fair pay and flexible benefits including a competitive salary package, a flexible 35-hour working week, 25 days annual leave with the option to buy an extra 5 days, a defined pension scheme and discounted dental, health care and gym.
• Excellent career and professional development.
• Support in your working life, including flexible working which you can discuss with us at any point during the application, selection or offer.
• A values-based organisation where the way we do things is important as what we do.

Benefits may vary if you are joining on an FTC basis or on an orchestra conditions contract. Learn more about life at the BBC and our values in our candidate pack.

Candidate pack

You belong. We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual’s unique contribution, so all our employees feel that they can belong, thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to join us. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.

We welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. Find out more about diversity, inclusion and belonging in our strategy below.

Diversity, inclusion & belonging strategy

We are a disability confident employer. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the interview process, or to carry out this role, please contact us via email and we’d be happy to discuss: reasonable.adjustments@bbc.co.uk