Senior Journalist (Video), BBC Russian Service - Riga (22947)

Package Description

Job Reference: 22947

Band: C

Contract type: Permanent

Location: Office Base is Riga

• Excellent career progression – the BBC offers great opportunities for employees to seek new challenges and work in different areas of the organisation.
• Unrivalled training and development opportunities – our in-house Academy hosts a wide range of internal and external courses and certification.

If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the interview process please contact the reasonable.adjustments@bbc.co.uk  For any general queries, please contact: bbchr@bbc.co.uk.

Job Introduction

Based in the Riga bureau and working in tandem with the London video team, the Riga video team is a key producer of multi-platform video content for the Russian Service and wider BBC News and BBC World Service linear, digital and social platforms. 

We are looking for an experienced and self-motivated video journalist to join the team to originate, produce, edit and reversion video content for use on all BBC News Russian digital platforms. The post holder will be expected to generate and develop story ideas for Russian-speaking audiences and where appropriate, to ensure that stories are shared across the BBC, in English and other languages, as well as be an editorial lead for video-journalists in the team.  

The Senior Journalist works closely with the team of Senior Journalists in London and reports to the Senior Journalist Team Manager in Riga. 
 

Main Responsibilities

• Leading editorial teams including in the adoption of new techniques and technology.
• Editing, producing and presenting video programmes, and streams.
• Researching, storyboarding and processing video for various digital platforms. 
• Coming up with ideas, ability to explain them and bring to successful completion.
• Managing video-journalists, helping to develop other team-members and their ideas.
• Representing DV team at editorial meetings, and deputising for the SJTM Digital Video as required.
• Produce stories for the Russian Service website and social media, including producing and editing your own material.
• Ensure content is accurate and informative, while striving for creative and imaginative output.
• Work with other members of the Russian Service team, and the wider newsrooms, to identify and process creative and innovative video news content.
• Re-version BBC material with a mobile audience in mind.
• Process video for headlines and teasers to promote stories and reach as wide an audience as possible.
• Contribute ideas and angles to meetings on how to cover the main news of the day. Contribute to forward-looking planning. 
• Go on duty trips to gather information for output in Russian and English, either with a correspondent and/or a shoot/edit, or other colleagues or individually, as required.
• Find contributors and interviewees as well as other sources of material and/or actuality, as appropriate and to the required specification, whilst maintaining professional journalistic standards of accuracy, impartiality and fair dealing and adhering to the BBC’s Editorial guidelines. 
• Organise effective coverage while in the field or on location on the basis of editorial priorities and programme requirements.
• Show visual creativity in the use of pictures and graphics to illustrate and explain fast-moving events and complex stories.
• Know and understand the video requirements of different social platforms.
• Carry out the responsibilities of the job in accordance with the BBC’s overall standards and values.
• The job holder will be expected to work and think collaboratively at all times.

Are you the right candidate?

• A full command and up-to-date knowledge of Russian (native language or equivalent) and fluent English. 
• Excellent and accurate written Russian and the ability to use language to tell a story effectively. 
• Substantial recent and relevant full-time experience in a similar role in a media organisation.
• Proven ability to lead editorial teams including in the adoption of new techniques and technology.
• Experience of video processing and editing.
• In-depth understanding of digital and social platforms - the BBC’s and others - and the different ways audiences are consuming news.
• Proven experience of using video editing software (Q-edit or FCPX an advantage).
• Excellent presentation skills, ability and readiness to speak on camera and present content for video.
• Good knowledge of news and current affairs for Russia and FSU and internationally. Knowledge of the UK also an advantage.
• Sound understanding of the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and commitment to the editorial aims of BBC.
• Proven editorial judgement and flair, able to make sound decisions quickly.
• Strong knowledge of relevant legal and editorial policy issues.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to manage difficult people.
• Must be able to work well and calmly in a pressurized live 24-hour newsroom environment; handling a rapidly changing news agenda.
• Must be able to demonstrate sense of visual awareness as well as technical aptitude.
• Knowledge of Health and Safety policies and practices
• A thorough familiarity with the region and an in-depth knowledge of the audience requirements, and a good understanding of youth issues and the media interests of various diverse groups and communities.

About the BBC

The BBC is committed to redeploying employees seeking suitable alternative employment within the BBC for different reasons 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.

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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.

To find out more about Diversity and Inclusion at the BBC, please click here.

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.