Defence & Security Journalist, World Affairs Unit

Job description

The Defence and Security cluster is based in the World Affairs Unit at NBH. It aims to provide the whole range of BBC news programmes with broadcast news and current affairs material of the highest possible editorial, production and technical standards gathered in the most efficient manner on a range of specialist subjects relating to defence, strategic, and security issues. Its task is to provide specialist advice, ideas and guidance to programme areas, to break stories, to interpret and give context to events and how they shape the domestic and international defence and security agendas.

Role Responsibility

You will report to the Assignments Editor, World Affairs Unit, and work closely with the Defence SBJ and the Defence and Security Correspondents.

You will be responsible for providing extensive production support for correspondents and act as a trusted and respected partner in delivering imaginative and engaging storytelling across all platforms. You will also be expected to work tri-medially to develop, plan, coordinate and produce major news stories and investigations across all news outlets, liaising with the Daily News and 24/7 departments.

An ability to package for bulletins is essential as well as producing material for On Demand and Radio. Weekend and evening working may be required.

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will have a good knowledge of the Defence and Security agenda within news and current affairs.   The role entails a mixture of breaking news stories, major planned stories and longer term investigations. And you will need to have an ability to earn the trust of military and security personnel, as well as tracking down people using research tools and social media.

You will also need to be a resilient, highly-motivated self-starter, persistent and keen not to take no for an answer, used to operating calmly under pressure, with sound and trusted news judgement and the ability to take tough decisions when necessary.   You will have a track record of working on original journalism and major stories as a package maker in an engaging way as well as the capability to organise live coverage as required and generate imaginative online content.

For further information on the role, please contact Daniel Fisher, Assignments Editor.

Package Description

Contract: Continuing

Grade: 7D

Job share applications are welcome for this role.  Please include detail of the proposed arrangement in your application.  To access the jobshare register email Sarah Bennie.

This role is also available part time.  Please include details of your availability in your application.

Please note a change to the application process:   you will now be asked to complete an online application questionnaire and also be required to upload your CV.

About the Company

We don’t focus simply on what we do – we also care how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are very important to us. Please make sure you’ve read about our values and behaviours in the document attached below. You’ll be asked questions relating to them as part of your application for this role.