Assistant Editor, BBC Hausa

JOB DETAILS

JOB BAND: E

CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent, Full-time

DEPARTMENT: BBC World Service

LOCATION: Abuja, Nigeria

Local terms and conditions. Any offer of employment with the BBC is conditional upon the candidate having the legal right to work in Nigeria and having successfully completed the mandatory National Youth Service programme (NYSC) or holding a valid certificate of exemption.

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.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

BBC World Service is evolving its editorial team in Abuja while future-proofing its journalism to meet changing media consumption habits across sub-Saharan Africa. 

BBC Hausa is one of the most trusted international news providers for audiences across West Africa and a highly engaged global diaspora. With a strong editorial heritage, the service is entering an exciting new phase: transforming into a digital-first, video-led operation designed to reach a new generation of Hausa audiences who primarily consume news via social media on smartphones. 

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

This Assistant Editor role is central to that transformation. The successful candidate will help build BBC Hausa’s video and visual storytelling capability, contributing to filming, editing, scripting, presenting, and end-to-end content production.

This is a role for an editor who combines strong journalistic instincts with genuine digital ambition; someone who can lead a team through a significant transformation in how BBC Hausa reaches and serves its audiences, while maintaining the editorial standards and audience trust that make the service matter. 

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:

• Lead BBC Hausa’s transformation into a digital-first, video-led service, embedding a culture of high editorial ambition, personal accountability, mutual respect and continuous learning. 
• Commission, shape and deliver high-impact original journalism, including exclusives, investigations, explainers as distinctive digital first content. 
• Work closely with the editorial leadership team in Nigeria to identify shared editorial priorities, coordinate coverage of cross-service stories to drive efficiency and minimise duplication. 
• Develop and implement a data-led video strategy, driving measurable digital growth with a clear focus on increasing reach among younger and female audiences. 
• Use audience insight, analytics and platform trends to shape commissioning, distribution and editorial decision-making, ensuring content remains competitive and relevant. 
• Embed a culture of performance awareness within the team, supporting journalists to understand what drives engagement and how to use data to improve their output. 
• Oversee the effective use of AI tools within editorial workflows, improving efficiency in areas such as research, translation, transcription, editing and optimisation while maintaining full editorial oversight. 

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Proven experience managing and developing journalism teams, with the ability to build a positive, high-performing culture and support individuals to deliver their best work. 

• Strong track record of commissioning, shaping and delivering high-impact digital journalism, with a clear understanding of what drives audience engagement. 

• Demonstrable success in developing and implementing data-led video strategies, delivering measurable audience growth and impact. 

• Advanced understanding of audience analytics, search optimisation and platform performance, with the ability to translate data into effective editorial decisions. 

• Fluency in written and spoken Hausa, with a strong grasp of tone, nuance and audience expectations. 

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