Senior Journalist

At BBC Monitoring, we track, translate, summarise and analyse local media sources to offer insight and make sense of what is happening on the ground around the world. Our international perspective means we keep across broadcast, press and social/digital media sources in multiple languages, especially where reliable news and information are in short supply, or where the BBC has no presence in country. Our extensive operation enables us to provide reliable coverage of political, economic, security and media news. Our round-the-clock monitoring of TV, radio, press, digital media and news agencies is also provided to a wide range of users, including commercial clients. https://monitoring.bbc.co.uk

Main Responsibilities

As part of a small team of jihadist media monitors, you will:

Produce engaging content in English in a range of different formats (mainly written reports), on insights gained through monitoring the online media outlets of jihadist groups in Arabic and other languages and through knowledge of jihadist groups, their ideologies and the digital tools and platforms they use
Produce daily written reports of the highest standards. Your copy (language, structure, information, context, clarity) should require minimal editing by others.
Help edit and improve the output of other journalists in the team and provide honest and respectful feedback.
Train and mentor new staff and more junior colleagues
Develop and maintain expert knowledge of jihadist groups and their use of the media and use your creativity to devise and deliver products which showcase that expertise
Enhance team’s knowledge of key jihadist sources and online platforms; ensure we are following reliable and up-to-date sources
Contribute to breaking news, as well as produce specialist analytical reports
Speak on behalf of BBC Monitoring on your area of expertise in public forums and broadcast outlets
Follow political and media developments globally - particularly those related to jihadist groups and social media technology
Maintain a thorough understanding of the news and current affairs of the Middle East and the wider Islamic world; and act as a point of reference both internally and for all BBCM’s users
Ensure all output produced adheres to the highest journalistic standards and is consistent with BBC editorial guidelines
Actively seek feedback from BBCM’s users, work with the team to interpret this and respond in a timely manner
Come up with original ideas and creative treatments for ongoing and emerging narratives, including data-driven products and multimedia elements
Work collaboratively with colleagues in BBC Monitoring and across the BBC

NOTE: Applicants should be aware that the work involves regular exposure to violent content and themes that may be distressing.

Are you the right candidate?

Essential

Fluency in Arabic, including the ability to quickly read and understand classical Arabic and religious text that involve complex ideas and terminology
Fluency in English with a track record of writing/publishing in English language, preferably with a journalism background. Proven editorial judgment. You will be responsible for editing other journalists’ work and raising quality of output in the team
Knowledge of how social media sources work and how to use them to stay on top of the latest jihadist media sources and trends
Willingness and enthusiasm to embrace new ways of working and technology to find and analyse information and produce content
Knowledge of and interest in current affairs in the Middle East and the wider Islamic world
Resilience and ability to cope with workload and tight deadlines

Desirable

Knowledge of languages in addition to Arabic and English, especially ones that are relevant to the team’s work
Knowledge of religious terminology, concepts and nuances
A proven track record of evaluating jihadist media, understanding its evolution and how the media is currently used by jihadists
Knowledge of key players and “influencers” in jihadist media
Knowledge of technology/software (e.g. Excel, social media analysis tools) to collect, analyse and visualise data
Public speaking skills