Outreach Officer, El Kul At BBC Media Action

BBC Media Action

BBC Media Action is the BBC’s international development charity. We use media and communications to help reduce poverty, address development goals, and support people to understand their rights. We do this through partnering with media, civil society, and others to produce creative programmes and other outputs which inform and engage audiences on key development issues. We also strengthen the media sector through building professional capacity and infrastructure of local media organisations in the countries in which we work.

Our North Africa operations are based in Tunis. From here we deliver a portfolio of media projects in Tunisia, Libya and Algeria, and work to ensure they are delivered on time, to the highest possible standard, and in accordance with BBC editorial values and BBC Media Action best practice.

Job Purpose:

Since its origins as a platform for trainee journalists, “El Kul” has developed into a significant public-interest media platform in the Libyan ecosystem with considerable recognition including a high-profile international award. This success has been achieved with the consistent support, mentorship, and guidance of BBC Media Action.

This story needs to be told accurately and effectively to inform and inspire others, and to assist El Kul during its steady transition into an independent media entity. We are therefore seeking a talented Outreach Officer to represent El Kul in professional forums in Libya, the MENA region, and globally. Such forums will include – but not be limited to – coordination meetings, workshops, conferences, visits, and awards events in English and/or Arabic.

You will be a member of the El Kul production team and will be absolutely up-to-date with production plans and results, and with developments in the wider Libyan media sector. You will also collaborate very closely with the project management, research, and operations teams, and at times directly with the Country Director. Your goal will be to ensure that key stakeholders such as current and future donors, international implementing partners, media practitioners, academics, CSOs, and relevant authorities understand, trust, and support El Kul’s activities and its sustainable development.

The role will be based in BBC Media Action’s North Africa office in Tunis and will be offered on a local Tunisian contract basis in line with local labour law. BBC Media Action has zero tolerance of all forms of abuse and exploitation of vulnerable people. All staff are required to undergo safeguarding training and maintain behaviour that is consistent with BBC Media Action’s code of conduct. Staff roles involving working with children or vulnerable adults may require a background check.

Main responsibilities:

• Design with the support of the Senior Projects Manager an outreach strategy and quarterly workplans to meet the goal described above. Represent that strategy to the El Kul team and the rest of BBC Media Action North Africa.
• Personally develop accurate, effective, targeted outreach resources such as PowerPoint presentations, videos, and printed literature suitable for the strategy and to standards worthy of the BBC.
• Where appropriate, personally present El Kul using such resources in an engaging and memorable way that fits the BBC’s editorial guidelines and BBC Media Action’s project agreements. Do this informed by a solid understanding of project history, the latest research and social media metrics analysis, and the approach and impact of comparable work by BBC Media Action in other parts of the world.
• Lead applications for relevant awards and events nationally, regionally, globally, and within the BBC that would contribute to the outreach strategy. Lead events associated with those awards in a way that contributes to the outreach strategy.
• Encourage and facilitate the meaningful contribution of donors and implementing partners in production planning while ensuring the editorial independence of BBC Media Action and El Kul and guaranteeing that partners never mistake El Kul coverage as a marketing or PR exercise.
• Collaborate closely with the Production Coordinator to efficiently and effectively include implementing partners – and/or their partner CSOs – in content production to the extent agreed in Editorial meetings and at all times in line with BBC editorial guidelines and independence.
• Contribute actively to project strategy development including in highlighting to the project management team potential partnership and funding opportunities.
• Study and understand – and where necessary contribute to – all formal donor Scopes of Work (or equivalent), narrative and financial reports, and proposals produced by the project management team.
• Be aware of editorial, HR, safeguarding, procurement, data protection, and other BBC MA policies and guidelines and ensure that outreach activities are compliant with them.
• Work with the El Kul Editor to ensure outreach activities contribute to team (staff and freelance) development and morale.

Required skills, knowledge and experience:

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate the following:

• At least three years in total of demonstrable direct or indirect involvement in outreach activities and/or public relations.
• At least four years in total of professional experience working in international organisations, INGOs, CSOs, or other donor-funded development projects.
• Direct experience working in the Libyan media, ideally in explicitly public-interest media such as El Kul and/or international media houses committed to the highest standards of impartiality.
• Outstanding skills in presentation both in formal and informal settings with excellent written and fluent spoken English and Arabic.
• Strong IT skills, particularly in using presentation and conference tools with confidence and speed.
• Sound project management and planning skills, with some experience in other elements of operations and/or finance.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the proven ability to engage appropriately with others from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds.
• Ability to operate effectively and efficiently with minimal supervision.