Senior Digital Content Producer

Job Closing Date: 20 July 2026

JOB DETAILS

JOB BAND: D

CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent, Full-time

DEPARTMENT: BBC World Service

LOCATION: Durban, South Africa

Local terms and conditions

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 has established a new Regional Journalism team, bringing together newsgathering and production teams to deliver distinctive, original, and agenda-setting journalism that resonates with audiences locally, regionally, and globally. This integrated approach enables us to respond more effectively to audience needs, pursue ambitious storytelling, and strengthen our impact across platforms.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

As part of this strategy, we are realigning our footprint in Southern Africa to areas with the greatest potential for audience growth and engagement. The Senior Digital Content Producer role is critical to this ambition, producing distinctive digital journalism through filming, reporting, editing, and producing high-quality digital content. The successful candidate will play a key role in expanding our reach, deepening audience connection, and delivering innovative storytelling that differentiates the BBC in a highly competitive digital landscape.

• Drive originality in digital storytelling, identifying under-reported stories, emerging trends and fresh angles that differentiate BBC output in a crowded digital space.

• Support coverage of major news and special events, contributing to planned output while remaining agile and responsive to breaking developments and shifting priorities.

• Develop source networks and access, building relationships that lead to exclusive content (visual, audio and other digital formats), stronger contributors and more distinctive reporting.

• Shape stories through a visual lens at the newsgathering stage, making deliberate decisions about sequences, characters and narrative structure before and during filming.

• Exercise strong editorial independence on assignment, making informed decisions about story direction, treatment and prioritisation under minimal supervision.

• Ensure visual storytelling clarity, using sequencing, pacing and shot selection to make stories understandable even without reliance on heavy narration.

• Bring audience mindset into reporting decisions, considering how stories will land, be consumed and be shared at every stage of production.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Strong visual judgement, with the ability to instinctively recognise what will translate into compelling, scroll-stopping video content.

• Advanced story structuring skills, particularly in crafting narratives that sustain attention in the first 3–10 seconds and maintain audience retention.

• Understanding of multi-format capture techniques, including vertical, square and horizontal framing to maximise platform flexibility.

• Strong planning and logistical coordination skills, including managing shoots, locations, contributors and turnaround timelines efficiently.

• Ability to work autonomously in fast-moving environments, making sound editorial and production decisions without immediate supervision.

• Understanding of how algorithms and platform mechanics influence content visibility, including publishing timing, watch time and audience signals.

• Strong problem-solving skills in the field, with the ability to overcome technical, editorial or logistical challenges quickly.