Creative Lead at BBC Media Action

BBC Media Action’s communication projects are rooted in local people’s experiences and understanding. Our extensive research programme - called "world class” by the UK government’s Department for International Development (DFID) - provides insight into audiences’ lives to ensure that our projects reflect their needs and circumstances. We also use our data to monitor how effectively our programmes engage people and stimulate change; lessons learned are then built into future projects. To share our findings and learning as widely as possible, we publish policy and research reports and briefings to inform communication for development practitioners and policy-makers. Since we are not funded by the licence fee, none of this work would be possible without the backing of our generous donors - governments, foundations, corporations and individuals. In Nigeria, BBC Media Action run a number of multiplatform and capacity-strengthening projects including health radio shows tackling maternal and neonatal health, HIV and AIDS and pneumonia and diarrhoea. A long-running radio drama and magazine shows in both Hausa and Pidgin English address governance issues.

Jop Purpose

• The BBC MA office in Nigeria is seeking a Creative Lead to spearhead a multi-year, multi-media, multi-output Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) programme funded by the Gates Foundation (GF) and focused on reproductive health and family planning (FP) in Northern Nigeria. The Creative Lead is the second most senior role in this high-profile, significantly budgeted project, working closely with the Project Director to ensure the project’s creative outputs are delivered to a high standard, on time, and in alignment with the expectations of BBC MA and GF.
• The Creative Lead will be required to act like a master conductor, working closely with creative and productions partners such as a major TV network, advertising and digital agencies, media planning and buying agencies, mobile service provider, social media influencers/ content makers/ celebrities from the commercial world on the one hand, and with NGOs, social marketing organisations, GF grantees and other FP stakeholders on the other. The Creative Lead will envision a Narrative Universe that stems from the central TV drama series and create/ co-create content across a variety of platforms and formats with diverse partners. These partners straddle both the commercial and social impact sectors.
• The Creative Lead will need to provide strategic and creative direction to the partners mentioned above, who will design and execute a wide range of outputs, including mass media, social media, IVR, outreach, toolkits, and dissemination products, among others. They will work closely with the Project Director to ensure that the different parts of the Narrative Universe for various audience segments are engaging and entertaining, while achieving the project’s outcomes.
• The Creative Lead will coordinate, commission, liaise and review all outputs, ensuring that they are executed to the highest standards and within stipulated budgets and timelines. They will be expected to utilise their own credentials and professional network to attract talent that can enhance the project deliverables.
• The Creative Lead will report into the Head of Production & Training and have a dotted line to the Project Director, being accountable for all deliverables to the Project Director.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Accountable for a unique, creative, innovative and effective range of multi-media, multi-platform, multi-outputs in this multi-partner SBCC intervention.
• Provide dynamic and inspirational support to the creative and production team.
• Own the Communications Framework to ensure everything created, co-created or commissioned is on strategy.
• Spearhead the strategic creation of a Narrative Universe that will stem from the story world of the TV drama while working closely with the Project Director and Head of Production.
• Play a significant role in co-creating the story world of the TV drama series with an already identified TV network in Nigeria.
• Thereafter, act as a bridge between the TV network and BBC MA to review and vet scripts, as well as pre-production, production, and post-production. This will be in accordance with the agreed upon process between BBC MA and the TV network. The Creative Lead will play a critical role in shaping the process to maximise the project's benefit without compromising the TV network’s quality and performance.
• Strategise as per the master Communications Framework and create briefs for various creative and production partners from the commercial sector.
• Commission the above to design outputs and ensure they are created and executed to the highest quality, within agreed-upon budgets and timelines.
• Coordinate alongside the Project Director to identify opportunities, proactively design and  respond to the communication needs of other FP stakeholders and use elements of the Narrative Universe across their outputs.
• Collaborate with and contribute to partners' content development processes.
• Forge partnerships and harness the power of the vibrant Nigerian creative and media ecosystem.
• Repurpose project content for different platforms/ formats and help/ equip partners to do the same.
• Accountable for creating and commissioning engaging, entertaining, popular content that delivers on project outcomes. Lead on ensuring that partners’ productions and creative ideas align with BBC MA’s thematic and creative direction.
• Make sure all content created internally and externally aligns with the BBC’s editorial values.
• Recruit, manage and develop a team, ensuring that staff are appropriately inducted, trained and developed, and performance is appropriately managed.
• Lead team to oversee production logistics, including budgeting and scheduling, and ensure the project is delivered on time and within budget.? Manage the team to provide timely updates, including production status, broadcast schedules, and content produced.
• Ensure that the Project Director, Head of Production, and other relevant personnel are kept informed about the work schedules of the creative agencies and flag any concerns.
• Perform any other tasks assigned by BBC MA to achieve project and organisational objectives.
• Think outside the box, while being sensitive to Northern Nigerian sentiment and culture.

Required skills, knowledge, and experience

• Proven track record (body of work) of 8-10 years of creative direction across multiple media platforms (legacy and digital) and formats.
• Reputed as a creative leader with a strong strategic sense.
• Talent to think outside the box, combined with a deep understanding of audience and consumer insights from Northern Nigeria.
• Ability to mine powerful insights and create briefs for commercial agencies and other partner organisations.
• Knowledge of how a Narrative Universe works.
• Guide and collaborate with partners to produce outputs that utilise ideas, characters, and assets from the Narrative Universe.
• Understanding of all stages of the content production process across a diverse range of outputs.
• Deep knowledge of how social media works and a regular social media user (a respected and popular professional voice without being an influencer).
• Deep familiarity and experience of working with the commercial sector of the Nigerian media and communication industry – advertising, digital media (social media and telecom), media planning and buying, outreach and activation.
• Plugged into the above networks well enough to consult, use and leverage talent for the project in the most impactful and cost-effective manner.
• Up to date with trends and trendsetters, innovations, and constant changes in the vibrant media and popular culture scene of Nigeria.
• Demonstrable ease in being able to navigate both commercial and social impact sectors.
• Understanding of BBC’s editorial values.
• Creative writing skills in English and Hausa language.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to multitask and work well under pressure.
• Excellent time and resource management skills.
• Team player with a problem-solving attitude and a proven ability to convert constraints into opportunities.
• Supervisory experience and ability to motivate different stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of business operations and financial management within a production environment.
• Deeply ambitious with an appetite to make this a project admired for its creativity, innovation, impact and scale in Nigeria and beyond.

Method of Application

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