BBC MEDIA ACTION
JOB DESCRIPTION
Location: Tanzania
Job title: Commercial mentor – trainer
Reports to: Senior commercial mentor – trainer
Duration: 9 months
Closing date: 25 February 2024
Recommended:
Special requirements: The right to live and work in Tanzania. Fluent in English and Swahili with ability to write reports in these languages.
Context:
BBC Media Action is the BBC’s international development organisation, and we believe in the power of media and communication for good. We work in more than 20 countries around the world, supporting the independent media essential to democracy and development. Each year our projects and programmes reach over 100 million people facing poverty, inequality, and insecurity with information they can trust, helping to improve health, bridge divides, challenge prejudice, and save and change lives. We follow the editorial standards and values of the BBC, but we rely on funding from donors and partners to carry out our work.
Overall purpose of job
BBC Media Action is seeking a commercial mentor/trainer to support the sustainability and financial independence of a diverse group of rural radio stations. It is envisaged that greater sustainability and financial independence will be achieved through the strengthening of partners’ business management skills and systems, and the development and implementation of robust profit-generating advertising, marketing, and sales strategies.
The successful candidate will work closely with the senior commercial mentor/trainer and partnerships development manager to develop training plans that meet the needs of rural radio stations in line with a range of project objectives. The commercial mentor/trainer will deliver training and mentoring on location at the partner stations’ studios and during centrally organized training events. The mentoring and training will include a focus on management skills, commercial skills including advertising, marketing and sales strategies, alternative ways of generating income, and the use of data in decision making.
The post holder will be required to spend up to 80% of their time outside of their duty station, working with rural radio stations across Tanzania.
Main duties and accountabilities
- Undertake marketing, advertising and management skills capacity and needs assessments with partner radio stations.
- Develop training tools and materials covering (but not limited to) advertising, marketing, media planning and sales, revenue streams, local private sector mapping, business planning and strategy, and media-house management.
- Deliver training and provide advice to partner radio stations in how to realize long-term increases in revenue and profitability.
- Deliver training and provide support to partner radio stations to build management capacity and develop stronger internal systems.
- Deliver media-house management and marketing training to the wider BBC Media Action projects and capacity-building teams.
- Submit training plans, reports, workplans and budgets to the senior commercial mentor/Trainer as agreed in advance.
- To champion gender equality and safeguarding within the partner radio stations
- To ensure all project activities meet BBC standards, as well as delivering the projects development objectives.
- Understand and comply with BBC Media Action’s safeguarding policy, the staff code of conduct as well as financial policy especially on retirement and fraud.
- Participate in relevant mandatory training on safeguarding and respect at work.
- Report any safeguarding concerns immediately, either to the Country Director, or using the Whistleblowing Policy
- Perform any other duties that may be assigned.
Read Also:
Required skills, knowledge, and experience:
- Minimum bachelor’s degree in marketing, business management, or a closely related field.
- At least 3 years’ experience in marketing and/or advertising in Tanzania including personally developing and implementing broadcast advertising and/or marketing and/or sales campaigns.
- Proven experience of planning and delivering training in marketing and/or advertising and/or business management and interest in developing further skills in this area.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and influencing skills.
- Sound understanding of safeguarding principles and experience in their implementation.
- Fluent in written and spoken Kiswahili and English and experienced in preparing detailed reports in Kiswahili and English.
- Good working knowledge of the MS Office suite.
Desirable:
- Experience of working in the media sector in Tanzania, particularly local radio, would be strongly desirable.
- Experience of working with an NGO (or as part of a donor-funded activity).
- Knowledge and understanding of sustainability and financial independence of local Radio stations.
- Experience of working remotely will be highly desirable.
Key competencies
The following competencies (behaviours and characteristics) have been identified as key to success in the job. Successful candidates are expected to demonstrate these competencies.
- Editorial judgement: demonstrates balanced and objective judgement based on a thorough understanding of BBC editorial guidelines, target audience, programme and department objectives. Makes the right editorial decisions, taking account of conflicting views where necessary.
- Managing relationships and teamwork: able to build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of people. Works co-operatively with others to be part of a team. Values individual’s differences and demonstrates a commitment to knowledge sharing and informal learning, for the benefit of the team.
- Strategic thinking: able to identify a vision and create plans for implementation of that vision to meet the end goal. Evaluates situations, decisions, and issues in the short, medium and long-term.
- Leadership: ability to inspire others to realize an identified vision.
- Analytical Thinking: able to simplify complex problems, processes, or projects into component parts, explore and evaluate them systematically. Able to identify causal relationships, and construct frameworks for problem solving and/or development.
- Change Management: able to understand and anticipate the need for change and to build frameworks for planning and managing the continuous process of change.
- Planning and Organization: able to think ahead to establish an efficient and appropriate course of action for self and others; planning of activities considering all the relevant issues and factors such as deadlines, staffing and resources requirements.
How to Apply:
Candidates should send their CV and a cover letter (in English, PDF or Microsoft Word format) which outlines their experience and suitability for the role by email to: recruitment@tz.bbcmediaaction.org – please include the title of the position applied for in the subject line and send by 5pm on 25 February 2024.
Only applicants with separate cover letter will be considered. Please do not send certificates or other attachments. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
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Safeguarding
The role may involve working with groups of vulnerable children and adults. For the successful candidate, mandatory training will be provided on BBC Media Action’s safeguarding policy and staff code of conduct. A police background check may form part of the recruitment process. BBC Media Action operates a zero-tolerance policy concerning all forms of abuse and exploitation of vulnerable people.
BBC Media Action has zero tolerance for fraud and exploitation. If you have any concerns, please share with us through whistleblower@tz.bbcmediaaction.org
