Job Description

Job Title            : Country Director, India 

Reports To        : Regional Director (Asia, Pacific & Europe)

Location            : New Delhi, India

Duration             : 2 Years fixed term contract (with good potential for extension)

Closing date      : 6th May, 2024

Special requirements: The right to live and work in India. Relocation support will be offered within India. 

How to apply : send your CV and a short covering letter (in English, PDF or Microsoft Word format), setting out how you meet the specifications - knowledge, skills, training and experience requirements listed in the job description for this role, to: [hr@in.bbcmediaaction.org] – please include the title of the position applied for in the subject line and send before or by [6 May 2024]. 

BBC Media Action: 

BBC Media Action is the BBC’s international charity. We support the independent media essential to democracy and development; and support people facing insecurity, inequality and poverty with information they can trust – to protect health, bridge divides and challenge prejudice. With our partners, we reach millions through creative communication and trusted media, helping people have their say, understand their rights, responsibilities and each other, and take action to transform their own lives. 

This exciting and influential role will be responsible for the overall running of BBC Media Action’s office in India. Our innovative projects and programmes have delivered impact in health, sanitation, gender equity, climate change and the prevention of bonded labour and our dynamic team is currently working to tackle issues relating to sustainable development and dignity of work. We are seeking to build this programming and leverage our deep commitment to excellence in research and creative expertise whilst ensuring that our existing projects achieve impact and are delivered to the highest standards. 

Overall purpose: 

Overall responsibility for BBC Media Action’s work in India. Leads the development and implementation of the country strategy. Leads on identifying and bringing in new business in line with the agreed strategic directions. Responsible for leading and supporting a team  to develop and deliver projects to agreed targets and objectives, ensuring compliance with BBC editorial standards and BBC Media Action’s policies. 

Role: 

The Country Director will lead the development and implementation of country strategy, taking overall responsibility for the running of BBC Media Action’s office in India, ensuring strong management and high-quality delivery of a range of development projects which use the power of media to tackle issues of governance, health and resilience.

The Country Director will provide guidance and leadership on all facets of external engagement and will represent BBC Media Action to authorities, donors, media and NGO partners and other key stakeholders. The postholder will lead the development of our portfolio in India, including identifying future business development opportunities and overseeing the writing of new project proposals.

The post holder will ensure effective office management so that all functions are carried out in line with donor rules, local regulatory requirements and BBC guidelines. An important part of the role will be to ensure that BBC Media Action upholds the highest standards of safety and security for our staff, partners and people we work with in the design and delivery of our projects. This includes ensuring that activities comply with BBC Media Action and donor standards around safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. 

Main Duties & Responsibilities: 

Provide dynamic, inspirational leadership and management to project, research, production and finance teams.

Provide sound management and editorial leadership to the India team, ensuring any outputs adhere to the BBC editorial standards and ensuring compliance with BBC Media Action’s policies.

Identify and bring in new business in line with the agreed strategic direction in India

Develop and manage effective relationships with funding agencies, stakeholders and partners, including development of new funding opportunities.

Manage and develop a diverse team, ensuring that staff are appropriately inducted, trained and developed, and performance is appropriately managed.

Represent and be accountable for the organisation and ensure its work in India is relevant and appropriate.

Ensure all activities are delivered within agreed standards, timescales and budgets.

Ensure that finance and administrative functions are carried out in line with BBC guidelines and regulatory requirements.

Ensure the security, health and safety of staff are prioritised, that training and support are adequate and BBC security and safety procedures are adhered to.

Ensure the effective and consistent implementation of safeguarding policies and procedures. 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience: 

Senior leadership and management experience in the development or media sectors, preferably both. 

Strong understanding of and commitment to international development, including the use of media for developmental goals.

Substantial experience in the management of diverse teams of staff, including recruitment, management and professional development.

Record of developing and securing new business, including the ability to develop new project ideas and present these persuasively to potential partners and funders, and write successful proposals.

A record of forming effective relationships with a range of local and international partners, including at the highest levels of government and media, managing effective teamwork between partners and stakeholders, including those with differing agendas.

Proven ability to deliver complex projects to deadlines and within budget, with good record of donor liaison and reporting.

Experience of managing large budgets, demonstrating effective use of resources, understanding of compliance and reporting requirements of funders, and oversight of complex budgets.

Excellent interpersonal skills, including experience working with diverse range of colleagues.

Demonstrable understanding of, and preferably experience in, media with the potential to acquire strong editorial skills in order to make complex editorial judgements at a senior level.

Excellent written and spoken English.

Dynamism, proactivity, personal resilience and demonstrable ability to adapt to changing and uncertain circumstances. 

Desirable:

Experience of living and working in India.

Experience working on issues relating to climate action and/or social inclusion 

Job Impact

Decision making 

Reports to Regional Director

Identify a vision along with the plans which need to be implemented to meet the end goal. Evaluate situations, decisions, issues etc, in the short, medium and longer-term.

Create a vision and inspire others.

Present sound and well-reasoned arguments to convince others, draw from a range of strategies to persuade internal and external stakeholders in a way that results in agreement or behaviour change.

Build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of people.

Adopt a range of styles, tools and techniques appropriate to the audience and the nature of the information in order to get the message clearly understood.

Take initiative, originate action and be responsible for the consequences of the decisions made.

Think ahead in order to establish an effective and appropriate course of action for self and others. Prioritise and plan activities taking into account all the relevant issues and factors such as deadlines, staffing and resources requirements. 

Scope

Manage a budget and contribute to budget setting.

Recruit, manage and develop a team.

Lead on multiple projects. 

Safeguarding responsibilities: 

Understand and comply with the Safeguarding policy and the staff Code of Conduct

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. 

The Ideal Candidate 

You’ll bring energy and substantial experience in the management, motivation and development of diverse teams of staff, including recruitment, management, discipline and professional development. You will have strong and proven ability to set a vision and deliver high-quality projects to deadlines and within budget. And you will be able to leverage a strong background in forming and cultivating effective relationships and partnerships with a range of local and international stakeholders at all levels will be Experience developing and securing funding for development or media projects will be critical, including the ability to develop new project ideas and present these persuasively to potential partners and funders, and write successful proposals. An in-depth understanding and experience of the development and funding environment in India would be a significant advantage. 

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 DBS or other appropriate background check (depending on the country of residence) will form part of the recruitment process. BBC Media Action operates a zero-tolerance policy concerning all forms of abuse and exploitation of vulnerable people. 

( A job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.)

About Company

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