Radio is still the most important source of information in Sierra Leone, but online access is growing quickly, particularly among young people. We’ve been working in Sierra Leone since 2007 on projects that span radio, mobile, social media and community discussion groups. We are proud to run Sierra Leone’s most popular Facebook page, which played an important role in dispelling misinformation during the country’s 2018 elections.

Since 2017, our Tawa Fo Welbodi (Determined For Health) project has provided trusted information and busted harmful myths about malaria, a disease which accounts for 40% of deaths outside hospital. This project builds on the expertise and insight our team gained during the 2014-15 Ebola crisis – where we worked closely and swiftly with media and NGO partners to provide life-saving information through radio discussion and drama programming, PSAs, digital content and capacity strengthening.

In 2019 we launched a bold new girls’ education and empowerment project – supporting radio stations across the country to create vibrant programming that challenges the discriminatory attitudes holding girls back from realising their dreams. Sierra Leone is also one of three countries of focus for our flagship media development project, PRIMED (Protecting Independent Media for Effective Development) - through which we are strengthening independent media to produce trusted public-interest journalism and generating evidence around what works in strengthening media viability.

OB VACANCY-Senior Research Officer

BBC Media Action is the international development agency of the BBC, using media and communications to improve people’s lives.  BBC Media Action is recruiting a fulltime Senior Research Officer to support the research activities under our media development project titled ‘Promoting Independent Media Development’ (PrIMED) and to provide support across all other projects. Our projects feature a combination of national and local radio programming, as well as social media content. We are looking for a talented and committed researcher to work on all stages of research on this project and all other projects and provide support on other research and learning assignments. The Senior Research Officer will be line managed by the Research and Learning Manager and will work with BBC Media Action’s Research & Learning Group in London.

The Senior Research Officer will be working with media houses across the country and may have to work with vulnerable groups. 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 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.

To apply, please send an up-to-date CV and a supporting letter to

recruitment@sl.bbcmediaaction.org

or to the BBC Media Action office at 41i Derek Drive, off Spur Road, Freetown. Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Closing date for applications for this role is 22^nd January 2021.