Job Introduction
Our researchers provide the best informed and most comprehensive service of news and current affairs analysis and interpretation for editors, correspondents, producers and senior managers throughout the BBC. We produce detailed research briefs on all the top news stories, contribute to Reality Check and Explainers articles as part of the Data and Analysis team and organise seminars on key subjects.
Main Responsibilities
As China researcher, you will be writing concise, in-depth briefings and answering queries on your subject area to a high level of competence.
You will be using your extensive knowledge to work on data journalism projects, fact-checking articles and simple online explanations of complex issues. You’ll be working with journalists across the BBC, including those focusing on China, to make our coverage as informed as possible. You will be responsible for following events in China and using your language skills to carry out interviews and translate source material.
You will also establish priorities, maintain an up to date information and contacts database and contribute news story ideas.
Are you the right candidate?
You will have expertise in at least one, preferably more, of the following areas: Chinese politics, international relations, economy and society.
You will have the ability to use statistics and have a good knowledge of the best sources of information in your areas of expertise.
You will have fluency in written Chinese.
You will also have good online writing skills and the ability to explain complex issues clearly
About the BBC
We don’t focus simply on what we do – we also care how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are important to us. Please make sure you’ve read about our values and behaviours in the document attached below.
Diversity matters at the BBC. We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, enabling all of our employees to thrive and achieve their full potential.
We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to be part of the BBC – whether that’s to contribute to our programming or our wide range of non-production roles. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.
We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles, unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.
To find out more about Diversity and Inclusion at the BBC, please click here
Package Description
Band: B
Contract type: Permanent Full Time
Location: Birmingham
Application process: You will be asked to fill in a diversity questionnaire which is confidential and not seen by the hiring manager. You will then be asked to:
- complete an eligibility questionnaire
- answer questions specific to the role
You are eligible to apply for an internal role if you are either on a BBC Continuing (Permanent) contract, a BBC Fixed Term contract or a worker contract and you have worked continuously for six months
Only internal staff are eligible to apply for the role on an attachment basis. You need to be on a continuing (permanent) or fixed-term contract. You need to have worked for the BBC for more than one year. You can find out more on our attachments page.
We’re happy to discuss flexible working. Please indicate your choice under the flexible working question in the application. There is no obligation to raise this at the application stage but if you wish to do so, you are welcome to. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.
- Excellent career progression – the BBC offers great opportunities for employees to seek new challenges and work in different areas of the organisation.
- Unrivalled training and development opportunities – our in-house Academy hosts a wide range of internal and external courses and certification.
- Benefits- We offer a competitive salary package, a flexible 35-hour working week for work-life balance and 26 days (1 of which is a corporation day) with the option to buy an extra 5 days, a defined pension scheme and discounted dental, health care, gym and much more.