Job Description
Job Title: Research and Outreach Officer, Strengthening local information systems in India
Reports to: Senior Research Manager, India
Duration: 1-year fixed term (with potential for renewal)
Location: New Delhi and Bengaluru (Preferred)
Closing date: 5th May 2026
To apply: send your CV along with a short covering letter outlining how you meet the requirements listed in the job description, with the subject line indicating the position title to: hr@in.bbcmediaaction.org on or before 5th May 2026
BBC Media Action:
BBC Media Action is the independent international charity of the BBC, using media and communications to advance development outcomes worldwide. We work in partnerships with civil society organisations, local media, governments, and other stakeholders to produce creative, evidence-based media content across platforms, while also strengthening the media sector through professional capacity building.
BBC Media Action has been working in India since 2001, using media to improve outcomes related to health, resilience, rights, and inclusion. Over the past 25 years, BBC Media Action India has delivered impact in health, sanitation, gender equity, climate change and building inclusive societies.
We follow the editorial standards and values of the BBC, but we rely on funding from donors and partners to carry out our work. The organisation is funded through external grants and has worked with a range of international and institutional funders, including the Gates Foundation, H&M Foundation, World Bank, UNICEF, European Union, aligned to its core thematic priorities:
- A Safer, More Habitable Planet: Providing trusted information in humanitarian and climate crises, promoting sustainable living, and encouraging balanced discussion around conflict and environmental issues.
- More Inclusive Societies: Ensuring fair representation, challenging harmful gender norms, supporting disability rights, and improving access to health and education.
- Information Disorder: Supporting public interest media to enable active citizen participation, accountability, and informed public discourse.
About the projects:
Strengthening local information systems in India: One of the projects for which research is to be led is most closely associated with our third priority area with the overall objective being to support a resilient and pluralistic local information ecosystem that upholds credible information flows, tackles information disorder, amplifies the voices and lived experiences of local communities, and promotes inclusive dialogue, with the following specific objectives (outcomes):
- Citizens demonstrate improved capacity to critically assess, verify, and engage with digital content.
- Media practitioners (including regional content creators and community radio stations) deliver accurate, balanced reporting and inclusive media content that tackles mis/disinformation and amplifies the voices of local communities.
Job Purpose:
The Research and Outreach Officer will play a supporting role across the design, coordination, and implementation of research and outreach activities under the Break the Chain project. Working closely with senior team members, the role will help translate project plans into effective field execution by supporting research activities, coordinating stakeholder engagement, and ensuring smooth delivery of on-ground interventions.
The Officer will assist in operationalising research designs, coordinating fieldwork, supporting data collection and presentation, coordinating with teams dealing with social listening, while also facilitating outreach with community members, local media, and partner organisations. The role involves strong coordination, ensuring timely implementation, addressing field-level challenges, and maintaining quality and ethical standards.
Overall, this position is suited for someone who is organised, proactive, and comfortable working at the intersection of research and field engagement, with the ability to support end-to-end execution and contribute to effective programme delivery.
The position will involve frequent travel within India. The successful candidate will be required to sign and maintain the BBC’s Declaration of Personal Interest and may be asked to take on additional responsibilities as required by the team.
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
Working closely with research and project teams in India, the Research and Outreach Officer will be responsible to support the research activities associated with the project objectives and stakeholder requirements. Key responsibilities include:
- Research and Field Support: Support implementation of formative research, monitoring, and assessment activities by assisting in tool development (FGDs, IDIs, surveys) and coordinating fieldwork logistics. Facilitate on-ground data collection, while also contributing to secondary research and literature reviews. The role will support data processing, analysis, and synthesis to generate insights for internal learning and decisionmaking.
- Media and Information Ecosystem Support: Provide support in tracking media narratives and misinformation trends through basic social listening and monitoring. Contribute to documenting local media practices, community perspectives, and emerging case
- examples. Ensure timely sharing of field insights and research findings with internal teams to inform programme activities.
- Outreach and Field Coordination: Assist in organising and delivering outreach activities, including community engagements, stakeholder consultations, and workshops. Coordinate with local partners such as community radio stations, civil society organisations, and media practitioners to ensure smooth execution. The role will also support participant mobilisation and promote inclusive participation across diverse community groups.
- Documentation and Reporting: Support the preparation of field notes, activity reports, summaries, and presentations. Document key learnings, participant feedback, and observations from field engagements. Assist in developing case studies, stories of change, and other knowledge products to capture programme outcomes and insights.
- Coordination and Project Support: Liaise with internal teams and external partners to track progress and address operational challenges. Ensure adherence to ethical standards, including informed consent and data protection protocols, during all field-based work.
- Representing BBC Media Action externally with research agencies, academic institutions, donors, NGOs, media, and government stakeholders, including presenting finding and exploring opportunities for future research funding.
Safeguarding Responsibilities
- Supporting the senior management team in delivering safeguarding training to staff and freelancers.
- Ensuring safeguarding due diligence is conducted with partner organisations working with vulnerable adults or children and that identified risks are mitigated through project design.
The incumbent may also be required, from time to time, to take on such other duties and responsibilities as per the requirement of the project.
Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Experience
The role requires an experienced research professional with qualitative and quantitative expertise, ideally within development and communication contexts.
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- A postgraduate degree (or higher) in social sciences, mass communication, or a related field, with strong competency in mixed-method research.
- 3-6 years of experience in managing complex research programmes, with strong technical expertise in qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Data analysis and interpretation skills.
- 3-6 years of experience managing fieldwork and ensuring quality assurance.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with working knowledge of Kannada or Tamil, both will be preferred
- Demonstrated experience in report writing and developing PowerPoint presentations.
- Ability to manage complex workloads, multitask effectively, and solve problems proactively.
- Strong teamplayer with the ability to collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams and with external partners.
- High personal and professional integrity
Application Process
Please email your resume and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role by 5th May, 2026 to hr@in.bbcmediaaction.org . Kindly mention the position title clearly in the subject line. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Important Terms of Reference
The successful candidate:
- Must be conscious of and maintain the values of the BBC Media Action in all matters.
- Will not have any copyright whatsoever over data analysis outputs and dashboards developed. All copyrights/ intellectual property rights to remain with BBC Media Action.
- Will be required to maintain strict data confidentiality. Data transgressions will be dealt through appropriate and applicable organisational policy.
Applications without the cover letter will not be considered. Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted .
This role may involve working with vulnerable children and adults. Mandatory safeguarding training will be provided to the successful candidate, and a background check may form part of the recruitment process. BBC Media Action operates a zero-tolerance policy towards abuse and exploitation of vulnerable people.
Diversity matters at the BBC. We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, enabling all our employees to thrive and achieve their full potential.
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.
(This 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.).