Editorial Director

New Narratives is looking for a candidate for the position of Editorial Director to ensure successful delivery of programs, through providing operational and technical leadership to project, and manage key partnerships.

Principal Accountabilities:

Responsibilities can be defined in the following categories:

1. Editorial – the Editorial Director will work with the Executive Director to encourage reporting “fellows” to:

• research story ideas,
• prepare strong pitches
• commission stories
• report and write
• edit.

2. Editorial Director will:

• mentor new reporters to reach NN standards
• Coordinate radio/TV live events ensuring panelists come from the leading government, company, CSO and activists and represent geographic and gender diversity.
• Lead creation of workshop agenda including choosing and coordinating facilitators
• Lead Workshops when the Executive Director is absent

• Partnerships – Editorial Director will be NN’s contact point in Liberia with donors and potential donors, community organizations government and activists. He/she will keep in regular contact with them to ensure NN knows about themes, issues, developments, policy changes and opportunities in thematic areas that our grants cover. He/she will also keep in close contact with media partners to ensure a strong partnership where feedback, engagement are encouraged and trust is built.
• Monitoring and Evaluation – Editorial Director will support Monitoring and Evaluation efforts that are led by the Administration Director. He/she will help design M&E, ensure quizzes and surveys are undertaken, contribute to analysis of data and reassessments of the project based on the results.
• In his/her Senior Reporter role, Editorial Director will contribute a minimum of one in-depth report on subject to be determined in agreement with the ED every three months.
• Logistics – Editorial Director will support the AD, Project Manager, Financial officer and ED in ensuring compliance with financial procedures.

Entry Requirements

Knowledge (Education & Related Experience):

• Substantial work experience gained in the journalism and media sector
• Educated to at least Bachelor’s level or above, or significant experience of leadership within in a relevant field (journalism, media.)
• Extensive experience with project management within complex project delivery in low resource setting
• Excellent knowledge of current issues and best practice in journalism, media, media business and technology and media development
• Experience in developing and adapting program guidance tools and other resource materials
• Experience in training junior journalists and imparting high standards of fact-checking, data-gathering as well as legal issues and conflict sensitivity
• Analytical thinking and ability to plan strategically from organisational perspective.
• Excellent leadership and networking skills.
• Ability to build strong working relationships with colleagues, partners and work collaboratively as a member of cross-functional teams.
• Proven ability to initiate, innovate and translate ideas into effective action plans.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills with ability to represent the organisation externally.
• Excellent oral and writing skills
• Able to travel for up to 12-16 weeks a year

Core behaviours:

• Change and improvement – Consistently strives to achieve high standards of performance; comes up with new ideas to improve performance in own/related job/s.
• Communicating and influencing – Listens to information and instructions effectively. Communicates confidently and effectively with colleagues and partners
• Decision making – Gathers relevant information and uses effective reasoning to make timely decisions. Consults with others in team to improve performance.
• Planning and organisation – Prioritises activities and develops plans to achieve them, monitoring own progress. Analyses and organises routine data on a regular basis.
• Delivery and implementation – Gets things done, can be relied upon to do what they say they will and is committed to achieving good quality work to agreed standards.
• Team working – Participates with other team members and contributes constructively, is a valued member of the team. Knows about other parts of the organisation and contributes positively to a global team.

Key Relationships:

• Internal · Liberia Administration Director · Executive Director · Liberia Program Manager
• External · Donor staff in Liberia · partner organisations and other development agencies and networks working in Liberia · government and other stake holders

Qualifications:

• 10+ years experience in leading news media in Liberia
• 3+ years in editorial leadership
• Strong relationships and knowledge of Liberian news media
• Ability to work on a multicultural team and maintain effective (remote) communication with colleagues
• Ability to handle multiple tasks efficiently
• Proficient with Internet resources and programs such as Dropbox, Google Docs, Adobe Audition, Premier Pro
• Strong skills and experience with production tools such as video and audio recording and broadcasting equipment
• Experience training and mentoring younger journalists

To apply please send a cover letter and CV to contact@newnarratives.org by end of day July 19, 2022 – U.S. East Coast time.

For more information, click here.