Press Freedom Editor and Communications Coordinator (Africa focus)

The International Press Institute (IPI) seeks a Press Freedom Editor and Communications Coordinator to support the visibility and impact of IPI’s advocacy and monitoring work in defence of press freedom and independent journalism.

This position will work closely together with IPI’s advocacy team to elevate their voice, activities, and advocacy work as part of their efforts to protect and promote press freedom and journalist safety as essential pillars of resilient democratic societies.

This Press Freedom Editor and Communications Coordinator will have a strong focus on carrying out editorial and communications work as part of IPI’s growing Africa press freedom team, including a new program to combat the legal harassment of journalists in Africa by advocating for laws that respect fundamental rights to expression, information, and privacy.

Responsibilities

The Press Freedom Editor and Communications Coordinator will:

Editorial

• Edit IPI public advocacy and communications outputs (including statements, reports, letters, social media content) for alignment with IPI’s messaging; adherence to editorial and research standards; and alignment with IPI style guides.
• Lead the production (drafting, editing, design, and translation) of programme publications – including newsletters, calls to action, reports, fact sheets –  in line with IPI standards and style guides.
• Ensure consistency, cohesiveness, and quality control across IPI external advocacy communications in line with wider IPI communications guidelines.
• Contribute to the development of IPI editorial policies and standards
• Develop and operationalise a clear internal workflow for the editing, approval, and publishing press-freedom-related content.
• Edit programme donor project reports and project proposals for style and clarity.

Communications

• Develop and implement communications strategies and dissemination plans to strengthen reach and impact of IPI advocacy content, with a strong focus on Africa, including IPI members, media, the diplomatic community, partner organisations, and advocacy targets.
• Develop campaign messaging and talking points on key issues.
• Develop and implement a social media plan to maximise reach and impact of IPI content.
• Be responsible for publishing IPI press freedom and programme output, including publishing content to the IPI website and social media channels. This includes implementing publishing guidelines as well as SEO best practices.

Qualifications

• Exceptional English writing and editing skills with sharp eye for detail and the ability to produce impactful copy, with targeted campaign messaging.
• A strong understanding of press freedom and free expression, and digital rights issues and challenges. This position will have a strong focus on editorial and communications work for IPI’s Africa programmes.
• Knowledge of the press freedom, media, and civil society environment in Africa would therefore be a significant advantage when applying for this position.
• At least three to five years of previous experience in an editorial role, with demonstrated experience in establishing clear editorial workflows and processes. A background in journalism or communications work with non-profit human rights organisations (strongly preferred).
• Be willing to dig deep as an editor, with attention to detail and an ambition to ensure high-quality, consistent, and cohesive writing and messaging
• Experience developing communications strategies and implementation plans.
• Bring a critical and analytical vision to IPI’s external communication, focused on streamlining advocacy-related editorial and communication tasks and growing impact, with a focus on growing IPI’s impact in Africa.
• Bring strong attention to detail and ability to craft cohesive messaging across multiple platforms and multiple communications outputs.
• Bring clear insight on achieving quality social media engagement and reach
• Have excellent planning and time management skills, with the ability to juggle multiple tasks and requests.

How to apply

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. To learn more and apply, please click here.