Senior Consultant for Eastern Europe

Position: Senior Consultant for Eastern Europe

Location: Remote with required travel within the region

The International Fund for Public Interest Media (the “International Fund”) is seeking an experienced consultant with an in-depth understanding of media markets in Eastern Europe. The ideal candidate has a vision for the future of independent journalism in the region and will lead the development of the International Fund’s strategy and portfolio of interventions across selected countries.

The Role

The Senior Consultant for Eastern Europe, reporting to the Director of Portfolio, will play a central role in the development of the International Fund’s strategy and portfolio of interventions across the region. The initial engagement is expected to last 6 to 12 months, with an average time commitment of approximately 3–4 days per week. We are seeking candidates who are available to start as soon as possible.

The main responsibilities of the Senior Consultant for Eastern Europe include:

• Developing and proposing the International Fund’s strategy in Eastern Europe, including a clear articulation of how the International Fund complements existing and planned efforts and other key working assumptions.
• Mapping and analyzing opportunities and priorities for support. This should include an analysis of both individual media outlets as well as possible interventions to address broader structural challenges at the media ecosystem level. Recommendations should be context-specific and rooted in a clear political economy analysis of the countries as well as a deep understanding of market dynamics.
• Working with the leadership of the International Fund and in particular the Director of Portfolio to prioritize key opportunities in the region.
  Proposing and building a pipeline of prospective partners and grantees, including through networks in relevant countries and collaboration with other funders and media development organizations. This will include developing an initial pipeline of immediate opportunities within the first few months, in parallel with refining the regional strategy and undertaking market assessments. Grant-making decisions will be made by the International Fund’s Grant-Making Committee (GMC).
• Undertaking assessment and due diligence review of prospective grantees and preparing recommendations for the GMC.
• Supporting portfolio management and ongoing engagement with grantees in the region.
• Representing the International Fund in select meetings, particularly to ensure coordination, collaboration, and partnership with other media funders and media development actors active in the region.
• Monitoring risks and taking relevant actions to maintain the International Fund’s ‘license to operate’ across countries.
• Developing a network of thought partners across the four focus countries and identifying and managing national consultants where needed and relevant (subject to the approval of the Director of Portfolio).

Candidate Profile

Required Experience:

• Minimum 10+ years of relevant experience;
• A sincere commitment to public interest journalism;
• A deep understanding of journalism, media, media markets, and business models in the region and a vision for the future of journalism and media in the region;
• Strong networks among media outlets, media development organizations, and journalism funders in the region and ideally direct experience of working in one or more of the four focus countries;
• Experience in providing financial and/or technical support to media or civil society organizations;
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, including understanding and proposing solutions to strategic dilemmas; to balance national, regional, and global perspectives; and identify different strategic approaches tailored to specific contexts and organizational needs;
• An entrepreneurial mindset, including the ability to develop a clear strategic vision and to work in uncertain and fluid environments;
• Operational capability to drive grantee selection, due diligence, and grant-making;
• Ability to work autonomously and with a high degree of flexibility;
• Ability to develop and manage partnerships with a variety of stakeholders in the region, including media organizations, media development actors, and governments.

Desirable Experience:

• Experience in financing or providing grants to media organizations or civil society organizations;
• Experience managing national consultants and/or teams across multiple geographies;
• Experience designing, implementing, or overseeing monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks and tools.

Language

The International Fund’s working language is English. A good command of Russian and/or other regionally relevant languages is preferred for this role.

Contact Information

Via the Bamboo HR applicant portal, please submit your CV and a short cover letter outlining your interest in collaborating with the International Fund, relevant areas of expertise, and an indication of expected fees.

Apply here.