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Africa Editor Vacancy at Open Democracy




Africa Editor Vacancy at Open Democracy

Deadline: October 2, at 11:59 pm (UK time)

Reports to: Head of Global Investigations.

Location: Fully remote. Candidates can be based anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa. openDemocracy has its head office in London, UK, and you will work closely with colleagues internationally.

Contract: Full-time 12-month contract, with possible long-term renewal, subject to funding.

Salary: Competitive for non-profit media, dependent on experience and location.

You will be primarily responsible for commissioning, editing and reporting impactful Tracking the Backlash investigations in Africa (including Francophone West Africa). You will oversee an East Africa Reporter and one to two other colleagues including an early-career fellow that you will mentor (or arrange mentorship for). You will also strengthen and liaise with our network of freelance contributors and other media partners on the continent. The aim is to achieve impact on both of Tracking the Backlash’s overarching goals: reversing the backlash against women’s and LGBTIQ rights; and challenging the exclusion of diverse voices in the media.

You may be based anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa, including Francophone West Africa (though you must have professional fluency in English and several years of experience as an English-language editor). This is a full-time role with an initial 12-month contract and the possibility of long-term renewal, subject to funding. Women and LGBTIQ candidates who have demonstrable passion for independent media projects are particularly encouraged to apply.

Main duties:

– Producing ambitious and impactful investigative journalism for the Tracking the Backlash series, for publication on opendemocracy.net and other media outlets.

– Commissioning freelancers and coordinating contributors across the region to work on high-quality, in-depth and cross-border investigations.

– Text-editing investigative stories as well as occasional news and feature pieces, including improving structure, ‘nut grafs’ and drafting headlines and standfirsts.

– Reviewing and ensuring appropriate use of evidence and attribution in complex investigations, including sources such as large datasets, leaked documents and undercover recordings.

– Overseeing and approving annual and project-based physical and digital security risk assessments for team members and freelancers in Africa.

– Ensuring that best journalistic practices are followed throughout, including that all published material is legally defensible and does not damage oD’s reputation.

– Liaising with openDemocracy’s Head of Global Investigations to ensure she has visibility over complex projects, and with lawyers where legal advice or reviews are needed.

– Supporting other team members in the region and globally to design, execute and produce impactful hypothesis-led investigative stories, including pilot projects where relevant.

– Mentoring 1-2 fellows a year to develop investigative skills and confidence, and mentoring our new East Africa Reporter (formerly a Tracking the Backlash fellow).

Required skills and experience

Essential:

  • At least six years of professional, full-time investigative journalism experience (with at least two years of experience as an investigations editor, in English).
  • A passion for fiercely independent journalism as a crucial piece of the ongoing, unfinished democratic project, and the need to include women’s and LGBT human rights in this.
  • High standards, consistency and reliability in terms of a high level of ambition and ensuring a consistently high level of reporting, editing and production quality, as well as ability to work in a fast-paced context and consistently meet deadlines.
  • A demonstrable ability to edit as well as write engaging, well-structured, grammatically correct articles, securely and explicitly grounded in fact, distinguishing fact and opinion, minimising legal risk and following house style.
  • A track record of editing and producing impactful investigative journalism (preferably on relevant themes, or using applicable/transferable tools and techniques).
  • Demonstrable experience with specific investigative skills such as undercover reporting, data journalism, finding leads and sources online and analysing financial accounts.
  • A strong understanding of media law in your country and best practices in investigative journalism, in order to collect information safely and ethically.
  • Experience collaborating in a team, ideally across borders and on major projects, and experience developing strong relationships with freelance journalists.
  • Experience carrying out (physical and digital) security risk assessments.
  • Experience training or mentoring younger journalists committed to equity and diversity.
  • Professional fluency in English (other languages are strongly desirable).
  • Willingness to travel for stories and meetings (not expected to exceed 10% of your time), where and when safe, depending on routine and COVID-19 risk assessments.

How to apply:

Click here to apply




Odewale Abayomihttp://globeopportunities.com
A passionate WANDERLUST and WORLD EXPLORER, Civil Engineer, Google Local Guide Nigeria and 2017 ICFJ–UN Foundation Climate Reporting and Migration Fellow; eager to circulate opportunities with the youth across the globe – in bridging the deficiency gaps of human capacity development especially among African youths. Opportunities like Fully/Partially Funded: conferences, trainings, internships, grants, scholarships, fellowships and volunteerism. For: invitation as a SPEAKER at your conferences/trainings, PARTNERSHIP and ADVERTISEMENT, reach him via: Twitter handle: @ODEWALEAbayomi Phone/WhatsApp: +2347068801344
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