Climate resilience project manager/editor

Job posted by: Thomson Reuters Foundation - Fri, 27 Nov 2015

Job Details:

Organisation: Thomson Reuters Foundation

Deadline Mon, 14 Dec 2015

Job type: Contract

Location: United Kingdom Senegal

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Job type: One year contract with potential to renew.

Location: Dakar, Senegal, or London

At the Thomson Reuters Foundation we stand for free, independent journalism, human rights, women’s empowerment, and the rule of law. We expose corruption worldwide and play a leading role in the fight against human trafficking. We use the skills, values, and expertise of Thomson Reuters to run programmes that trigger real change and empower people around the world. We tackle global issues. We achieve lasting impact.

With over 85 staff members around the world, including 30 editorial staff, and offices in 12 locations across the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe, the Foundation is a point of reference in the corporate philanthropic world and a respected source of humanitarian news. Some of our high-profile initiatives include:

  • Under-reported stories - our growing team of journalists covers the stories other media don’t cover with an emphasis on humanitarian relief, women’s rights, trafficking and slavery, the human impact of climate change and corruption.
  • Trust Women - an influential international conference to take action by putting the rule of law behind women’s rights. Every year Trust Women forges new strategic commitments to help women to know and defend their rights. 
  • TrustLaw is the world’s leading service providing free legal assistance to NGOs and social enterprise. The network boasts nearly 2500 members, including some 2000 NGOs and social enterprises, over 500 law firms and corporate legal teams, and more than 100,000  lawyers.
  • Media development - for the past 30 years we have been training journalists and media professional, improving the standards of journalism around the world. We also build platforms for independent journalism like Aswat Masriya, an independent and unbiased political news website launched in Egypt in 2011, and Myanmar Now, launched from Yangon this year.

The position
We are seeking a talented, high-energy, well-organised and self-starting project manager/editor with expertise in climate change issues, particularly adaptation, disaster risk reduction and development. You will handle day-to-day management of an externally funded project aimed at improving resilience to climate change impacts, particularly in Africa’s Sahel. You will build and manage relationships with a wide range of external project partners and funders, run the project’s news website and social media, edit blogs and news stories to Reuters standards, help coordinate video news coverage, and build a strong network of freelance reporters in project countries. You will also help organise and run occasional journalist training courses and project events, produce plans and reports, coordinate with web developers on changes to the project website and represent the Thomson Reuters Foundation externally. You will be tech-savvy and have the ability to find solutions when problems arise.

The position will be based in either Dakar, Senegal, or in London. Ability to speak, write and edit fluently in French and in English is essential. The job will involve travel to project countries and to project meetings in Europe. It will report to the head of climate programmes at the Foundation.

If you are excited about improving resilience to climate change impacts in the developing world and working for an international news organisation that has extraordinary reach, this could be the job for you. The position requires excellent organisational and people skills, strong editing ability in French and English, a proven track record in producing excellent journalism and a desire to make a real difference on humanitarian issues. Experience working with NGOs and funders a plus.

Responsibilities:

  • Build and effectively manage relationships on a day-to-day basis with a wide range of project partners
  • Run on a day-to-day basis the project news website focused on climate change adaptation and resilience
  • Edit blogs from project partners and commission and edit to a high standard news stories from a string of freelance reporters; help coordinate video coverage with Foundation video team
  • Build a strong network of freelance reporters in Africa’s Sahel, Myanmar, South Sudan and other countries
  • Run the project’s social media accounts and find innovative ways to boost followers and readership
  • Run monthly online discussions and help organise other discussion panels
  • Help organise and run occasional journalism training events in project countries
  • Work with Foundation web development team to design effective changes to project website
  • Produce plans and reports and respond to partner requests for input to project plans and reports
  • Represent the Foundation externally
  • Other duties as assigned

Skills:

  • Highly organised , highly productive team player able to work efficiently and effectively with a wide range of partners, including partners abroad and in other organisations
  • Self-starter, able to meet deadlines, solve problems and show grace under pressure
  • Strong editor with at least three years experience as staff with a news organisation 
  • Demonstrated understanding of climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction issues
  • Experience managing donor-funded projects  and putting together project reports
  • Fluent spoken and written French and English, ability to edit precisely and effectively in French and English
  • University degree
  • Experience working with NGOs preferred
  • Experience working in the developing world, particularly Africa or Asia, or experience running remote teams in these regions preferred
  • Experience building social media following a plus
  • Experience with web production a plus
  • Multi-media skills in audio and video production a plus
  • Experience teaching journalism training courses a plus


The deadline for applications is Dec 14. To apply, send your CV and a cover letter describing how you meet the specifications and what you bring to the job to laurie.goering@thomsonreuters.com . Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted; interviews will be held in the third week of December or in early January for an early February start.



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