Senior Programme Officer - Media and Protection at Article 19

JOB SUMMARY

The Senior Programme Officer for Media and Protection leads ARTICLE 19’s work to promote and protect media pluralism, media freedom and public interest so that the media landscape reflects better the interests and needs of women, sexual and gender minorities, equitable access, regional representation, media ethics, public service media, public interest journalism and other critical elements. The Senior Programme will also work to enhance the safety and security of individuals and organisations working to protect and promote freedom of expression and information, as reflected in our strategy, bringing strong project management skills, serving as the primary focal point on our “Media and Protection” thematic areas across the organisation. In collaboration with relevant teams, the Senior Programme Officer will identify new strategic areas for ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa’s consolidation and growth as a leading advocate organisation for free expression, effective protection of activists and organisations, particularly journalists, bloggers, whistle blowers, social communicators and human rights defenders. Leading in advancing media and protection standards at global and regional fora, in collaboration with relevant teams, the Senior Programme Officer will be a primary force in ensuring effective coordination externally with key INGOs working on media and protection of FoE/I and internally within the organisation. The Senior Programme Officer will facilitate programmatic work in the Eastern Africa regional office and programmes, with a particular focus on supporting the monitoring of attacks on communicators and human rights defenders and deploying ARTICLE 19’s Holistic Protection Training.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy Development:

• Lead in the identification of new areas for ARTICLE 19’s consolidation and growth as a leading advocate for the effective protection of activists and organisations, particularly journalists, social communicators and human rights defenders;
• Lead in strengthening and understanding of the laws and regulatory frameworks necessary for a free, diverse and independent media, especially within the increasingly converged digital landscape while working with media regulators, media houses, journalism organisations, legislators and others;
• Continually scan the external environment and maintain a broad network with potential partners to identify project opportunities to expand Article 19 Eastern Africa’s work on media and protection;
• Develop and design new project proposals within the regional strategies, consistent with the organisation's strategy and in collaboration with relevant teams;
• Together with the relevant teams, develop strategic/operational plans and budgets for approval by senior management;
• Ensure strategy and implementation of projects incorporates a gender perspective, as per the organisational strategy, addressing the specific risks faced by women and LGBTI;
• Participate and contribute to the development of high-quality ARTICLE 19 FoE/I standards and principles in relation to media freedom, diversity and pluralism, through the appropriate internal coordination and consultation processes and practices of the organisation.

Programme Coordination and Management:

• Serve as the primary cross-organisational focal point for developing and coordinating ARTICLE 19’s work on media and protection of communicators and FoE/I activists at risk.
• Lead in the implementation of the organisations’ regional objectives (TOPs) on media and protection;
• Lead in building consensus and ensuring effective coordination with key INGOs working on protection of FoE/I, through coalitions, effective communications and other means, and develop and maintain collaboration and regular contact with ARTICLE 19 International and global partners, including national and international NGOs and CSOs, media, activists, and government officials, and identify collaborative means of developing strategies and programmes to advance FoE/I;
• Lead in the establishment, development and implementation of effective digital platforms for the submission of individual cases to regional and UN mechanisms, aiming at its use by lead INGOs on protection of FoE/I;
• In collaboration with other regional staff and programmes, support the development, design and, implementation of programmes that respond to regional opportunities and needs of protection of FoE/I activists and journalists, including by developing a pool of training curricula, security protocols and other tools, and adapting them to the needs on the ground;
• Provide expert advice to the organisation on media and protection issues, including by ensuring quality of regional research outputs where relevant;
• Serve as the primary focal point for innovation, information sharing, collaboration and internal capacity building on protection and develop relevant internal resource materials for the organisation, in accordance with identified needs;
• Develop and design policies and concepts of regional campaigns on protection and contribute to the design and implementation of national campaigns on protection;
• Lead in the development of operational plans and budgets for the Media and Protection thematic areas, report and take action on variances and ensure implementation where necessary;
• Ensure compliance with internal reporting as per the annual and quarterly reports, as well as monitoring and evaluation of ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa work on media and protection, using performance indicators and other outcome measures.

Staff Management:

• Establish and grow gradually a regionally-based team and lead in its delivery of an expert media and protection programmes that ensure effective protection of FoE/I activists and practitioners;
• Line manage team members including through review of work plans and objectives, providing guidance and support as necessary, and assessment of work through regular appraisal, and identification of individual development needs, and motivate them to a higher performance;
• Organise the work of the team in an efficient, effective and coordinated fashion to ensure delivery of agreed outputs within budget;
• Lead as appropriate the recruitment of staff and consultants.

Fundraising:

Lead in ensuring sustainable funding for the regional media and protection programmes, and lead in the identification and response to fundraising opportunities that will enable us to deliver the regional media and protection of FoE/I strategic outcomes, including by:

• Maintaining current donor and partner relationships, including through quality communications and reporting;
• Monitoring fundraising opportunities, particular via partners and networks;
• Developing new relationships with potential donors;
• Scoping out and developing relationships with potential strategic partners and other stakeholders, including within the government, coordinating their input into ideas and proposals;
• Contribute towards the drafting and full development of ideas, concept notes and full proposals in coordination with the Fundraising and Compliance Officer.

Communications and Advocacy:

• Contribute and lead in the identification and delivery of the ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa’s regional external communication strategy on protection of FoE/I, in collaboration with the Communications Assistant;
• Represent the organisation, including at external meetings, as the regional spokesperson for ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa on media and protection of FoE/I issues, and with the media;
• Engagement on social media, actively communicating externally through Twitter and other social media platforms;
• Produce and review reports, statements and other external communications and advocacy outputs related to media and protection, and ensures the quality of those produced by members of the team;
• Develop and maintain ARTICLE 19 international media contacts, and disseminate and publicise ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa’s work, outputs and impact;
• Respond to inquiries and providing information on media and protection of FoE/I issues as required.

Other:

• Undertake other duties commensurate with the role as may reasonably be assigned by the Regional Director;
• Ensure maintenance and development of media and protection programme files, and contribute to the development of relevant information systems to improve institutional memory and learning.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL

Experience:

• At least 5 years experience in policy work, monitoring, advocacy and/or campaigning work in the human rights sector;
• At least 2 year experience of managing budgets and projects;
• Experience of working with partner organisations;
• Experience of working in a cross-cultural environment.

Education:

• Masters Degree level or equivalent with post-graduate qualification in human rights, law, African studies, international relations, political science, media, communication, or other relevant field being an added advantage.

Knowledge:

• Familiarity with human rights, freedom of expression and/or democratisation issues in Eastern Africa
• Familiarity with international and regional mechanisms for promoting and protecting human rights.
• Knowledge of politics and societies in Eastern Africa.

Skills:

• Able to operate on own initiative with demonstrable time-management skills
• Excellent written and spoken English and Kiswahili;
• Analytical and strategic planning skills;
• Excellent project management and administration skills (including financial management and reporting);
• Excellent research and report writing skills
• Excellent writing and presentation and advocacy skills;
• Excellent communication skills and sensitivity in working with people from various cultural and social backgrounds;
• Excellent organisational and logistical skills;
• Excellent skills in word-processing and working with spreadsheets;
• Familiarity with the use of e-mail and internet;
• Ability to work under pressure, with little administrative support and to meet strict deadlines.

Other:

• Commitment to ARTICLE 19’s values and objectives;
• Commitment to equal opportunities;
• Ability to travel extensively.

DESIRABLE

• Knowledge of French;
• Experience of working in an NGO environment;
• Experience with civil society capacity-building, including training;
• Experience in the media field;
• Research experience; and
• Experience of writing/editing publications.

Application deadline is 30th September 2019.