Analyst, Narrative Change at Luminate

ROLE 

The Analyst, Narrative Change is a critical hire for our Narrative Change team. Narratives are the ideas and themes that emerge from the stories that we tell each other and that surround us in different formats—TV series, podcasts, news, movies and beyond.
Luminate’s Narrative Change work focuses on seeding new narratives and challenging harmful ones by 1) Supporting underrepresented stories and voices; 2) Leveraging pop culture and entertainment industries for social change; 3) Strengthening our grantees’ ability to influence public discourse on important issues.  
The Analyst will work in an operational role to implement and support initiatives to help our portfolio become more impactful. This role will support our team’s administrative and project management capabilities. Activities will include administrative execution of grants and contracts, database administration/management, data collection and analysis, event planning, information/knowledge management, communications support, and overall project planning/management.

OPPORTUNITY 

Luminate works to enable people to fully participate in civic and political life, to safely challenge power, and to access accurate, trustworthy information. We place a strong emphasis on supporting underrepresented groups who face structural barriers. Harmful narratives are a structural barrier for underrepresented groups, as these underpin, justify, and even reinforce systems of injustice, and can often lead to violence and repression. At its core, our Narrative Change work is about shifting power. It’s about challenging the stereotypes that hold society back and supporting underrepresented groups to own the narratives about themselves and the conditions that shape their lives. We believe that Narrative Change and storytelling can be powerful tools in creating just, inclusive societies.

Our Narrative Change program and projects require implementation support, such as processing of contracts/grants, data collection and entry, event management, and overall project management. The Narrative Change team is seeking a motivated, highly detail-oriented, and dedicated team player who will be responsible for the behind-the-scenes support to enhance our global initiatives and serve regional priorities. The ideal candidate has experience maintaining and improving operational processes and systems. Candidates who have an interest in how narratives can increase civic and political participation, protecting human rights, and hold social media platforms to account are encouraged to apply. 

TEAM 

The Analyst will be an integral member of the Narrative Change team, based in London, UK or Nairobi, Kenya. They will report to the Principal, Narrative Change who is based in Washington, DC.

Successful candidates must currently be located in either London, UK or Nairobi, Kenya and have the right to work in the location where they are based. Competitive salary and benefits are offered.

RESPONSIBILITIES 

The individual in this role will be expected to focus on:   

Support the efforts to build and manage a portfolio of global grants.  

• Help manage, monitor and coordinate a grants portfolio, including: taking shortlisted opportunities through a well-defined approval and funding process, including preparing all relevant documentation, conducting necessary diligence on prospects, undertaking periodic reviews of progress with grantees and reviewing financial and written reporting. 
• Help monitor the performance of the team and of its partner organisations by collecting and analysing data and reporting.  
• Under the supervision of the Principal, Narrative Change, work closely with existing partner organisations on strategic efforts to help them achieve their social impact potential.    

Manage internal and external activities and events to help advance Luminate’s Narrative Change goals.

• Provide logistical support for events, delegations, and meetings that seek to engage partners (content creators, entertainment industry professionals, influencers, civil society organizations) around social issues and the seeding of new narratives related to Luminate’s areas of work.  
• Provide logistical support to projects where Luminate is directly implementing work in the field.  

Contribute to the team’s strategy by collecting and communicating insights, evidence, data and strategic reflections related to our work and, in general, the field of Narrative Change.  

• Work on the conceptualisation and refinement of relevant research to advance the field of Narrative Change and our program’s objectives.  
• Support the team in their efforts to share knowledge with the broader Narrative Change field.  
• Work with other teams across Luminate to surface opportunities and learnings, and to maximize the impact of Luminate’s Narrative Change efforts organization wide.  

EXPERIENCE & SKILLS 

Note: we view this section as a guide, not a checklist. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t satisfy every single bullet on this list. 

• Proven administrative, operations and project management skills- including the ability to implement projects, processes and systems, both independently and with colleagues. 
• Deep strategic and analytical skills – ability to evaluate proposed opportunities from multiple perspectives (strategic fit, expected impact, operational capability, business model, etc.); appreciation of analytical rigor and clarity.   
• An understanding of how narratives can influence social change processes. 
• Professional experience engaging with high-profile individuals, civil society, and other high-level stakeholders. 
• Excellent communication skills – good writing and presentation skills in English; ability to communicate clearly.  
• Excellent interpersonal skills – ability to work collaboratively with colleagues around the world.  
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products and a willingness to learn and become efficient in grants-management software (I.e. Salesforce).  
• University degree associated. Graduate degree is a plus.   

Preferred Experience:  

• Candidates who have experience with Narrative Change efforts, impact campaigns or content creation are highly preferred. 
• The ideal candidate would have lived and/or professional experience with those whom Luminate seeks to serve, particularly those from underrepresented populations including women, racial and ethnic minorities, LGBT+ populations and youth. 

REQUIRED

• The ideal candidate is aligned with Luminate's values, including Luminate's diversity policy
• The role requires an estimated 30 percent regional and international travel (around a week abroad every 8-12 weeks)