Project Director, Protecting Independent Media

Internews seeks an experienced Project Director for a four-year European Commission (EC)-funded project to advance the global response to increasing the resilience of at-risk Independent Media. The Project Director will lead and manage a consortium of four international NGO and academic implementing partners, overseeing and coordinating the design and implementation of a diverse portfolio of activities in multiple countries worldwide, as well as project monitoring and evaluation and a robust learning agenda. Strong skills in project financial management and communications are required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Lead the Inception Phase of the project, working closely with consortium members, the EC, and other awardees to finalize target country selection, select research initiatives, draft the project workplan and monitoring and evaluation plan, and determine country-based activities.
• Serve as Internews’ primary point of contact with the European Commission, establishing and managing strong partnerships and dialogue with EC representatives in Brussels as well as country-level delegations.
• Effectively manage the project consortium, ensuring transparent communication processes and protocols.
• Pro-actively coordinate activity design and management with Internews Regional and Thematic Directors who manage Internews programming in key geographic regions and technical areas.
• Provide strategic, operational and representational assistance to ensure that activities are meeting their goals and targets, recommending program adjustments when necessary to keep the project on track;
• Regularly travel to London and Brussels, as well as target countries, for project and donor management purposes;
• Cultivate and strengthen relationships with local partner organizations and ensure that implementation is responsive to the needs of partners and beneficiaries;
• Track and report project progress and activities monthly against work plans;
• Oversee program monitoring and evaluation to ensure effective implementation and to measure activity impact;
• Working with the Monitoring and Evaluations specialist and team, ensure a robust learning agenda and deliver a learning symposium at project’s end with the consortium and EC.
• Maintain a thorough knowledge of key issues affecting Independent Media (print, broadcast, digital), and a general understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing Independent Media globally;
• Ensure the project is in compliance with all grant and cooperative agreement rules, requirements and regulations as well as with Internews internal policies and procedures;
• Serve as the primary budget authority over the project, responsible for ensuring all costs charged to the project are allowable, reasonable and correctly allocated;
• Accept fiduciary responsibility for all funds advanced for the purpose of the project;
• Understanding of and demonstrated commitment to upholding Internews’ Core Values.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Manage and oversee all project staff. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

QUALIFICATIONS

• At least 10 years of experience in media and program development, including senior-level management of personnel and financial administration;
• Donor grant management experience with EU funding and wider donor experience is essential;
• Professional experience in the media sector is an asset; experience managing assistance programs supporting media and/or civil society required.
• Experience as a manager or trainer with professional capacity-building programs for journalists and media outlets an asset.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in some or all of the following areas: traditional, digital, and social media; media and internet law and policy; information disorders/ disinformation; and/or sustainability models for media;
• Excellent soft skills, including diplomacy, interpersonal and communication skills, with a problem-solving attitude and as a self-starter who works both independently and as a collaborative team player;
• Willingness to travel regularly to London and Brussels, as well as target country visits;
• Additional language skills are a plus;
• University degree or equivalent experience.

Vacancy Timeframe:

Deadline for applications: 09 May 2024

Candidates must submit a succinct cover letter of no more than 2 pages explaining how they satisfy the requirements of the role, and a CV highlighting relevant experience. Successful candidate will also be asked to provide three professional referees, one of whom must be from their most recent employer.

The above noted job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give the associate a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of their position. As the nature of business demands change so, too, may the essential functions of this position.

This position will be located in the United Kingdom and therefore a successful applicant must both be present in the UK for the duration of the assignment and be able to demonstrate their Right to Work in the UK in order to commence employment.