Regional Editorial Coordinator At Okapi Consulting

Okapi Consulting is recruiting a Regional Editorial Coordinator to lead the editorial content for Radio Ndarason Internationale, a regional radio station broadcasting across the Lake Chad Basin on Shortwave and FM in Kanuri, Kanembu and Buduma. RNI has studios in Maiduguri, Nigeria and in N’Djamena, Chad which produce programs in Kanuri, Kanembu, Buduma and French. RNI is a regional radio network broadcasting across the entire Lake Chad basin region on shortwave and FM, as well as via live streaming. RNI was set up and is managed by Okapi Consulting (South Africa). The network provides a platform that allows for the free flow of information across the Lake Chad basin, regardless of borders or physical barriers. This regional radio network interacts with the estimated 10 million Kanuri/Kanembu speakers as well as those who speak Buduma and French to encourage a constructive dialogue for peace and progress in a region decimated by poverty, lack of education and violent extremism. With progress comes stability and with stability the possibility of sustainability. In this part of the world, radio is the overwhelmingly dominant means of communication. We are an innovative and rapidly growing organisation, working at the nexus between media and peacebuilding. Find out more on our website; www.ndarason.com

We are looking for a talented, motivated, and experienced Regional Editorial Coordinator to be based in N’Djamena, to join our international team. The post is based in N’Djamena, Chad, with frequent travel to the region.

Okapi Consulting is an international organisation working in media in conflict zones.

Essential responsibilities

The Regional Editorial Coordinator will lead and manage a team of nearly 70 journalists, producers, administrators, freelancers and technicians in Maiduguri and N’Djamena. S/he will be responsible for ensuring quality subject matter, production values, and structure of interviews, vox pops, news and current affairs, and all programs. S/he will coordinate closely with the Regional Coordinator to ensure project goals and objectives are met. S/he will also work with the Operations and Finance Officer and Human Resources, and will be involved in engagement & management, performance management, special project / programs management.

The Regional Editor-in chief will work closely with the Nigeria editor-in-chief, and the head of programmes, as well as producers and journalists. The position reports to the Regional Coordinator. S/he will also liaise closely with Okapi Consulting Directors.

Job description

• Manage teams of current affairs and programme production staff across 4 countries
• Lead daily production of regional current affairs programming
• Choose and commission regional content for RNI programmes
• Together with other key staff members, supervise and ensure quality of RNI’s outputs
• Liaise with content producing partners
• Lead on new content-sharing and producing partnerships
• Innovate around regional programming
• Work closely with the Regional Coordinator to ensure that all RNI programmes are in line with RNI’s mandate and the needs of its target audience
• Supervise and work closely with the Editor in Chief in Nigeria
• Identify staff training needs
• Lead internal training together with the Heads of News and of Programmes
• Ensure that findings from listener groups and other M&E surveys are fed back to producers and so into programmes and current affairs
• Liaise closely with M&E teams
• Contribute to donor reports and new proposals
• Help initiate and edit all website content
• Assist with improving and extending RNI’s social media presence
• When necessary, stand in for RNI Regional Coordinator and/or Nigeria Country Director
• Help interview and choose members of programmes and news/current affairs teams

Requirements

• At least 10 years of experience in current affairs radio programme production / management
• Experience managing journalists / newsrooms / production teams
• Experience working in Africa. Preference given to applicants with experience working in the Lake Chad basin
• Experience working in a conflict zone
• Fluency in French and English
• Understanding of budgets and financial controls within an NGO
• Experience working in a large team across several countries

The successful candidate must have excellent interpersonal skills, strong oral and written communications skills and should be an excellent listener. S/he must have excellent analytical skills, good reasoning abilities, and sound judgment. S/he will also be able to thrive in a fast-paced environment and will demonstrate strong understanding of the cultural and social environments that exist in the region and will have the willingness and ability to work effectively with a wide variety of people. S/he will develop and maintain productive professional relationships with a broad spectrum of stakeholders within the organization and throughout the radio project.