Position Filled: IFEX Regional Editor for Middle East and North Africa

Please note this position has been filled.

IFEX is looking for a Regional Editor for the Middle East and North Africa Region, to contribute to IFEX communications and campaigns that reflect and respond to our regional members’ issues and priorities.

One-year independent contractor contract
Application Deadline: 15 July 2019

IFEX is a global network of more than 100 member organisations based in over 65 countries around the world that promote and defend the right to freedom of expression and information. The IFEX Secretariat is based in Toronto, Canada.

We are looking for a Regional Editor for the Middle East and North Africa Region.

As a Regional Editor, you will help IFEX maintain a strong connection with events, trends, media and influencers in your region. You will contribute to IFEX communications and campaigns that reflect and respond to our regional members’ issues and priorities.

  • Do you enjoy connecting with people, and working collaboratively on projects?
  • Are you tuned into what’s going on in the free expression and broader human rights landscape in the Middle East, North Africa and beyond?
  • Are you a bit obsessed with staying informed, right up to the minute?
  • Are you a self-starter, and good with deadlines?
  • Do you want to use your writing skills to inform and engage people on important issues?
  • Are you savvy about using social media as a tool for advocacy and to grow audiences?
  • Are you energized by finding ways to engage with and share information with others?
  • Are you fluent in English and Arabic and maybe even French?
  • Familiar with Hootsuite and WordPress?

If this sounds like you… you might be the person we’re looking for!

What does a Regional Editor do?

REs are an important link between the IFEX Secretariat and the regions where IFEX members are based. They monitor free expression news and developments in their region, checking websites and social media channels of IFEX members and others, daily. They liaise with IFEX members on communications-related topics, and help connect IFEX with media and influencers in their region.

They contribute their knowledge and expertise to IFEX through a number of activities, including:

  • Recommending IFEX member stories about their region as well as of global significance to republish on ifex.org and publish in the weekly e-newsletter;
  • Writing a monthly round-up article (in English) for IFEX.org that brings together free expression-related news and trends in and about their region, based on reports from IFEX members and others;
  • Identifying, developing and writing between 4 and 8 other original articles/year;
  • Uploading their own content onto the IFEX website CMS;
  • Contributing to strategies to build regional audiences and engagement and connect with allies, media and influencers;
  • Writing and scheduling tweets (using Hootsuite) in English and Arabic that contribute to an @IFEX social media presence that is engaging, useful, consistent and credible;
  • Liaising with their regional counterparts on IFEX’s Network Engagement Team to contribute ideas and activities related to communications.

What is the time commitment?

The contract is part-time (average is 80 hours/month) and the hours are fairly flexible, but it does require being online daily.

If you’re interested, please send a cover letter and CV to hiring (@) ifex.org, with “MENA Regional Editor” in the subject line.