Vacancy: East Africa Press Officer
Communications and Africa Divisions (Nairobi Office)
Application Deadline: Open Until Filled
Human Rights Watch (“HRW”) is seeking highly qualified applicants for the position of a full-time or part-time (minimum 25 hours a week) East Africa Press Officer to promote Human Rights Watch’s work to the media in the East Africa region.
The Press Officer will report jointly to the Communications Director and the Africa Advocacy Director based in New York and Nairobi respectively.
Responsibilities:
- Distribute press materials, such as news releases and reports, to media in Kenya and East Africa;
- Pitch story ideas about human rights to relevant journalists;
- Coordinate response with relevant staff for media queries about Human Rights Watch research and human rights issues;
- Develop contacts with national and international journalists in East Africa;
- Promote Human Rights Watch’s work from outside East Africa to national and regional media;
- Help maintain and build Human Rights Watch’s media contact database;
- Assist the Africa Advocacy Director and other staff in planning and implementing media strategies in Kenya and East Africa;
- Assist the Africa Advocacy Director in drafting op-eds, advocacy letters and organizing of the Nairobi film festival;
- Assist with preparation for news conferences, meetings, and special events;
- Monitor media coverage; and
- Carry out other duties as required.
Qualifications:
Education: A degree in journalism, English, or other relevant fields is required; an advanced degree is desirable.
Experience: A minimum of 3 years of experience in journalism is required.
Related Skills and Knowledge:
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Swahili are required. Proficiency in other working languages of the Africa Union is desirable.
- Experience working in a demanding, diverse, and fast-paced media environment both independently and as a member of a team is required.
- Strong network of contacts with key interlocutors in East Africa media scene is required.
- Ability to multi-task effectively, including strong planning and organizing skills, and ability to work under pressure are required.
- Strong interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively within HRW as well as with local partners and external media partners are required.
Other: Applicants for this position must possess current Kenyan work authorization valid for a minimum of two years from start date.
Salary: HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation.
Contact: Please submit a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, a brief pitch note for a recent HRW report (unedited by others), and contact information for three references to pressjobs@hrw.org.
Please use “East Africa Press Officer Ref COMMS-15-1046” as the subject of your email.
Only complete applications will be reviewed and only qualified candidates will be contacted.
Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices and, in order to build the strongest possible workforce, actively seeks a diverse applicant pool.
Human Rights Watch is an international human rights monitoring and advocacy organization known for its in-depth investigations, its incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success in changing the human rights-related policies and practices of influential governments and international institutions.