Media Mentor

[Erbil,Iraq ]

ABOUT THE PROJECT

 The Rooted in Trust project works to combat COVID-19 rumors and misinformation in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iraq, Colombia, Brazil Mali, DRC, Zimbabwe, Sudan, and South Sudan. We work to create impact at the local level and inform approaches to rumor management at the global level. The project is supported by a Global Technical Advisory Team made up of media, humanitarian, data science, and information management experts.

In Phase 1 of the project, we collected more than 19 thousand rumors in 14 languages and supported more than 30 local trusted information providers. In this critical phase of the pandemic, we will build on these efforts to listen and respond to the information challenges faced by vulnerable groups in humanitarian contexts, encouraging open dialogue between citizens and scientists and stronger and more collaborative partnerships between information providers (such as local media) and humanitarian and health sources.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

The Media Mentor will manage relationships between the project team and the local media. As the project’s health media specialist, the Media Mentor will help to better understand and respond to the needs of journalists during the pandemic in relation to training, information, and ensuring they are equipped to report on the scientific aspects of the pandemic and to combat misinformation.

DAY-TO-DAY TASKS will include:

• Media Support
  • Create a database of media organizations and prominent journalists in Iraq, including a basic brief of capacity, language needs, and key contacts;
  • Create or support existing peer-to-peer learning platforms for journalists in Iraq to understand the needs of journalists and media organizations, and connect them with training, resources, and opportunities to collaborate;
  • Collaborate with the Internews Health team to design and deliver training to journalists on health and science reporting or topics related to combatting misinformation;
  • Localize and contextualize global pandemic reporting resources created for journalists to ensure they meet the needs of local journalists;
  • Connect with smaller, community-based media and media who may broadcast in different languages to assess their needs;
  • Connect with local, national, and regional media and journalists associations;
  • Investigate what platforms (if any) are being used by media in Iraq to share COVID-19 related information – particularly media and news outlets are known to be utilized by marginalized and displaced populations;
  • Establish, or contribute to existing, information sharing platforms to connect media with verified information and Internews products and support;
  • Track the use of Internews partner-generated content and information;
  • Connect with Media Engagement and training specialists in Internews offices in the region to provide support in accessing COVID-19 information and resources to support programming.

• Media Roundtables: Organize semi-regular roundtable events designed to discuss pressing timely issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • This will include: choosing the appropriate date/platform/venue; identifying guests and topics; etc.
  • Identify media and Internews partners to invite to the event, including large and small media houses, freelance journalists and influencers as well as humanitarian and health agencies;
  • Design feedback methodology to evaluate event(s).

 

QUALIFICATIONS WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Required

• 5+ years of relevant working experience in the media Iraq as a senior journalist, reporter, presenter, or editor;
• Experience translating complex health and science issues for an audience;
• Experience developing and implementing training for journalists;
• Strong experience with communication, media development, social media monitoring, or similar;
• Experience working in humanitarian contexts and/or working in challenging environments and having a strong understanding of how to work with local authorities, international agencies like the UN, INGOs and local organizations and community representatives;
• Excellent information management skills;
• Strong interpersonal communication, organizational, teamwork, facilitation, and presentation skills;
• Strong writing skills and proven ability to produce high-quality reports and to working under tight deadlines;
• Fluent written and spoken English;

• Fluent in written and spoken Kurdish and Arabic;

• Understanding of and demonstrated commitment to upholding Internews’ Core Values.

Preferred

Note: Candidates who do not have these preferred qualifications, but are interested and willing to learn, are encouraged to apply.

• Fluency in French is a distinct advantage
• Awareness of, and familiarity with, the issues and dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iraq and/or other health crises in humanitarian contexts is a strong asset

Interested candidates need to send their CVs to

[email protected] with the subject title “Media Mentor -RiT” not later than (13 September 2021).

 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview, applications sent beyond that date will not be considered.

 

CVs in formats other than PDF and Word will be disregarded.