Media Sustainability Officer Internews Network Zambia

About Internews:

Internews is an international non-profit organization dedicated to giving people the news and information they need, the ability to connect, and the means to make their voices heard. Since its formation in 1982, Internews has worked in more than 100 countries worldwide. Working in Sub-Saharan Africa since 1998, Internews currently has offices and projects throughout the region with its regional office in Nairobi.  Internews USAID-funded Open Spaces Zambia project seeks to support an open, inclusive environment in which media and civil society provide accurate and impartial information that promotes participation, inclusion, and accountability.

Position Overview:

The Media Sustainability Officer provides technical support to project partners and is actively involved in the planning and delivery of the project’s business development and institutional capacity building of media partners. This position will train and support media managers, and marketing and advertisement personnel on financial management, marketing, and organizational development in order to improve their management structures, and revenue collection. This position which requires sound technical knowledge and skills in the areas of media business management/development, organizational development, planning and strategy, and finance and administration. This position will work under the supervision of the Programs Officer and in close collaboration with the Radio Journalism Trainer.

Description of main duties and responsibilities:  

Assessment

• Support assessments of the capabilities of selected radio stations and throughout the project ensure that training, mentoring, and resource creation addresses their professional development and learning needs.
• Closely coordinate with partner audience research company on the production of regular audience research and in particular establish comparability among media outlets.

Training & Mentorship

• Work with community radio stations on market studies and action plans that will enable them to systematically explore revenue generation.
• Provide training on core business skills– such as budgeting, financial management, goal setting and tracking results.
• Lead virtual and in-person training sessions for participants based on training agendas and content which are conducive to participant-led learning processes, incorporating adult-learning methodologies and trainer best practices.
• Provide ongoing mentoring to editors and media managers to increase knowledge and technical skills.
• Mentor media personnel on core management issues, with the ultimate goal of supporting retention of journalists and other media professionals/workers, as well as overall editorial independence.
• Provide practical advice to strengthen partner media outlets’ revenue generation capacities, in order to enable them to achieve financial sustainability.
• Coach media personnel to interact with local, national and international businesses, for revenue generation purposes on behalf of their media outlets.
• Guide media managers and personnel in linking market research and audience data with media programming and business operations.

Support for Resource & Curriculum Development

• Collaborate with the project team and partners to identify skill gaps/needs and existing resources.

Administration

• Maintain and build active relationships with businesses and advertising agencies throughout Zambia.
• Contribute to the writing and compiling of program reporting, including quarterly reports and other project-related reports.
• Provide technical support to Internews subgrant partners implementing training and mentoring programs.
• Help track project metrics that serve to measure the success of project activities.
• Draft, review and provide input to project work plans, proposals, and annual report.
• Complete other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Skills and Abilities

• Degree in business administration, media management, communications, or related field.
• Minimum of 4 years work experience in the media, advertising, or journalism sector, with demonstrable results.
• Radio experience at managerial level would be an advantage.
• Understanding of the Zambian business and advertising landscape.
• Interest in strategic business management, organizational capacity development, financial and operational analysis, financial reporting, etc.
• Experience in adult learning and/or organizing and providing training.
• Demonstrated organizational skills, ability to prioritize workload and multi-task in a fast-paced environment with a strong track record of meeting deliverables.
• Excellent soft skills, including interpersonal and communication skills, with a problem-solving attitude and as a self-starter who works both independently and as a collaborative team player.
• Must be self-reliant, resourceful, good problem-solver, good humored, and flexible.
• Ability to travel within and spend extended time in the field, with limited facilities.
• Zambian nationality required.