Commissioning Editor Consultant

Start Date: ASAP

Location: Middle East

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About this role

Purpose

The Commissioning Editor is responsible for producing and overseeing the production of multimedia news, features, analysis, op-eds, and other content, within the core themes of aid effectiveness, refugees and migration, climate change and food security, conflicts, and militancy, with a particular focus on the Middle East and assigned projects.

Work model

Consultancy Agreement – 3 days per week / 24 hours per week 

Working relationships

• Reporting to: The Head of Editorial
• Positions managed: Freelance Reporters / Editors, Humanitarian Media Sector Partners.
• Key relationships: Audience and Product team, and Editorial team

Main duties and responsibilities

Editorial

• Work collaboratively with the team to set editorial priorities for coverage of the assigned region and for assigned thematic reporting.
• Monitor developments throughout the coverage area, in particular within TNH’s core themes of aid policy and practice, conflict, displacement, climate change and ‘natural’ hazards/disasters, displacement, food security and health emergencies.
• Devise and take on reporting and storytelling methods that fully centre the communities at the heart of migration and displacement coverage, by including their members in both identifying coverage areas and providing information.
• Conduct thorough research, mapping and consultations to stay abreast of developments in the region and within assigned areas of thematic reporting.
• Periodically report and write articles, briefs, Q&As, newsletter items, in-house updates and other editorial content as requested or agreed with the Head of Editorial, working both from the field and the desk.
• Manage special projects as assigned, including timely fulfilment of project deliverables, managing the budget and working with the outreach and marketing team to report to donors and promote the coverage.
• Ensure that the high-quality content is produced and published on time: line-edit, copy-edit, fact-check, perform quality control and present content that adheres to TNH’s editorial focus, standards and mission, and guide the piece through the production cycle.
• Work in collaboration with the Audience and Product Team on presentation formats and ensure that maps, graphics, and other visual material are accurate and appropriate.
• Update landing pages for assigned special projects or timely collections of thematic content;
• Promote coverage via social media channels, in collaboration with the Audience and Product team.
• Occasionally edit copy from other regions or perform other editorial tasks, as assigned by the Head of Editorial.

Managing contributors

• Manage and expand the existing network of regional and topical contributors.
• Conduct compliance reviews on contributors and freelancers according to in-house guidelines in collaboration with the Finance, Administration and Compliance team.
• Ensure full completion and timely risk assessments of the travels, contracts, expense requests and invoices of the freelancers and contributors.
• Set up and monitor daily check-ins with freelancers and contributors when travelling to dangerous areas, according to the procedure in approved risk assessments.
• Keep records of commissions and pitches according to in-house guidelines.

Outreach and Representation

• Identify and work with local contributors who can provide reporting, analysis and opinion from the regions covered by TNH; who add diverse perspectives to the TNH staff team; and who bring lived experience.
• Build a network of diverse contributors and sources and document this network so it can be tapped by other TNH staff.
• Establish networks with key stakeholders and influencers in humanitarian crises reporting.
• Represent TNH at panel discussions, private briefings and consultations, conferences, and other speaking engagements to position TNH as a thought leader, increase its visibility, and promote our migration and associated reporting.
• Support monitoring & evaluation efforts by documenting the reach of stories produced, where possible (i.e., sharing feedback etc).
• As warranted and agreed with the head of editorial, participate in collaborative reporting projects with other media organisations.
• In collaboration with the head of editorial, identify one or two key reporting themes or projects each year from which to build out enterprise and/or explanatory reporting projects of global interest to both the core aid policy audience and a wider audience.
• Assess all coverage decisions against newsroom and organisational goals, especially impact and decolonisation.
• In collaboration with senior editorial colleagues, devise new products to expand engagement and reach.