Global Voices (GV) is seeking a part-time bilingual Arabic/English Regional Editor for its coverage of the Middle East and North Africa

Screen grab from a video taken on January 25, 2015 at the Global Voices 2015 Summit in Cebu, Philippines. Video by Global Voices and PR Works.

Global Voices (GV) is seeking a part-time bilingual Arabic/English Regional Editor for its coverage of the Middle East and North Africa

Are you a writer and editor who's knowledgable and curious about all facets of the Middle East and North Africa? Are you excited about shaping ideas into stories, social media posts, and other editorial outputs, in collaboration with a diverse community?

If you answered “yes” to the questions above, you might consider applying for the position of Regional Editor for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

The regional editor will be responsible both for editing stories written by Global Voices’ volunteer contributors and writing stories. GV stories focus on topics such as internet culture, freedom of speech online, technology and digital rights, human rights, diversity and representation, and language diversity, among others.

The editor will work with a diverse community of contributors who write stories, or share ideas for stories, and who set the editorial agenda for the region—proposing ideas, sharing knowledge, and providing leads.

For the purposes of this role, the MENA region includes: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Western Sahara, Yemen.

The regional editor will:

• Write articles about the region in English
• Edit articles written in English or translated from Arabic to English by our volunteer contributors
• Edit articles written in Arabic by our volunteer contributors
• Closely follow alternative sources of information in the region, including citizen media, citizen-created content, content from leading opinion-makers at the crossroads of technology and information, and other news and stories in the MENA region
• Work closely with media partners from the region to select and repackage stories adapting for a global audience, and promote and republish Global Voices stories on partner sites
• Stay engaged with the Global Voices newsroom and the larger community to participate in cross-regional projects
• Work in accordance with Global Voices community and editorial guidelines, mission and culture

Successful candidates for the position will:

• Be fluent in English and Arabic; French will be considered a plus
• Have strong editing skills in English
• Have proven news-sourcing and news-writing ability
• Be able to write sensitively and knowledgeably about local issues for a global audience
• Have a sound grasp of issues relating to countries in MENA, and sound editorial judgment on regional issues
• Have a thorough understanding of citizen media, mainstream media, local press and social media dynamics in the region, including knowledge of the credible social media and citizen voices in the region
• Understand digital rights, freedom of speech, and activism-related issues and dynamics in the region
• Have skill and experience with team leadership, community management and teamwork
• Be comfortable to work with others in a loosely structured, wholly virtual work environment
• Have high computer literacy
• Have reliable access to a broadband internet connection
• Be available for GV work 10 hours a week
• Be able to demonstrate a strong commitment to Global Voices’ mission and values.

Global Voices is a global, virtual organization supported by the paid and volunteer efforts of people on every continent. The engine of the Global Voices newsroom is a team of part-time editors who work with volunteer authors around the world to highlight stories and perspectives that are underrepresented in international mainstream media.

There is no geographic requirement associated with this position; Global Voices has no office or physical headquarters. Candidates must be comfortable setting their own schedules and working in a wholly virtual environment.

We strongly welcome candidates from outside North America and Western Europe and encourage people currently contributing to the Global Voices project to apply.

The position is part-time, and is treated as a freelance contract.

To apply:

Submit a résumé and a cover letter in English that highlights your work and explains why you would be a great fit for Global Voices to jobs@globalvoices.org. Please include your name and “MENA Regional Editor” in the subject line. The application deadline is 11:59pm EST (GMT -4) on June 19, 2020.

Originally published in Global Voices.