Job Opportunity // Become a Copy Editor at Code for Africa. Apply before 9th Feb

Job Opportunity // Become a Copy Editor at Code for Africa. Apply before 9th Feb

Are you a master wordsmith, who excels at making copy clear and memorable? Code for Africa (CfA) has an immediate vacancy for a veteran English-language Copy Editor to join Code for Africa’s Engagement team to support initiatives across the continent.

The successful candidate will have extensive editorial experience and excellent proofreading skills and will work as part of a multinational team that uses digital collaboration tools to create content for a global audience and international partners.

The position is based at one of the CfA’s hubs in Kenya, Nigeria or South Africa. The job is also open to exceptional applicants from elsewhere in Africa.

Apply before 9th February 2021.

About Code for Africa

Code for Africa (CfA) is the continent’s largest network of civic technology and data journalism labs, with teams in 18 countries. 

CfA builds digital democracy solutions that give citizens unfettered access to actionable information that empowers them to make informed decisions, and that strengthens civic engagement for improved public governance and accountability. 

This includes building infrastructures like the continent’s largest open data portals at openAFRICA and sourceAFRICA, as well as incubating initiatives as diverse as the africanDRONE network, the PesaCheck fact-checking initiative and the sensors.AFRICA air quality sensor network. 

CfA also manages that African Network of Centres for Investigative Reporting (ANCIR), which gives the continent’s best muckraking newsrooms the best possible forensic forensic data tools, digital security and whistleblower encryption to help improve their ability to tackle crooked politicians, organised crime and predatory big business. CfA also runs one of Africa’s largest skills development initiatives for digital journalists, and seed funds cross-border collaboration.

Preferred Candidate for the Copy Editor at Code for Africa position

Candidates must have a demonstrable track record of professional sub-editing in a journalistic or communications environment, as well as excellent English language writing skills. An understanding of technology innovation, or digital activism/democracy topics will be an added advantage.

The successful candidate will join CfA’s Engagement team, which is responsible for building public engagement with the civic technologies and digital journalism created by our teams in 18 African countries.

Required: minimum requirements include

• Minimum of 3 years sub-editing experience in a fast-paced newsroom or in the digital journalism space.
• Excellent knowledge of grammar and proper compositional practices, to aid in rewriting and proofreading often complex copy.
• Excellent explanatory writing and editing skills, with a strong command of English. 
• Rigorous research skills, an obsessive commitment to accuracy and attention to detail in order to verify information on diverse topics. 
• The ability to work fast, creatively and accurately under pressure to deliver content that is credible, consistent and always factually correct.
• Excellent knowledge of current affairs, and critical-thinking skills.
• Strong organisational and decision-making skills.
• Strong command of different styles of writing for a wide range of audiences

Preferred: characteristics that will give you a competitive advantage

• A keen understanding of how to integrate data into compelling storytelling.
• Experience at transforming traditional journalism into visual storytelling, including how to most effectively integrate social video and/or infographics.
• Experience in using digital collaboration tools, including Slack, Google Drive, and Trello to manage editorial workflows.
• The ability to communicate and work effectively with multicultural writers, editors, and project team members who work remotely and in different time zones.

About the Role for the Copy Editor at Code for Africa position

The successful candidate will join CfA’s Engagement team in Kenya, Nigeria or South Africa (although other African locations will be considered) in support of CfA’s digital labs and newsroom partners across 18 African countries. 

The Engagement team is responsible for managing CfA’s public audience, by curating our platforms, communications and brand. The team actively works to grow CfA’s reputation and amplify our thought leadership and accomplishments through compelling multimedia storytelling.

You will work closely with the Engagement team, and regularly collaborate with other teams in each of the countries where CfA operates, in order to edit copy from a variety of sources. The content produced will be published on CfA’s platforms, and will also be syndicated with various media partners. 

You will be working to uphold CfA’s writing and journalistic standards, and to ensure that all written content published by CfA is technically accurate, adheres to our style/voice, and meets the needs of our team and partners across the development and civic technology sectors, and is accessible to our key audiences.  

You should have solid news judgement and a thorough understanding of the different styles of writing and subject matter relevant to a leading civic technology organisation.

You will work alongside a number of other editorial experts, including copywriters, researchers, writers, data analysts, designers, and social media strategists.

Responsibilities for the Copy Editor at Code for Africa position

• Sub-edit, revise edit and proofread copy produced by CfA teams
• Verify facts, dates and statistics using standard references sources
• Develop and articulate a clear voice for CfA content 
• Sub-edit infographics and other visual graphics created by the design and data team
• Ensure publication standards, goals and expectations are met
• Adhere to and maintain CfA’s standards for copy and style

What Code for Africa will  offer

• A competitive salary, subject to experience, with opportunities for performance-based growth, both in terms of career path and public stature.
• A dynamic workplace, with a transnational team, and generous vacation benefits.
• Ongoing opportunities to learn new skills, techniques and technologies to future-proof yourself in a rapidly evolving industry.
• A chance to shine on a global stage, writing for international audiences and interacting with colleagues around the world.

How to apply:

Please fill in this form by 09 February 2020