The International Fund for Public Interest Media (the International Fund) is looking for Regional Grants and Partnerships Manager and Regional Grants and Programmes Associate for Eastern Europe.

You can get acquainted with the announcements here․

Job Description – Regional Grants and Partnerships Manager for Eastern Europe

Location: Remote
Employment Type: Full-Time
Minimum Experience: Experienced

Position: Regional Grants and Programs Manager for Eastern Europe 
Location: Remote within Eastern Europe, ideally in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova or Ukraine
Language: The International Fund’s working language is English. Knowledge of languages spoken in the region would be an advantage. 
Timeline: Target start date of January 6th; applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the posting will remain open until filled.

The International Fund for Public Interest Media (the International Fund) is looking for an outstanding individual with a deep understanding of media and information ecosystem in Eastern Europe and an interest in grant-making to join our growing team. The ideal candidate will have a commitment to upholding freedom of expression and will be able to demonstrate a curiosity about the future of journalism. The successful candidate will support our work to sustain and develop  public interest media in the region.

The Role

Reporting directly to the Acting Regional Director for Eastern Europe, the Manager will:

• Support the development and implementation of the International Fund’s strategy for the region, including within selected focus countries, and help ensure that all strategies are context-specific and rooted in a clear political economy analysis of the countries concerned;
• In coordination with Regional Director (RD), and other staff members, manage grant-making processes – including identifying potential grantee- partners, undertaking direct solicitation exercises, reviewing applications and reports from grantees, developing the pipeline for the Fund, and organizing and managing calls for proposals;
• Support the development and execution of an approach to media ecosystem-level change across the medium to long term, through analyzing the enabling conditions, examining shortcomings and opportunities, engaging a broad set of partners, co-creating initiatives and identifying priority initiatives to support;
• Conduct research and due diligence to support grant-making, including but not limited to financial and editorial analysis and evaluation of leadership of media organizations that may qualify for grants;
• Manage grantee relationships and contribute to portfolio management
• Ensure compliance with donor regulations and requirements, including reporting protocols and templates, donor approval policies and procedures, and award close- out procedures;
• Collaborate closely with colleagues (particularly the What Works Unit and the Regional Director), including on monitoring and evaluation and generating learnings on what works with respect to funding and supporting public interest media;
• Monitor key developments in the information ecosystems in the region and implications for the International Fund strategies and its grantees, and undertake or commission market mapping and research ;
• Support the development of partnerships between CSOs, media development organizations, media, and governments (where appropriate) to improve strategies focused on improving public access to information in the region;
• Facilitate and ensure coordination, collaboration, and partnership with other media funders and media development actors active in the region;
• Support in monitoring and managing risks (including political risk) at the country and regional level; 
• Represent the International Fund in conferences and other events in Eastern Europe and around the world, in coordination with the Regional Director;
• Work closely with the Regional Director and Program Associates in liaising with grantee-partners to address program-related queries and concerns, identify and address challenges from the field, and facilitate cross-learning between and among grantee-partners;
• Support the International Fund’s partnership building and advocacy activities across the continent and beyond, including the convening of events, conferences, and seminars on protecting public interest media and advancing the organization’s impact goals;
• Any other task allocated by the Regional Director or other senior managers that may be required to advance the International Fund’s mission and vision in the region and globally.

Candidate Profile

Essential Profile

• Minimum 7+ years of relevant experience, including experience working in the information sector in the region;
• A deep understanding of journalism, media and information ecosystems in the region;
• An excellent understanding of media markets and business models and a vision for the future of journalism and information in Eastern Europe;
• Demonstrated ability to understand and navigate complex political dynamics, to undertake political economy analysis 
• A demonstrable commitment to public interest journalism;
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues across geographies and time zones;
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills;
• Strong organizational skills that reflect ability to multitask, prioritize, and solve problems;
• Experience working on multi stakeholder projects of wide scope;
• Autonomy and ability to adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving organization;
• Personal and professional integrity, flexibility, initiative, meticulous attention to detail, and a “can-do” attitude.

Desirable Profile

• Experience in financing or providing grants to media or civil society organizations;
• Solid understanding of and strong interest in how technology shape information ecosystems  
• Strong networks and in-depth knowledge of concepts and approaches relevant to supporting and sustaining public interest media in the region;
• Experience working with donors and/or International Organizations 
• Master’s degree or equivalent in either international relations or international development or related fields (a master’s degree in media and communications will be an advantage, but not a requirement);
• Experience designing, implementing, or overseeing monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks and tools;
• Experience working with and managing teams and projects in different locations.

Travel Requirements

Although the successful candidate will ideally be based in one of the focus countries of the Fund in the region, this role will require frequent travel across Eastern Europe, and other parts of the world. Travel frequency and destination is contingent on necessity, availability of budget, and consultation with the Regional Director.

Job Description – Regional Grants and Programmes Associate – Eastern Europe

Location: Remote
Employment Type: Full-Time
Minimum Experience: Mid-level

Position: Regional Grants and Programmes Associate
Location: Remote within Eastern Europe, ideally in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova or Ukraine
Language: The International Fund’s working language is English. Knowledge of languages in the region would be an advantage. 
Timeline: Target start date of January 6th; applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the posting will remain open until filled.

The International Fund for Public Interest Media (the International Fund) is looking for an outstanding individual with strong understanding of the media and grant-making sectors in Eastern Europe to join our growing team. The ideal candidate will have a commitment to upholding freedom of expression and will be able to demonstrate a curiosity about the future of journalism. The successful candidate will support our work to sustain and rebuild public interest media in the region.

The Role

The Eastern Europe regional team is expanding our grantmaking, bolstering our technical assistance, and pursuing new opportunities to advance public interest media in the region. We are seeking a dynamic Regional Programme Associate who is comfortable operating in a rapidly evolving organization to work directly with the Eastern Europe team and other colleagues, to help implement the International Fund’s regional and global strategy and objectives.

The International Fund is committed to creating an inclusive work environment where diversity is valued and where there is equality of opportunity. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and therefore welcome applications from qualified candidates of all regions, countries, cultures, and backgrounds.

Selection of candidates is made on a competitive basis, and we do not discriminate on the basis of national origin, race, color or ethnic background, religious belief, sex, gender identity and expression or sexual orientation, marital or family status, age or ability.

Key Responsibilities and Duties:

Reporting directly to the Regional Director and working very closely with the Regional Grants and Programmes Manager, the Programme Associate will:

• Provide strong programmatic and administrative support to the Eastern Europe regional team across operations, grant pipeline development and management, grantee relations, partnership management and donor management (including donor reporting)
• Contribute to the strategic planning and development of the work of the Eastern Europe portfolio 
• Project management across various regional work streams for the International Fund and keeping team activities on track (maintaining team calendar, preparing agenda for coordination meetings etc)
• Conducting research on cross cutting issues as required (e.g. on trends in the the media ecosystem of a specific region or on initiatives to reach young audiences) , 
• Conduct research and due diligence to support grant-making, including but not limited to financial and editorial analysis and evaluation of leadership of media organizations that may qualify for grants;
• Coordinating the receipt and progression of grant applications through the IFPIM grant process.including answering general enquiries from IFPIM applicants
• Support grantee and portfolio management in close collaboration with the regional director and manager, including maintaining relationships and regular communication with grantees
• Coordinate and review grantee MEL reports and ensure accuracy of data submitted. 
• Drafting of regular regional update reports to donors and presentation to stakeholders
• Support the regional team to organize events, webinars and conferences
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills, and Capabilities

The ideal candidate will possess exceptional attention to detail, quality writing and editing skills, good interpersonal skills, and strong grantmaking experience. They will have integrity, be committed to advancing the mission of the International Fund, and invest in building strong relationships with members of the team.

Essential Profile:

• Minimum 2 years of experience, including experience working in the information sector in the region;
• Passion for journalism, media and information in the region;
• Solid experience in grantmaking, with interest in growing their knowledge;
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, and able to effectively manage multiple projects and competing demands.
• The flexibility, accountability, and team-orientation needed to succeed in a small organization, which involves both partnering with others and working independently without close oversight.
• Interest, and ideally experience in advancing public interest media and media sustainability and viability in Eastern Europe 
• Experience in working across cultures and geographies, with the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences and across countries in a remote- office environment.
• Openness to ongoing learning, feedback, and growth.
• Excellent computer skills (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.); willingness to learn additional applications and accessible technology as necessary.
• Fluency in English; knowledge of other languages spoken in the International Fund focus countries will be a bonus.

Desirable profile:

• Experience of working with bilateral and/or multilateral donors
• Experience with Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning frameworks and tools
• Familiarity with the public discourse around media sustainability and good governance.
• Masters degree in relevant field 

Travel Requirements 

This role will require frequent travel across Eastern Europe and other parts of the world. Travel frequency and destination is contingent on necessity, availability of budget, and consultation with the Regional Director.

REMUNERATION: Commensurate to experience.

About the International Fund for Public Interest Media

The Challenge

Around the world, public interest media faces fundamentally challenging conditions, from deteriorating business models as a result of declining revenue to the worrying rise of government crackdowns on journalists. In particular, the advent of digital advertising has severely hampered traditional funding models for journalism. These existential challenges have been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic which, for many communities, will be a “media extinction event.”

Public interest media is particularly endangered in low- and middle-income countries, where media infrastructure is most fragile and audience engagement has decoupled from advertising revenue. As news outlets struggle to stay afloat, media ecosystems begin to collapse — an outcome linked to increased corruption, conflict, violent extremism, and human-caused disasters like famines and epidemics. Now more than ever, public interest media is a key pillar of democracy, good governance, and sustainable development.

A feasibility study conducted by BBC Media Action showed that an International Fund for Public Interest Media would be an effective vehicle for bolstering public interest media, especially in low- and middle-income regions in the next decade or two, until new business models can be developed to address challenges faced by both individual news outlets and entire media ecosystems. That fund has now been established and has received extensive political support and seed funding, including at the December 2021 Summit for Democracy, organized by President Biden, and at the November 2022 Paris Peace Forum.

The International Fund for Public Interest Media

The International Fund, currently fiscally sponsored by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, provides a fresh, ambitious, coordinated, and well-resourced strategic international response to the crisis facing independent media around the world. The International Fund aims to radically increase the amount of funding available to support ethical, non-partisan, fact-based journalism, and to enable the media to work for democracy. The Fund will support media through this period of existential threat and aims to develop lasting solutions to the current media market failure. The Fund will complement existing efforts in the media development sector and will catalyze new money as a globally coordinated, but fully independent, vehicle that can act quickly to provide critical funding and support to hundreds – if not thousands – of public interest media organizations. 

The International Fund has received significant seed funding from a range of philanthropic, corporate, and government donors, including the U.S. government, which announced its contribution of up to $20 million USD at the 2021 Summit for Democracy. The Government of France also indicated its support for the International Fund at the 2022 Paris Peace Forum, announcing a contribution of up to 15 million EUR and an agreement to host the International Fund’s international headquarters in Paris. More information about current donors to the International Fund can be found on our website. In total, the International Fund is targeting a first funding round of approximately $60 million USD to support its proof-of-concept phase (initial two years of operation) and aims to significantly increase its annual grant-making budget in subsequent years.

The Fund has been designed to minimize interference in the internal affairs of the countries it supports. Its governance arrangements and international nature ensure funds are allocated efficiently and in ways that command maximum legitimacy in the eyes of media institutions and other democratic stakeholders in beneficiary countries.

The Fund is co-chaired by Maria Ressa, journalist, CEO of Rappler and 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and Mark Thompson, former CEO of the New York Times Company and former Director General of the BBC.

A Regional Approach

The International Fund has been designed with a decentralized regional structure, with leadership on grant-making activities sitting squarely within its regional teams. The regional team will work to build strategies for these countries designed to complement and, where appropriate, financially contribute to existing capacity building strategies by national and international media support actors, but their central purpose would be to increase the financial or human resources available to independent public interest media.

In Eastern Europe the International Fund will focus on Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine during its initial stage of operations. The Fund might expand its geographic footprint in the region in coming months. 

Contact Information

Please submit your CV and a short cover letter explaining (with examples) why you are a suitable candidate via the Bamboo HR applicant portal.