We’re Hiring: Grants Officer

Media Defence is a charity that helps media to defend their rights. We support independent media, journalists and citizen journalists who are under legal threat by making sure that lawyers are available to defend them. We engage in strategic litigation to improve the regulatory environment for media freedom. We build local legal capacity by 1) providing grants and added value support to organisations in various countries to run media defence programmes, and 2) training lawyers we work with on freedom of expression and media law. Media Defence is a leader in the field.

Role Summary

The Grants Officer plays a key role at Media Defence, administering the grants that Media Defence makes to partner organisations, helping assess grant applications, and helping with communications via social media and through other channels.

As Grants Officer, you will also manage and administer Media Defence financial grants and non-financial support to journalists facing legal action and identify new potential grantees.

You will be flexible and creative, have exceptional communication skills and a good understanding of the realities faced by lawyers and journalists operating in various regions of the world, including under repressive regimes.

Main Responsibilities

Grants Management

• Support the Senior Grants Officer in their work
• Managing Media Defence’s block grant and individual emergency defence grant application processes, including assessment of applications and project proposals, proposal development, preparation of final recommendation for approval by Board and others
• Manage grant award process, including contracting, setting of KPIs and reporting requirements
• Monitoring of awarded grants, including tracking developments in litigation, assessment of partner/grantee reports and grant compliance; financial oversight of grants and grant budgets; provision of additional support as may be required by grantees
• Ensure smooth running of Media Defence’s grant making and administration of Media Defence’s grants database
• Act as lead contact in relationships with grantees throughout the process

Other

• Undertake and support Partner/Grant assessment /evaluations and country mapping visits as may be required
• Support the work of the Development cluster by providing material for news stories and accurate information for knowledge management
• Assist Media Defence’s team members in ensuring data related to Media Defence’s block and individual grants is provided in a timely manner for use in grant/case reporting, communications material, funding applications and reports
• Support the Finance and Operations Director with periodic review and update of grantee terms and conditions
• Monitoring the situation of press freedom with outreach to individuals and organisations where appropriate
• Act as one of the primary conduits between Media Defence and networks of NGOs in the sector
• Represent Media Defence at external events and meetings
• Identify and carry out any other duties which fall within the scope, spirit and purpose of the post as requested

Person Specification

Essential

• Experience of, or a strong interest in, working for a ‘not for profit’ and in a human rights environment
• Strong proven project management skills and experience of delivering successful projects
• Proven experience of grant making administration and the process of grant making
• Ability to analyse and synthesise complex information quickly and effectively
• Competent IT user including Microsoft Office Packages, internet and email
• Ability to work creatively and flexibly in a small team, supporting other colleagues, and with a strong commitment to learning and improvement
• Excellent written and spoken English, good editorial skills and the ability to communicate with diverse communities
• Experience of working with, and relating to, a diverse range of people and a pleasant, diplomatic manner and disposition in interacting with colleagues at all levels, as well as with Media Defence’s partners
• Proven track record of an organised and methodical approach to work, combining numerical accuracy with attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines
• Experience with databases

Desirable

• Good working knowledge (spoken and written) of Arabic, French, Russian or Spanish would be an advantage
• Experience working in the media law sector
• Legal training or experience of working hands on in a legal environment and the management of legal documentation

How to apply

• To apply please send a cover letter and CV with the subject line: ‘Grants Officer’ to recruitment@mediadefence.org
• Closing date: 15 December 2024

Equality and diversity are fundamental to our mission. We are committed to the recruitment and retention of individuals from diverse backgrounds and who reflect the diverse communities in which we operate.