Bosnia and Herzegovina: Chief of Party, Media Engagement Activity

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

Internews seeks a Chief of Party for a Media Engagement Activity (MEA), a five-year USAID-funded project in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) with the goal of strengthening the information space in BiH. The purpose of MEA is to increase the availability of credible and professional information to a large population in BiH, particularly to audiences with traditionally limited access to it. MEA supports independent media and content producers by building their capacity to produce high-quality content, providing them with greater access to and understanding of relevant market research, improving their institutional digital security, strengthening local networks, and strengthening the overall legal enabling environment for journalists. The Chief of Party will provide strategic guidance and leadership; oversee project activities that help media outlets develop high-quality, engaging content that appeals to target audiences; supervise program personnel, financial management, and administration; and coordinate with USAID and other media stakeholders in the region to ensure that Internews leverages existing resources, avoids duplication, and complements other media development initiatives. The position will be based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

LOGISTICS

This role will be based at-post in our Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina office.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so interested candidates are encouraged to apply soon.

OUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A CULTURE OF BELONGING

We are an organization of dynamic, mission-driven individuals who are passionate about our core values and about supporting positive change in the world. We pride ourselves on our commitment to innovation and flexibility. We believe that diverse teams are strong teams and work to support an ethic of belonging, dignity, and justice for all people . Our current team includes a mix of genders, parents and non-parents, and people of multiple races, nationalities, ages, sexual orientations and socioeconomic backgrounds. We are an EEO employer and encourage candidates of all races, genders, ages, orientations, ethnicities, and national origins to apply, and welcome those with alternative backgrounds and experiences.

DAY-TO-DAY TASKS will include:

• Provide strategic, operational and representational leadership.
• Oversee organization and implementation of all project activities, as well as project monitoring and evaluation to ensure effective implementation and to measure project impact.
• Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable local laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; addressing complaints, and resolving problems.
• Cultivate and strengthen relationships with local and regional partner organizations and ensure that implementation is responsive to the needs of partners and beneficiaries.
• Write and edit project reports, communications materials, and other project documentation in collaboration with Internews staff and according to award stipulations.
• Serve as the public face of the project and primary point of contact for in-country donor missions and stakeholders.
• Maintain strategic awareness of independent media issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina (especially online digital media), and a thorough understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing independent media in engaging new audiences, maintaining editorial independence and press freedoms, and ensuring sustainability.
• Ensure the project is in compliance with all USAID rules, requirements and regulations as well as with Internews’ internal policies and procedures.
• Serve as the primary budget authority over the project, responsible for ensuring all costs charged to the project are allowable, reasonable, and correctly allocated.
• Maintain regular communications with Internews headquarters staff to communicate progress on programming and address upcoming issues in advance.
• Provide support as necessary for developing new relationships and business initiatives.
• Establish seamless coordination of all project activities with other Internews work in BiH and the Western Balkans; maintain ongoing communication with Internews staff in BiH to ensure synergies, cost-effectiveness, and impact amplification.
• Understanding of and demonstrated commitment to upholding Internews’ Core Values.

QUALIFICATIONS WE’RE LOOKING FOR

• A successful track record in supervising, designing, managing and implementing technical assistance for donor-funded media projects and proven ability to develop and monitor work plans, training plans, and procurement plans.
• Four or more years of leadership experience (Chief of Party, Program Director, Program/Activity Manager);
• A strong reputation for developing excellent collaborative working relationships with local counterparts, international organizations, and donors.
• Experience working with media outlets, particularly digital or multi-platform outlets, as an editor, journalist or media manager, strongly preferred.
• Deep understanding of the local and national media sector.
• Experience implementing complex, multifaceted development initiatives with demonstrated skills in organizing resources, establishing priorities, and overseeing diverse teams of employees.
• Experience with USG-funded media projects is strongly preferred.
• Experience leveraging other sources of funding to advance programmatic objectives.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Proven ability to creatively problem-solve and provide ethical management.
• English fluency required, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian proficiency highly preferred.
• Relevant University degree required.