Analytical Editor

Position: Analytical Editor (CABAR.asia)

Location: Almaty, Kazakhstan- Can also be based in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Tashkent (Uzbekistan).

Contract type: Consultant

Hours: Full time

Contract length: 6 months (1st July 2023- 31st December 2023)

Deadline for applications:  11th June 2023

About IWPR

The Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) is an international non-profit organisation founded in 1991, with charitable status in the US, UK and the Netherlands. We give voice to people at the frontlines of conflict, crisis and transition to help them drive change and build more stable, just and inclusive societies.

Drawing on three decades of experience in some of the world’s most challenging environments, we support media, civil society, democracy and governance, gender, and youth-focused projects in over 30 countries – promoting reliable information and responsible public debate and removing barriers to freedom of expression.

The Role:

IWPR is seeking an Editor to collaborate closely with local and international experts as well as the IWPR CA team to create valuable analytical content that caters to the website's audience. Their main responsibility is to ensure the production of high-quality material that examines significant and current topics pertaining to Central Asian regions. This entails organising empirical analyses and case studies that focus on specific countries or offer comparative insights, providing valuable perspectives on development policy decisions. Overall, the goal is to deliver informative and well-researched content that meets the needs of the website's audience.

Tasks and responsibilities:

Editorial Production

• Responsibility for Quality of Content – ensuring that the content of the website is of high quality in terms of accuracy, validity, reliability, credibility, authority, readability, and relevance to the CABAR’s scope and mission;
• Manage the flow, edit, and publish analytical materials;
• Perform an initial review of submitted analytical materials to determine if publishable and suitable for the scope of the CABAR; Make a final publication;
• Manage revision process (if applicable);
• Schedule analytical materials for publication;
• Correspond with authors submitting analytical materials and interviews;
• Manage the day-to-day dissemination of the website's information to partner media outlets, social media and among the partners;
• Monitor and report on the progress of the CABAR website including qualitative and quantitative indicators.

Liaison

• Provide mentorship and support for young analytical experts; organize training if applicable;
• Ensure the involvement of the young experts as authors for CABAR website;
• Establish an effective cooperation network among the acting and young experts in the Central Asian region;
• Establish strong partnerships with other analytical websites and think tanks interested in the CA region;
• Organize other CABAR-relevant events i.e., experts’ round-tables, online conferences, etc.

Administration

• To maintain an archive of analytical articles and correspondence with the authors;
• To maintain an author database containing contact details and payment information, and ensure payment of fees through regional offices and other means.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated knowledge of the international development sector, major actors and how the sector works;
• Advanced Russian and English-language writing and editing skills;
• Demonstrated keen attention to editorial detail and ability to ensure high editorial standards;
• Demonstrated abilities to manage editorial production and meet deadlines;
• Advanced knowledge of all MS Office;
• Proven ability to support multiple team members and carry out multiple tasks to deadlines;
• Must be able to work well in a fast-paced, multi-actor, multi-demand work environment with a minimum of supervision, by taking initiative and problem-solving;
• Must be a team player who is committed to working together for common, as well as individual, goals;
• Ability to work well in a multi-cultural work environment spread over IWPR CA offices.

Education and/or Experience:

• MA or MSc in a field relevant to international development or communication;
• 5 or more years of experience working with direct editorial production responsibilities, including writing, editing, proofing, managing design and layout of reports and briefs;
• Record publication on Central Asia development issues;
• Previous experience in analytical article editing.

Competencies:

• Analytical Thinking - able to simplify and distil the essence of complex problems, and processes;
• Communication - able to get one's message understood clearly by adopting a range of methods appropriate to each audience and the nature of the information;
• Concern for results - shows concern to work effectively and strive for a standard of excellence;
• Decision-making - ready and able to take the initiative, originate action and be responsible for the consequences of the decision made;
• Editorial Judgement - balanced and objective judgement based on a thorough understanding of CABAR editorial guidelines and objectives;
• Flexibility - adapts and works effectively with a variety of situations and individual groups. Able to understand and appreciate different and opposing perspectives on an issue, and to adapt an approach as the requirements of a situation change;
• Influencing others - able to present sound and reasoned arguments to persuade others;
• Initiative - demonstrates a preference for taking action. Does more than is required or expected in the job, to improve or enhance job results or avoid problems;
• Leadership - Ability to create a vision and inspire others to realise it;
• Teamwork and Co-operation - able to work in a cooperative manner with others, to be part of a team, work together as opposed to working separately or competitively;
• Planning and Organization - able to think ahead in order to establish an efficient and appropriate course of action for self and others;
• Prioritises and plans activities taking into account all the relevant issues and factors such as deadlines, staffing and resources;
• Resilience - manages personal effectiveness by managing emotions in the face of pressure, setbacks or when dealing with provocative situations. Demonstrates an approach to work that is characterised by commitment, motivation and energy;
• Self Confidence - able to express confidence in dealing with increasingly challenging circumstances in reaching decisions or forming opinions, and in handling failures constructively;
• Self-control - able to keep emotions under control and to refrain from negative action when faced with opposition or hostility from others;
• Strategic Thinking - Can identify a vision along with the plans which need to be implemented to meet the end goal. Evaluate situations, and decisions issues in the short, medium and long term.

Principals only. No calls please. Only those who have been considered for an interview will be contacted.

IWPR is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, veteran status or pregnancy and maternity. IWPR will never ask for payment for recruitment.