Community and Collaborations Editor, CT Digital Hub

We are looking for a Community and Collaborations Editor for Current Time TV https://www.currenttime.tv/ to be based in Riga and be responsible for making our audiences an integral part of our production cycles so that they can contribute, that their voices are heard and amplified, and that their needs are met.

You oversee projects to encourage readers and viewers to interact with each other — and Current Time journalists — across platforms. You will assist the team in including evidence, experiences, and expertise from the audience into the editorial planning.

You will also grow and tend to local news ecosystem relationships through regular engagement with editors, reporters, and independent journalists. In this capacity, you will coordinate collaborative projects with other newsrooms and the public.

You will be monitoring the public debate across social media platforms and look for reporting opportunities and seek to obtain and verify information and UGC (User Generated Content) shared with us. You will be regularly reviewing and sharing performance metrics across platforms.

We are a team that places high value on collaboration, both in our daily work and in our efforts to continually improve how we work. You should be able to carry out all functions of digital editors and social media producer and editors on the team. You communicate proactively with stakeholders across various divisions and teams, including writers and editors, to ensure that published content meet expectations across platforms.

You will be joining an innovative, mission-driven organization at a time rapid change. This role is an opportunity to explore the role of RFE/RL’s journalism can play in society and experiment with different ways of engaging audiences and communities. You should be keenly interested in the best practices and latest developments in digital journalism – and be keen to pursue innovative forms of storytelling and audience development across platforms.

A commitment to our mission, journalistic impartiality and integrity is a must. Adherence to our professional standards and best practices is required.

This position reports to the Sr Digital Producer of Current Time Digital.

RFE/RL may assist the successful candidate with relocation to Riga, Latvia.

Responsibilities

• You make sure the public can contribute and advance our reporting by soliciting their experience, expertise and evidence.
• You proactively look for editorially relevant conversations that could advance our reporting and make sure that it is part of these conversations.
• You coordinate collaborative reporting projects with the public and with other news organizations.
• You build close relationships with partners in the local media ecosystem that lead to reporting and/or audience development opportunities.
• You will be regularly reviewing and proactively sharing performance metrics on relevant platforms for regular reviews and projects.
• You will be a looking for the latest trends in audience engagement and, in coordination with colleagues, experiment with new forms of audience engagement across platforms, including emerging ones.
• If requested, you take on writing, editing, and production assignments.
• You perform related work as assigned.

Requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, or related field or the equivalent in experience is preferred.

Work Experience

• 3+ years of experience in social media
• 3+ years of experience in digital journalism in news organization
• 2+ years of experience in project management
• Previous experience working in a multicultural or a multinational environment; or experience living and working abroad, preferably in relevant RFE/RL regions.

Competencies

• Strong news judgment
• Team-based work ethic
• Understanding of digital success metrics
• Excellent writing in a news environment and demonstrated ability to find news leads, disseminate reporting and starting conversations around it across platforms.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize with little supervision under tight deadlines.
• Adapts to and works effectively within a variety of situations, and with various individuals or groups. Flexibility entails understanding and appreciating different and opposing perspectives on an issue, adapting one’s approach as the requirements of a situation change, and changing or easily accepting changes in one’ s own organization or job requirements.
• Broad knowledge of political, economic, and social situations and international affairs acquired through studies, research, writing, travel, or other relevant experience or exposure.
• Familiarity with html and video editing are a plus.

Languages

• Proficiency in Russian (mandatory)
• Proficiency in English (preferred)