Africa Check is a non-profit organisation set up in 2012 to promote accuracy in public debate and the media in Africa. The goal of Africa Check’s work is to raise the quality of information available to society across the continent. Since 2012 they have fact-checked hundreds of claims on topics from crime and race in South Africa to population numbers in Nigeria and fake health cures in countries around Africa.

 

Based in the Journalism Department of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg,
Africa Check seeks to appoint a

Info Finder Editor (Part-time)

The Info Finder Editor will be responsible for developing, managing and editing Africa Check’s new Info Finder tool in English, designed to help journalists, civil society researchers and the public to access the most reliable sources of information available on a range of topics in key countries across the continent.

Key responsibilities for this position include:

  • Managing the Info Finder database and its ongoing updates, editing the content for accuracy and relevance
  • Establishing users’ information needs on an on-going basis and responding through Info Finder content
  • Identifying new experts, and liaising with new and existing experts, and regularly updating the expert database through well-defined community and content management processes
  • Coordinating the work of a network of volunteer expert contributors to the project
  • Leading on the ongoing development and improvement of the project, liaising with management, editorial and technical teams, including the French-language Info Finder Editor
  • Reporting on activities related to the management of the project

Requirements

  • A bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification
  • A minimum of 5 years’ editorial experience
  • An enthusiasm for and understanding of the work of fact-checking and information management
  • Experience of successfully developing and leading a data-based project; ideally involving some level of liaising with volunteers
  • Experience or knowledge of online discovery and retrieval systems
  • Experience and knowledge of digital content management
  • Editorial expertise – ideally proofreading and editing expert contributors’ content according to a house style
  • Ability to analyse problems or information systematically and in depth
  • Ability to take initiative and responsibility for your work
  • Project management, problem-solving and organising skills
  • Knowledge of &/or willingness to learn French an advantage

 

Interested candidates should carefully read the requirements below (attention to detail is considered a job requirement) and submit a recent CV together with the names of two referees).

Submit your application on email: info@africacheck.org using the following subject line: “Application for Info Finder position”

Closing date: Monday 20 March 2019