Job description

Two Journalists wanted: The German news agency dpa is launching a new project in South Africa: A weekly English-language news offering for school children that will be distributed in SA classrooms, in cooperation with the department of education, called “News for Kids.”
We are therefore hiring a full-time journalist, who will be in charge of producing the multi-media content – both through own reporting and through liaising with other colleagues at dpa’s headquarters in Germany. Aside from writing and gathering stories, the applicant will also be deeply involved in running the project’s day-to-day business, ranging from handling delivery logistics to the contact to the education department and the outreach to relevant project schools. We are also hiring a part-time journalist (50%) with the same job profile.
In other words, we need two skilled journalists who are up for the challenge of writing for a children’s audience (age range maybe 10-12) and who will enjoy helping manage the project on a day-to-day basis.
Candidates must be South African citizens. We will start production in March. For now, the project is set to run through 2017. The journalists will mostly work from our small office in Melville.

Company Description

dpa is one of the leading international news agencies. Our core markets are Germany, Austria and Switzerland, but dpa also has a strong international presence thanks to its news wire services in English, Spanish and Arabic.

Requirements

  • Three to five years experience in English-language journalism
  • Experience in packacking compellingly written articles with matching photos and graphics
  • A strong interest in current affairs and a passion for making a difference in South African kids’ education
  • The ability to work reliably and efficiently while meeting tight deadlines
  • The ability to work independently and as a team player
  • Proven organisational skills, a knack for problem solving and good communication skills
  • Strong computer literacy (MS Office etc.) and motivation to learn using new software expected
  • Flexibility is a key asset – the journalist will have to move seamlessly from copy editing to talking to school teachers or other stakeholders

Advantageous

  • Fluency in Zulu and/or Xhosa
  • Some proficiency of German would be wonderful, but really is not a must
  • Experience with layout programs (Indesign, Photoshop etc) and/or CMS-software
  • Ability to shoot photos in print-quality when on reporting assignment without photographer

Contact details
Juergen Baetz
dpa – Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Baetz.Juergen@dpa.com