Job Detail

Job Description

Position Overview:

The Senior Media Lawyer provides technical support to project partners and is actively involved in the planning and delivery of the project’s legal and regulatory component. This position will work under the supervision of the Program Manager.

Description of main duties and responsibilities:

Advocacy Training & Mentorship

• Develop and deliver trainings to lawyers, media workers, civil society activists, human rights defenders to improve advocacy skills.
• Act as a primary liaison and point-of-contact for training participants and/or host organizations and groups sponsoring such trainings.
• Co-organize and co-facilitate workshops for CSOs and government.
• Support virtual and in-person training sessions for participants based on training agendas.
• Manage an Advocacy Fund to support strategic activities to enhance the media legal enabling environment.

Resource Development

• Serve as an expert on Zambian media- related laws and policies, including but not limited to access to information, journalist’s rights, telecommunication, and broadcast regulations.
• Provide technical expertise and guidance during the development of media law resources and review policy and legal resources produced under the project.
• Analyze and critique laws and legislative proposals from the perspective of international and regional legal standards on freedom of expression and freedom of information.

Administration

• Support project partners in monitoring media violations, and legal and policy trends with regard to freedom of expression and freedom of information.
• Lead planning for consultations with regulatory bodies.
• Build and maintain on behalf of Internews a network of legal and government contacts in the media law and policy sector.
• Contribute to the writing and compiling of program reporting, including quarterly reports and other project-related reports.
• Provide technical support to Internews subgrant partners implementing media law and regulatory activities.
• Draft project-specific content for internal and external communications and publications, including blog posts and programmatic highlights.
• Completing other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Skills and Abilities:

• Law degree, preferably at Master’s level or higher with specialization either in international human rights law, media law and/or digital rights.
• Sound knowledge of international law on freedom of expression and freedom of information and a solid grasp of standards on media regulation and how they apply to the digital environment.
• Experience working in the field of freedom of expression and freedom of information, especially media regulation and digital convergence, e.g. licensing, spectrum policy, broadcasting regulation, digital switchover, media pluralism and diversity, competition, access to the internet and net neutrality.
• Thorough knowledge of international and regional human rights law and mechanisms in general and of recent developments at the international level.
• Excellent legal and policy writing skills, preference for editing materials for publications.
• Strong oral and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated experience working with government officials.
• Professional-level fluency in English.
• Ability to multi-task and proven organizational skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Must be self-reliant, resourceful, good problem-solver, good humored, and flexible.
• Zambian nationality required.

How to Apply:

1.   Write a short cover letter that includes your telephone number and email.
2.   Include your CV
3.   This position is for Zambian nationals only. Qualified and experienced Zambian female applicants are encouraged to apply.

4.   Email your application to ZM-recruitment@internews.org stating the name of the position in the subject line.

Applications must be received by November 13, 2021.

Skills Required

• English Fluency