Introduction

CIVICUS is looking for a media savvy self-starter to join the CIVICUS team on a two year consultancy. The successful candidate will be a highly accomplished media professional with impeccable news-gathering, story development and multi-format content production experience.

As a media advisor, you will bring a newsroom sensibility to our policy and advocacy activities. You will be a media specialist who can think about long term media engagement strategies and content production and workflow approaches, then work with a diverse, virtual team to make them happen.

You will have excellent global media contacts, excel in building and maintaining media relationships, and will work with colleagues to develop and place compelling stories with a wide range of media outlets.

Location: Remote

Duration: July 2026-June 2028

Type of contract arrangement: Services commissioned on an as-needed basis. Volume of work can fluctuate over course of consultancy.

Application deadline: 24 April 2026

Activities:

• Develop and write high‑quality press releases, media statements, and briefing notes aligned with research and advocacy priorities.
• Proactively pitch stories, content, op-eds and spokespeople to local, regional, and international media outlets.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists and media producers across relevant beats.
• Monitor media trends, news cycles, and opportunities to support timely and strategic media engagement.
• Coordinate closely with internal teams to translate research, campaigns, and advocacy goals into compelling media narratives.

Key Requirements

• Minimum 4 – 7 years in a communication role – including demonstrated experience of strategic organisational communications and public outreach strategies and working with international media;
• Understanding of international political and human rights issues and specifically related to civic space, human rights, United Nations, etc;
• Extensive experience in producing a wide range of quality materials for print and/or broadcast media, as well as for social media platforms;
• Strong knowledge of international, regional and national media – across traditional and digital platforms – with established contacts at key publications and broadcast outlets;
• Sound understanding of media relations management including updating and maintaining relationships with media contacts
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English;
• Speaking an additional language is an advantage

• Develop and write high‑quality press releases, media statements, and briefing notes aligned with research and advocacy priorities.
• Proactively pitch stories, content, op-eds and spokespeople to local, regional, and international media outlets.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists and media producers across relevant beats.
• Monitor media trends, news cycles, and opportunities to support timely and strategic media engagement.
• Coordinate closely with internal teams to translate research, campaigns, and advocacy goals into compelling media narratives.

• News-gathering
• Story development
• Multi-format content production
• Media engagement strategies
• Content production and workflow approaches
• Global media contacts
• Media relationship building and maintenance
• Strategic organisational communications
• Public outreach strategies
• Understanding of international political and human rights issues
• Producing materials for print, broadcast, and social media
• Knowledge of international, regional, and national media
• Media relations management
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English

• Minimum 4 – 7 years in a communication role
• Demonstrated experience of strategic organisational communications and public outreach strategies
• Experience working with international media
• Understanding of international political and human rights issues and specifically related to civic space, human rights, United Nations, etc.
• Extensive experience in producing a wide range of quality materials for print and/or broadcast media, as well as for social media platforms
• Strong knowledge of international, regional and national media – across traditional and digital platforms – with established contacts at key publications and broadcast outlets
• Sound understanding of media relations management including updating and maintaining relationships with media contacts
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Speaking an additional language is an advantage