Who we are

Jakenn Publishing is the media company of the present and the future of Ethiopia. We bring our passion for reporting and independent journalism to tell the stories which matter in the Ethiopia today and the Ethiopia being shaped for tomorrow.

JaKenn is widely known for its flagship publication and web portal Addis Standard. Started as a magazine in 2011, Addis Standard has evolved into the digital platform of choice for breaking news, analysis, and spell-binding commentary about Ethiopia that establishes understanding of happenings beyond your eyes and ears. One of the most followed media brands in Ethiopia on twitter and a solid web presence that has a firm grip on Ethiopia’s rapid political, economic, and social transformation, Addis Standard provides consumers content worthy of their time and attention.

As a young and dynamic company, JaKenn embodies an emerging multicultural Ethiopia where people are valued for their contribution to the development of a democratic and prosperous country. We understand that this means listening to our consumers, employees, and stakeholders in all processes from product development to execution. We value diversity and make an honest effort at providing an inclusive work environment that supports growth, nurtures innovation, and embraces risk taking.

The Job

As part of its corporate strengthening efforts to grow audience and deliver content that is independent, factual, and attention-capturing, JaKenn would like to hire an English Reporter for addisstandard.com. This position reports to the English Editor and will work with other members of the Editorial team to source and publish content for different products of JaKenn Publishing.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop story ideas based on leads or as assigned by conducting research, investigating, observing, and curation
• Write stories using proper grammar and following the house style guidelines of JaKenn Publishing while also ensuring they are compelling and professional in style and presentation
• Edit written pieces by other reporters on staff to check for clarity, grammar and overall story presentation; make suggestions and assist with any revisions that need to be made
• Rework pieces as requested by the English Editor or staff editors and update pieces as needed for ongoing or developing stories
• Arrange and conduct interviews when needed to collect witness statements, get information from experts or individuals involved or work on a lead for a proposed story
• Create relationships with members of the media community, public institutions, political parties, and other entities to develop access to credible sources for future stories
• Convert stories to be posted on website, and create social media posts to drive traffic to the website
• Meet all deadlines for assignments as requested by the English Editor
• Meet the minimum threshold of at least 10 originally-sourced stories per month.

Projected start date: May 1st 2020

Qualifications

• A minimum of Bachelors degree in Journalism, Communications, Law, Political Science and International Relations, Economics, Business, and other related degrees that combine current affairs subject matter knowledge with rigorous writing skills from a recognised University with a GPA of 3.0 or higher

Experience and skillset

• At least three years of progressive experience working in a media company with a heavy focus on digital publishing
• A strong track record of setting and meeting deadlines
• A steadfast commitment to independent journalism and its role in the democratic transition of Ethiopia
• Excellent writing skills in English with the ability to communicate in more than one Ethiopian language strongly desired
• Ability to adapt to changes in a fast-growing company and provide solutions to these growing pains
• Ability to put our audience first in every interaction involving the company and always look out for ways to improve audience growth and increase coverage impact using evidence
• Excellent photography, videography, and social media curation skills
• Ability to adapt to and perform well in a multicultural setting composed of people from different backgrounds and strong opinions
• An excellent team player and an easy-to-talk to personality who sees a way out when confronted with impossibility