Civic Reporter job at Media Challenge Initiative

Background

The Media Challenge Initiative (MCI) is a youth-driven, African-led non-profit organization and social enterprise based in Kampala, Uganda. Founded in 2012 by Abaas Mpindi, MCI focuses on building the next generation of journalists, storytellers, and media innovators in East Africa. It bridges the gap between theoretical classroom learning and the practical skills required in modern newsrooms.

The Civic Reporter role will create high-quality, community-centered content that brings the voices, experiences, and stories of young people and local communities in Karamoja into the spotlight. The role focuses on sharing accurate information, amplifying authentic narratives, and ensuring that people’s stories are told by them in their own words and from their own perspectives.

The Civic Reporter will use digital storytelling to highlight the realities, aspirations, culture, and everyday lives of young people in the Karamoja region. The role also supports greater youth participation in governance, accountability, and community decision-making through the Promoting Youth Inclusion in Governance and Decision-making in Uganda (YIGA) Project.

Responsibilities

1. Content Production & Digital Storytelling

• Produce high-quality multimedia content including short-form videos, social media content, explainers, interviews, and digital stories that support YIGA project objectives.
• Manage the full content production cycle from idea generation, research, scripting, filming, and editing through to publishing.
• Create accurate, engaging, and community-centered stories that reflect the real experiences, aspirations, and perspectives of young people and local communities in Karamoja.
• Ensure that people’s stories are told authentically and that community voices remain at the center of the storytelling process.
• Uphold high standards of creativity, accuracy, storytelling quality, and relevance in all content produced.

2. Channel Coordination & Editorial Execution

• Support the coordination and growth of digital channels linked to the Karamoja Youth Information Hub and YIGA project activities.
• Work closely with the MCI newsroom, editors, producers, and the wider team to plan, execute, and deliver content according to agreed publishing schedules.
• Actively contribute ideas during editorial meetings and content planning processes.
• Meet production deadlines and support smooth newsroom workflows.
• Ensure all content aligns with YIGA project priorities, the Hub’s editorial direction, and MCI newsroom standards.

3. Audience Growth & Community Building

• Design and implement strategies to grow engaged audiences across digital platforms.
• Actively engage audiences through comments, polls, prompts, conversations, and interactive content.
• Build and nurture digital communities (including WhatsApp groups and online discussions) that encourage youth participation in governance and accountability conversations.
• Convert passive audiences into active contributors and participants.
• Use audience feedback and engagement insights to continuously improve content strategy.

4. Conversations, Events & Youth Engagement

• Host and support youth-centered conversations, discussions, events, and digital engagements that advance YIGA goals.
• Develop clear and relatable explainers that make complex civic and governance topics accessible and actionable.
• Support community activations that strengthen youth participation and the relationship between the project, the Hub, and its audiences.
• Represent the project and the Hub professionally in public engagements, partnerships, and media activities.
• Identify emerging youth conversations and translate them into relevant content opportunities.

5. Mentorship, Collaboration & Leadership Development

• Support and mentor emerging fellows, apprentices, and young content creators.
• Share knowledge in production, digital storytelling, and newsroom practices.
• Work collaboratively with the MCI newsroom and other teams to strengthen learning and content quality.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, creativity, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Demonstrate leadership through initiative, reliability, professionalism, and consistent delivery.

6. Brand Building, Distribution & Visibility

• Promote content across relevant platforms to increase reach and engagement.
• Support content distribution through collaborations, partnerships, and cross-platform promotion.
• Build a strong professional presence aligned with the values of the YIGA project and the Karamoja Youth Information Hub.
• Identify opportunities to increase visibility of both the project and the Hub.

7. Partnership & Sustainability Support

• Create content that supports YIGA partnership opportunities while maintaining editorial integrity and audience trust.
• Contribute creative ideas for campaigns and partnership initiatives.
• Collaborate with Communications, Partnerships, Production, and the MCI newsroom as required.
• Support the transition of the Karamoja Youth Information Hub into the Regional Youth Information Hub (RYIH) by strengthening content systems and audience relationships for the sustainability phase.

8. Continuous Learning & Innovation

• Stay informed on emerging digital media trends, storytelling formats, audience behaviors, and content technologies.
• Experiment with new formats and platforms to improve audience engagement.
• Participate actively in training, mentorship, and skills development activities.
• Continuously strengthen production, storytelling, and community-building capabilities.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Journalism, Communications, Media Studies, Digital Media, Film Production, or a related field.
• Training or certification in digital content creation, social media management, or video production is an advantage.
• Proven experience creating multimedia content for platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, or similar.
• Experience managing end-to-end content production (scripting, filming, editing, and publishing).
• Experience engaging online communities and growing digital audiences is highly desirable.
• Previous experience in a newsroom, media organization, creative agency, or youth-focused platform is an added advantage.
• Interest in or understanding of youth civic engagement, governance, and accountability is desirable.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong storytelling, writing, video production, and content creation skills.
• Ability to produce engaging short-form digital content tailored to youth audiences.
• Good understanding of social media platforms, digital trends, and audience growth strategies.
• Basic proficiency in video editing, photography, or multimedia production tools.
• High levels of creativity, curiosity, and ability to generate compelling story ideas.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively in a team environment.
• Strong time management and ability to meet production deadlines.
• Genuine passion for youth engagement, innovative journalism, and digital storytelling.
• Initiative, adaptability, and a strong commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.

• Produce high-quality multimedia content including short-form videos, social media content, explainers, interviews, and digital stories that support YIGA project objectives.
• Manage the full content production cycle from idea generation, research, scripting, filming, and editing through to publishing.
• Create accurate, engaging, and community-centered stories that reflect the real experiences, aspirations, and perspectives of young people and local communities in Karamoja.
• Ensure that people’s stories are told authentically and that community voices remain at the center of the storytelling process.
• Uphold high standards of creativity, accuracy, storytelling quality, and relevance in all content produced.
• Support the coordination and growth of digital channels linked to the Karamoja Youth Information Hub and YIGA project activities.
• Work closely with the MCI newsroom, editors, producers, and the wider team to plan, execute, and deliver content according to agreed publishing schedules.
• Actively contribute ideas during editorial meetings and content planning processes.
• Meet production deadlines and support smooth newsroom workflows.
• Ensure all content aligns with YIGA project priorities, the Hub’s editorial direction, and MCI newsroom standards.
• Design and implement strategies to grow engaged audiences across digital platforms.
• Actively engage audiences through comments, polls, prompts, conversations, and interactive content.
• Build and nurture digital communities (including WhatsApp groups and online discussions) that encourage youth participation in governance and accountability conversations.
• Convert passive audiences into active contributors and participants.
• Use audience feedback and engagement insights to continuously improve content strategy.
• Host and support youth-centered conversations, discussions, events, and digital engagements that advance YIGA goals.
• Develop clear and relatable explainers that make complex civic and governance topics accessible and actionable.
• Support community activations that strengthen youth participation and the relationship between the project, the Hub, and its audiences.
• Represent the project and the Hub professionally in public engagements, partnerships, and media activities.
• Identify emerging youth conversations and translate them into relevant content opportunities.
• Support and mentor emerging fellows, apprentices, and young content creators.
• Share knowledge in production, digital storytelling, and newsroom practices.
• Work collaboratively with the MCI newsroom and other teams to strengthen learning and content quality.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, creativity, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Demonstrate leadership through initiative, reliability, professionalism, and consistent delivery.
• Promote content across relevant platforms to increase reach and engagement.
• Support content distribution through collaborations, partnerships, and cross-platform promotion.
• Build a strong professional presence aligned with the values of the YIGA project and the Karamoja Youth Information Hub.
• Identify opportunities to increase visibility of both the project and the Hub.
• Create content that supports YIGA partnership opportunities while maintaining editorial integrity and audience trust.
• Contribute creative ideas for campaigns and partnership initiatives.
• Collaborate with Communications, Partnerships, Production, and the MCI newsroom as required.
• Support the transition of the Karamoja Youth Information Hub into the Regional Youth Information Hub (RYIH) by strengthening content systems and audience relationships for the sustainability phase.
• Stay informed on emerging digital media trends, storytelling formats, audience behaviors, and content technologies.
• Experiment with new formats and platforms to improve audience engagement.
• Participate actively in training, mentorship, and skills development activities.
• Continuously strengthen production, storytelling, and community-building capabilities.

• Strong storytelling, writing, video production, and content creation skills.
• Ability to produce engaging short-form digital content tailored to youth audiences.
• Good understanding of social media platforms, digital trends, and audience growth strategies.
• Basic proficiency in video editing, photography, or multimedia production tools.
• High levels of creativity, curiosity, and ability to generate compelling story ideas.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively in a team environment.
• Strong time management and ability to meet production deadlines.
• Genuine passion for youth engagement, innovative journalism, and digital storytelling.
• Initiative, adaptability, and a strong commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Journalism, Communications, Media Studies, Digital Media, Film Production, or a related field.
• Training or certification in digital content creation, social media management, or video production is an advantage.
• Proven experience creating multimedia content for platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, or similar.
• Experience managing end-to-end content production (scripting, filming, editing, and publishing).
• Experience engaging online communities and growing digital audiences is highly desirable.
• Previous experience in a newsroom, media organization, creative agency, or youth-focused platform is an added advantage.
• Interest in or understanding of youth civic engagement, governance, and accountability is desirable.