Training Officer – Arua 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.

Position Summary

The Training Officer will lead the design and delivery of practical multimedia training programmes that build the capacity of young people to create credible, engaging, and impactful civic content. The role focuses on equipping aspiring filmmakers and digital content creators with skills in film production, content creation, civic storytelling, media and information literacy, and related digital tools.

Working under the Youth Inclusion in Governance and Accountability (YIGA) project, the Training Officer will support young people to amplify youth voices and contribute to conversations on governance, accountability, democracy, and meaningful youth participation in decision-making. The position involves planning and facilitating hands-on training workshops, mentoring participants, and helping establish a network of skilled youth storytellers. The Training Officer will work closely with the MCI newsroom and other project teams to ensure training quality and alignment with organizational standards.

Key Responsibilities

1. Training Design & Delivery

• Design and adapt practical training modules on film production, digital content creation, civic storytelling, media and information literacy, factchecking, and information verification.
• Develop learning materials and session plans relevant to young filmmakers and content creators, incorporating social media, mobile journalism, solutions journalism, and interactive engagement approaches.
• Plan, organize, and facilitate hands-on multimedia training workshops that build practical skills in documentation, critical writing, film production, and civic content creation.
• Create an engaging and supportive learning environment that encourages creativity, critical thinking, and ethical storytelling.
• Ensure training content supports the wider goals of strengthening youth participation in governance and public discourse and meets MCI quality standards.

2. Mentorship & Capacity Building

• Provide ongoing mentorship and technical support to trained participants as they develop and refine their content.
• Support participants to apply their skills in producing films, digital stories, and civic content that amplifies youth voices and highlights community perspectives.
• Help build the confidence and competence of young people to tell their own stories accurately and effectively.
• Contribute to the establishment of a network of trained youth storytellers committed to governance, accountability, and community development themes.
• Follow up with participants after training to track progress, commitments, and next steps.

3. Coordination & Field Implementation

• Coordinate the day-to-day implementation of training and capacity-building activities in line with approved workplans, budgets, timelines, and activity plans.
• Prepare and coordinate logistics for training workshops and related project events, including participant mobilisation, venues, materials, transport, and equipment.
• Work with community and local stakeholders to ensure effective participation and timely delivery of planned activities.
• Identify implementation challenges on the ground and promptly communicate them to the Programs Officer and relevant MCI teams.
• Maintain a clear tracker of training activities, deliverables, deadlines, and outstanding actions.
• Ensure training activities are implemented according to agreed plans and quality standards.

4. Stakeholder & Community Engagement

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with district local governments, local leaders, cultural institutions, youth groups, community organisations, media, and other stakeholders.
• Coordinate stakeholder invitations, mobilisation, participation, and follow-up for training and project activities.
• Support the negotiation, preparation, signing, and follow-up of MOUs and other agreements with local leaders and relevant stakeholders where training activities are concerned.
• Represent MCI at community and stakeholder engagements as assigned.
• Support constructive relationships between MCI, project partners, communities, and local authorities.

5. Quality Assurance, Documentation & Reporting

• Monitor the quality and effectiveness of training sessions through participant feedback and learning reviews.
• Maintain accurate records of training activities, attendance, participant progress, and key outputs.
• Document training processes, success stories, lessons learned, and emerging issues.
• Prepare clear activity reports and contribute to project learning and reporting requirements.
• Capture and share useful practices in multimedia capacity building, and support knowledge management related to youth training and civic storytelling.
• Support the collection and verification of data required for programme monitoring and reporting.

6. Collaboration & Team Support

• Work closely with the MCI newsroom, project teams, and other internal multimedia trainers to align training activities with broader content production and youth engagement efforts under the YIGA project.
• Collaborate with relevant colleagues to strengthen the link between training and actual content creation opportunities for participants.
• Coordinate information between field teams and MCI's Kampala-based programme, communications, newsroom, training, and multimedia teams.
• Support teams working in the field to access the information, contacts, logistics, and support required to deliver their activities.
• Contribute to a collaborative and learning-focused team culture.

7. Continuous Learning & Improvement

• Stay updated on multimedia production tools, digital storytelling approaches, and effective training methods.
• Adapt training approaches based on participant needs and emerging trends.
• Participate in relevant learning and professional development opportunities.
• Continuously strengthen personal facilitation, technical, coordination, and mentoring skills.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Journalism, Mass Communication, Film and Television Production, Digital Media, Education, or a related field.
• Practical experience in multimedia production, including film or digital content creation.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and delivering training, workshops, or capacity-building sessions.
• Experience working with young people or in media, governance, or community-focused projects is highly desirable.
• Strong hands-on skills in video production, content creation, and digital storytelling tools.
• Previous experience in a newsroom, media organization, or training environment is an added advantage.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong practical skills in multimedia production and digital storytelling.
• Excellent training design, facilitation, and presentation abilities.
• Ability to simplify technical concepts and deliver practical, engaging learning experiences.
• Good communication, interpersonal, and mentoring skills.
• Strong planning, organization, and coordination abilities.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a team.
• Creativity, patience, and a genuine interest in developing the skills of others.
• Commitment to youth empowerment, ethical storytelling, and continuous learning.
• Proficiency in relevant video editing and content creation tools.

• Design and adapt practical training modules on film production, digital content creation, civic storytelling, media and information literacy, factchecking, and information verification.
• Develop learning materials and session plans relevant to young filmmakers and content creators, incorporating social media, mobile journalism, solutions journalism, and interactive engagement approaches.
• Plan, organize, and facilitate hands-on multimedia training workshops that build practical skills in documentation, critical writing, film production, and civic content creation.
• Create an engaging and supportive learning environment that encourages creativity, critical thinking, and ethical storytelling.
• Ensure training content supports the wider goals of strengthening youth participation in governance and public discourse and meets MCI quality standards.
• Provide ongoing mentorship and technical support to trained participants as they develop and refine their content.
• Support participants to apply their skills in producing films, digital stories, and civic content that amplifies youth voices and highlights community perspectives.
• Help build the confidence and competence of young people to tell their own stories accurately and effectively.
• Contribute to the establishment of a network of trained youth storytellers committed to governance, accountability, and community development themes.
• Follow up with participants after training to track progress, commitments, and next steps.
• Coordinate the day-to-day implementation of training and capacity-building activities in line with approved workplans, budgets, timelines, and activity plans.
• Prepare and coordinate logistics for training workshops and related project events, including participant mobilisation, venues, materials, transport, and equipment.
• Work with community and local stakeholders to ensure effective participation and timely delivery of planned activities.
• Identify implementation challenges on the ground and promptly communicate them to the Programs Officer and relevant MCI teams.
• Maintain a clear tracker of training activities, deliverables, deadlines, and outstanding actions.
• Ensure training activities are implemented according to agreed plans and quality standards.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with district local governments, local leaders, cultural institutions, youth groups, community organisations, media, and other stakeholders.
• Coordinate stakeholder invitations, mobilisation, participation, and follow-up for training and project activities.
• Support the negotiation, preparation, signing, and follow-up of MOUs and other agreements with local leaders and relevant stakeholders where training activities are concerned.
• Represent MCI at community and stakeholder engagements as assigned.
• Support constructive relationships between MCI, project partners, communities, and local authorities.
• Monitor the quality and effectiveness of training sessions through participant feedback and learning reviews.
• Maintain accurate records of training activities, attendance, participant progress, and key outputs.
• Document training processes, success stories, lessons learned, and emerging issues.
• Prepare clear activity reports and contribute to project learning and reporting requirements.
• Capture and share useful practices in multimedia capacity building, and support knowledge management related to youth training and civic storytelling.
• Support the collection and verification of data required for programme monitoring and reporting.
• Work closely with the MCI newsroom, project teams, and other internal multimedia trainers to align training activities with broader content production and youth engagement efforts under the YIGA project.
• Collaborate with relevant colleagues to strengthen the link between training and actual content creation opportunities for participants.
• Coordinate information between field teams and MCI's Kampala-based programme, communications, newsroom, training, and multimedia teams.
• Support teams working in the field to access the information, contacts, logistics, and support required to deliver their activities.
• Contribute to a collaborative and learning-focused team culture.
• Stay updated on multimedia production tools, digital storytelling approaches, and effective training methods.
• Adapt training approaches based on participant needs and emerging trends.
• Participate in relevant learning and professional development opportunities.
• Continuously strengthen personal facilitation, technical, coordination, and mentoring skills.

• Strong practical skills in multimedia production and digital storytelling.
• Excellent training design, facilitation, and presentation abilities.
• Ability to simplify technical concepts and deliver practical, engaging learning experiences.
• Good communication, interpersonal, and mentoring skills.
• Strong planning, organization, and coordination abilities.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a team.
• Creativity, patience, and a genuine interest in developing the skills of others.
• Commitment to youth empowerment, ethical storytelling, and continuous learning.
• Proficiency in relevant video editing and content creation tools.

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Journalism, Mass Communication, Film and Television Production, Digital Media, Education, or a related field.
• Practical experience in multimedia production, including film or digital content creation.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and delivering training, workshops, or capacity-building sessions.
• Experience working with young people or in media, governance, or community-focused projects is highly desirable.
• Strong hands-on skills in video production, content creation, and digital storytelling tools.
• Previous experience in a newsroom, media organization, or training environment is an added advantage.