About Media Challenge Initiative (MCI)
Media Challenge Initiative (MCI) envisions a humane and healthy media ecosystem shaping the future. At the core of this vision is Africa’s first apprenticeship-driven social newsroom — a living system where young journalists, creators, editors, designers, researchers, and media entrepreneurs learn by doing, shape culture, and build sustainable media futures.
MCI operates as a dual system: a mission-driven media development NGO and a growing social enterprise using media to sustain the NGO.
The Role: People & Culture Architect
We are looking for someone who understands that talent development in media is both an art and a system, and who enjoys designing environments where young people can experiment, fail safely, grow fast, and still be held to high standards.
Ideal candidate here is someone who can make HR cool and future-facing, especially for young people entering the media and creative economy.
Your role is to design, steward, and evolve the human systems that power the newsroom, the apprenticeship model, and the wider organization. Your role goes far beyond HR administration — you are responsible for how people grow, belong, perform, transition, and thrive inside a high-pressure, youth-led, creative institution.
Core Mandate
MCI operates as a world-class apprenticeship institution
Talent flows intentionally toward the vision of the organization
The organization remains healthy, humane, accountable, and high-performing
Growth does not come at the cost of dignity, clarity, or culture
Key Responsibilities
MCI’s 7S Intervention Model
- S1: Skilling the Next Generation of Journalists
- S2: Space for Media Innovation
- S3: Shaping Narratives and Culture
- S4: Safeguarding the Information Ecosystem
- S5: Stabilizing Local and Rural Journalism
- S6: Strengthening Media Coverage of the Development Sector
- S7: Sustainability Through Social Enterprise
1. Architect MCI’s Organization-Wide People System
You are the custodian of how MCI is structured and staffed.
- Design and continuously update the organizational structure
- Clarify reporting lines, decision rights, and role purpose
- Ensure every role exists to support the newsroom, apprenticeship outcomes, and sustainability
- Develop people policies across contracts & terms, performance & incentives, transitions, exits, and alumni pathways
- Align HR systems across NGO and Social Enterprise, with clarity on differences
2. Architect & Run the Apprenticeship Newsroom System
You are the architect running of the apprenticeship newsroom model.
- Design learning pathways and rotations across desks and channels
- Build mentorship, supervision, and coaching structures
- Establish progression, assessment, and graduation frameworks
- Ensure every apprentice has a desk and role, a mentor, a growth plan, and leaves with a portfolio, references, and pathways
- Work closely with the Newsroom Manager to ensure learning happens through real production and performance is developmental, not extractive
3. Manage Talent Flow Across the Whole Institution
You ensure people move where they are most impactful.
- Rotations across Newsroom, Production, Research & Learning, Programs, and Social Enterprise
- Promotion and leadership pipelines
- Graceful exits and transitions
- Tracking alumni outcomes and long-term impact
4. Performance as Learning (Not Punishment)
You design performance systems that measure growth, contribution, and collaboration — valuing learning alongside output.
- Portfolio-based evaluation
- Skills and competency tracking
- Feedback, reflection, and coaching systems
- Clear expectations and accountability
5. People Experience, Care & Culture
You are the steward of MCI’s internal culture.
- Build systems for feedback, coaching, wellness and workload management, and conflict resolution
- Safeguard MCI as a safe space, brave space, fun space, and high-expectation space
- Support leaders to manage people with empathy and clarity
6. Leadership Development & Succession
You ensure MCI is not dependent on a few individuals.
- Develop future newsroom leaders, program leads, creative directors, project managers, and media entrepreneurs
- Support leadership transitions
- Design succession plans across key roles
7. Align People, Budgets & Roles to the 6S Engine
You are a strategic mirror to leadership. You will constantly ask:
- Are we investing enough in S1–S4 (core engine)?
- Are we overstaffed in admin and understaffed in impact?
- Do our people’s systems support learning or slow it down?
- Who do we need more of — and who do we need less of?
