AFP recrute 01 Journaliste
The job
You will be AFP’s anglophone correspondent based in Dakar covering much of West Africa, on a continent where Agence France-Presse is a leading news agency. The nine countries on your patch (Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia and Cape Verde) provide constant and varied news, from jihadist insurgency and instability in the Sahel, to politics and natural disasters. The region also offers a wealth of material on topics of vital interest to AFP and its clients: climate and environment, sport, lifestyle, economy, health and culture.
Working under the direction of the bureau chief and his deputy, you will provide a strong and lively file that is fast and accurate, steeped in clarity and perspective. Part of your work includes translating the French-language production of your colleagues and concurrently producing English-language copy on breaking news stories. You will work with a network of stringers and correspondents, whose contributions may require considerable editing. You will also produce your own enterprise stories, which will be translated into French.
Four of the countries in the coverage area are French-speaking, three are English-speaking and two are Portuguese-speaking.
You will work from the Dakar office and may be sent on reporting assignments in other parts of the region, depending on AFP’s needs.
You should have a keen eye for the visual and multimedia aspect of coverage, and closely coordinate with photo and video colleagues.
You will closely monitor social media and strictly adhere to the Agency’s guidelines on social media activity.
You will contribute to the fight against misinformation by helping factcheckers in the network and generally supporting the development of digital investigation. You will ensure that your team receives training in the various methods of online verification, now indispensable for all journalism. Online training is available here.
As a general rule, you commit to respecting AFP’s ethics charter as well as all the editorial guidelines in force and in the Agency’s style guide.
You must be ready to work long days and a wide range of hours, including early mornings and late nights, as well as weekends.
In an ever-changing media environment, the nature of the job could evolve in line with coverage demands and the requirements of an increasingly diverse client base.
Skills required
- You will have several years’ experience as a journalist and an interest in West Africa.
- You will have an exceptional level of written English and strong French is essential to work in a mainly francophone team.
- You are a team player with a strong work ethic and prepared to work long hours.
- You can write fast breaking news copy, even under pressure. You must be able to report accurately and quickly.
- You like reporting, even in areas with poor security and conflict zones. You will complete a hostile-environment training course organised by AFP, if you have not already done one.
- Video and social networking skills are a plus, as is knowledge of Arabic and Portuguese.
Applications
Before submitting applications, candidates should contact Clara.Sender@afp.com to enquire about the financial conditions. Please send a CV and cover letter to recruitment.africa@afp.com.
Deadline for applications: October 8, 2023.
