GAMBIA PRESS UNION

NO. 5 GARBA JAHUMPA ROAD BAKAU NEWTOWN

P. O. Box 1440, Banjul, The Gambia

email: gpu@qanet.gm url: www.gambiapressunion.org

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GPU SECRETARIAT

BACKGROUND

A new position of Executive Director, Gambia Press Union Secretariat is vacant.

The position will be funded by the recently approved capacity building project “Media for development – Development for media” which includes the institutional strengthening of the Gambia Press Union. The Project, financed by the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DANIDA) and implemented in cooperation with the Danish organisation GAMES (Gambia Media Support ) is part of a process to strengthen the institutional capacity of GPU.

The project which will be run jointly by GPU and the Danish NGO, Games (Gambia Media Support) amongst other things seeks to

·        build the capacity of the GPU to support enhancing professional journalism skills and ethics amongst working journalists in The Gambia

·        build  the capacity of the GPU to develop a framework for mid-career and further training of working journalists

·        enhance the capacity of the GPU as the key advocate for press freedom, professional journalism, journalists rights, freedom of expression and access to information in The Gambia and to deliver relevant and timely service to its members.

The Executive Director will play the key role in this process, working in close cooperation with the GPU President and Executive.

PROFILE

The Union is looking for a candidate with a proven and outstanding record in organisational and managerial work within journalism or the civil society sector. The candidate shall be able to demonstrate experiences and results in action-oriented implementation of strategies and activity plans for the media, NGOs, INGOs, civil society and/or similar organisations.

The candidate must be familiar with the function and role of media in civil society and the development of democracy and human rights as well as the general frameworks of human rights policies and strategies nationally, regionally and internationally.

The candidate must have good communication skills and must be able to relate efficiently to existing and potential members, contacts and stakeholders as well as the general public.

The candidate must have excellent written and spoken English.

We are looking for a person that is driven by vision and willingness to engage and advocate for the case of the media and media freedoms in The Gambia.  They must understand and be ready to face the challenges and struggles that follow with this.

APPLICATIONS

Candidates must present a motivated application letter of not more than two pages and a CV to be delivered to the GPU Secretariat NO. 5 GARBA JAHUMPA ROAD BAKAU NEWTOWN or by Post to P. O. Box 1440, Banjul, The Gambia or email gpu@qanet.gm at the latest 4p.m (16:00hrs), Thursday, September 10, 2009.

Interested candidates may request a detailed job description at the GPU Secretariat or the GPU website www.gambiapressunion.org.

Candidates must be prepared for a job interview within maximum 2 weeks after the deadline for application and to start as soon as possible.