The Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) is inviting applications for the soon-to-be-vacant position of Editor.

The successful candidate will replace Damilola Ayeni, who is set to depart after nearly four years in the organisation.

You think you’re our ideal candidate? Hang on a minute; the qualities we seek for this position are far from straightforward.

HEART

The ideal FIJ Editor is someone with a lot of heart. Most of our journalism involves publishing what the rich and powerful would rather suppress. One of the consequences is that we’re often hounded by state and non-state actors, particularly through the police. The Editor we’re seeking appreciates why these stories must be told and understands the risks, but does not need to be told that giving up is no option.

REPORTING ADDICT: Our ideal candidate is a compulsive reporter, someone for whom reporting is intrinsic, second nature — someone who understands that reporting is the soul of journalism. Isn’t it ironic that reporting qualities are being demanded of an editor? We want an editor who can lead a reporting team, but we also want that person to be someone who relishes personally taking on the occasional breaking news or exclusives.

INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM: At the end of the day, we are an investigative outlet. We want an editor who has done investigative journalism — not just features or ‘special stories’ — for a considerable period, and can therefore provide editorial direction to FIJ’s newsroom of investigative reporters.

READ ALSO: FIJ@3: ‘Arrows of God’ and 9 More Big Stories of the Last Year

THIRST FOR JUSTICE: The second prong of FIJ’s work is social justice. The ideal FIJ Editor is someone who naturally resents injustice and oppression — someone who hears that a trader’s funds have ‘disappeared’ from a bank or an airline has cancelled a flight without refunding passengers or the police have extorted a civilian and is restless until such a story has been published.  

READ ALSO: FIJ @ 3: We’re Not EFCC, but We’ve Recovered N79.6m for Nigerians in the Last Year

EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate is an experienced journalist who has had a prior stint leading a newsroom team, preferably but not necessarily at editor level. 

LOCATION 

Lagos. Full-time. Not off-site, not hybrid.

REMUNERATION

Negotiable, based on experience and competence

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates should send their CVs to [email protected]. A cover letter is unnecessary, but the CVs must contain links to three stories they have personally executed and another three stories they have led their team members to produce. 

They are also required to share their thoughts, in no more than 1,000 words, on the topic: ‘Investigative Journalists As Cybercriminals in the Eyes of the Nigeria Police’.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION

Sunday July 14, 2024

If you haven’t been contacted by the last day of July, it means your application was unsuccessful.

First published: Thursday June 20, 2024.