THE JOB

This is a position for an English-writing correspondent who will work under the authority of the regional MENA chief editors based in Nicosia, the director for the Maghreb and their deputy to cover news and stories from Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia.

At times there can be a heavy workload covering the current political situation in Algeria, diplomatic tensions with Europe, migration issues, diplomatic tensions over Western Sahara, the turmoil in Libya, the economic and political situation in Tunisia, etc.

In a region with a population of more than 100 million people, sitting at the crossroads of Europe and Africa, there is always a wealth of stories. It is also a vibrant region on the move, with a large population of young people and our coverage needs to reflect the changing culture, technology and social issues of the times.

The Maghreb region is often under-reported in the global English media, and you need to be able to think creatively, and out of the box, find original angles, propose trans- regional stories, and adapt and translate the French and Arabic copy to the needs of AFP’s English clients around the world.

You must develop your own sources among international institutions and within the diplomatic world to bring a complementary vision to our traditional coverage of the region.

The post could involve travel between the countries in your region.

The hours are flexible, but will require weekend work, and the days could be long depending on the workload.

You must have a keen eye for the visual and multimedia aspect of the coverage and closely coordinate with the photo, video and graphics departments.

You should be familiar with using social networks, as well as the issues involved in handling user generated content.

You will contribute to the fight against misinformation by helping factcheckers in the network and ensure you are trained in the various methods of online verification, now indispensable for all journalism. Online training is available here.

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 have a proven track record working as a journalist and can produce high-quality, lively, vivid stories across the different formats used by AFP
• Your first language is English, but you have a perfect command of written and spoken French. Knowledge of Arabic is a major plus
• You have shown solid news judgment, the energy and drive to work in a high-pressure environment, combined with the initiative to generate stories and uncover interesting angles. Imagination and a spirit of adventure are essential qualities
• The ability to remain calm under pressure, as well as patience and a strong spirit of cooperation and collaboration are a must
• You should have a well-rounded knowledge of the Middle East and regional geopolitics. Grounding in economics and business and proficiency in all social media tools are also a plus