Employment Opportunities at CPJ

Video Producer

Global Tech Researcher

Director of Human Resources

Video Producer

Reports to: Digital Manager
Salary range: $65,000 – $80,000 per year
Location: New York preferred, however the work is currently remote
Start Date: Immediate
Application Deadline: Until the position is filled

About CPJ

Founded in 1981, the Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent, non-profit organization defending journalists worldwide without regard to their political ideology. Through its work to safeguard journalists, CPJ protects the rights of all people to have access to diverse and independent sources of information.

Background

The Committee to Protect Journalists is seeking a skilled video producer to join CPJ’s digital team. The successful candidate will be tasked with ensuring the presence of a video component with CPJ’s major releases and producing CPJ research, data, and campaigns in video format to be shared on social media, published on CPJ’s website and shared with content partners. The video producer will work closely with CPJ programs and departments to transform their ideas into compelling videos.

CPJ’s digital team is tasked with tailoring CPJ’s content for social media, distributing CPJ’s research and reports on platforms and via a weekly newsletter, envisioning and executing digital components for CPJ’s campaigns, engaging and growing CPJ audiences, and tracking web analytics among other tasks.

About you

Video editing and production is a second nature to you. You have a knack for using the medium of video for storytelling. You deeply care about press freedom and journalism and follow world news closely. You have a journalist’s instincts and a sound editorial judgement. You are comfortable shooting film. You wake up thinking about how you would create the next video that could make an impact and help set an embattled journalist free or highlight their plight. You are proactive and eager to quickly edit a news video covering a breaking news story. You are an excellent communicator, a team player and you have a collaborative spirit. You are highly motivated and detail-oriented. You are a one-person team but also don’t shy away from asking for guidance and assistance. 

The producer would use their initiative to identify opportunities for video production as well as possibilities for growth on existing and emerging platforms to amplify CPJ’s message and research. The producer would take advantage of CPJ’s broad access to the photo archives of the main international wire agencies. This candidate will build on CPJ’s existing digital strategy, but depending on their skill set and interests, they should be able to play an active role in envisioning and implementing a standalone video strategy that enhances CPJ’s impact and the effectiveness of its reporting and advocacy and expands the organization’s digital footprint.

Primary duties

• Responsible for end-to-end video production, including: ideation, integrating compelling multimedia content into reporting and advocacy campaigns, accepting and reviewing pitches from CPJ programs and departments, gathering video elements and research, writing scripts and on screen text with long shelf life, shooting footage (including interviews), choosing appropriate music and sound, editing video material into finished pieces, and publishing them on relevant social platforms and through other channels
• Distill complex news stories into clean and concise scripts to create news and campaign videos under one minute
• Build on CPJ’s signature style for videos and place them where the organization’s constituents and target audiences are
• Prepare video analytics reports, ensure digital archiving and rights tracking
• Define goals and evaluation metrics of videos under the supervision of the digital manager and in collaboration with teams during the planning process

Essential skills and experience

• Superb video editing skills using either Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere
• Impeccable English writing skills
• Demonstrated video editing and shooting experience, including subtitling
• Working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe AfterEffects
• At least two years of experience in a comparable role at a news agency, news website, newspaper, TV network, or a similar organization
• Ability to repurpose videos for distribution on different platforms
• Knowledge of livestreaming encoding software
• Maintain a video editorial calendar and resurface relevant videos with new developments and in subsequent anniversaries
• Coordinate or hire freelancers as needed to contribute video, graphics, research, or other support to projects
• Think on your feet and be adaptable to CPJ’s changing needs and priorities
• Ability to deal with stress and heavy workload
• Good time management skills
• Adhere to tight deadlines and juggle several projects simultaneously

Preferred skills and experience

• Experience in creating animation and motion graphics
• Working with writers and staff whose first language is not English
• Working knowledge of major social media platforms and demonstrated ability to engage on social media
• Proficiency in another language in addition to English
• Ability to understand different cultural perspectives and nuances given CPJ’s global mandate
• Familiarity with AP style
• Basic HTML skills and content management software experience
• Good project management skills. Experience in using a project management software is a plus
• Experience in social ads and Google Ads

About the position

This is a full-time, exempt position. Benefits include 100 percent employer paid health, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance. This job is part of a collective bargaining unit represented by the Writers Guild of America, East.

How to apply

Please email two previous video works, résumé, cover letter, three references and three video pitches to jobs@cpj.org and include “Video Producer” in the subject line.

CPJ is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted.

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Global Tech Researcher

Reports to: Program Director
Location: US
Salary: Competitive salary based on experience
Start Date: Immediate
Application deadline: Open until position filled

Background

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) seeks a full-time Global Tech Researcher to report on issues at the intersection of technology and press freedom around the world. This is a highly collaborative role with a global focus. In the last two years, CPJ has followed this approach to document issues such as surveillance technology and content moderation in India; internet governance in Iran;  and concerns around cybercrime laws in the United States. The Global Tech Researcher will continue this work in collaboration with the Tech Editor and the regional programs documenting press freedom incidents around the world and pursuing advocacy on behalf of journalists and press freedom. 

Responsibilities

• Report on tech policy and legal actions regarding encryption, content moderation, surveillance, cyber attacks, censorship, online harassment, digital regulations and other issues at the nexus of press freedom and technology.
• Draft statements, identify, flag and report on key developments in regulation, legislation, or corporate practice that could have a major impact on press freedom in the digital space. 
• Contribute to CPJ’s tracking and reporting of emblematic case studies at the intersection of press freedom and technology.
• Expand coverage of internet and technology issues on CPJ’s social media.
• Coordinate with the Program Director and the Advocacy team on CPJ’s advocacy on technology.
• Work with CPJ Emergencies on identifying digital security risks and needed support for journalists worldwide.
• Represent CPJ at events and liaise with other advocacy groups.
• Provide support for meetings, events, advocacy missions, and major reports as needed.

Required qualifications

• A strong background reporting on the intersection between free expression and technology.
• At least three years of experience reporting on issues such as digital rights, online censorship, online harassment, tech surveillance, internet shutdowns and others that impact free expression and the free flow of information and opinion in the digital age.
• A rich network of contacts with digital rights groups, security researchers, and tech companies.
• Knowledge of international press freedom issues and digital rights issues. 
• Regional expertise is an advantage.
• Strong writing skills.
•  Experience working in a newsroom is strongly preferred.
• Experience working on advocacy initiatives is an advantage.
• A second language is an advantage.

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time, exempt position. Salary is commensurate with experience. Benefits including 100 percent employer paid health, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance. This job is part of a collective bargaining unit represented by the WGAE. 

How to apply

Please email a resume, cover letter, and three references to jobs@cpj.org. Include “Global Tech Researcher” in the subject line and include a required 500-word personal statement on why you consider press freedom to be important and the main challenges posed by technology. Due to volume, we cannot reply to individual inquiries on the status of applications. If you are selected as a candidate, CPJ will contact you directly to arrange an interview. No phone calls please.

CPJ is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

About CPJ

The Committee to Protect Journalists promotes press freedom worldwide and defends the right of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal. CPJ ensures the free flow of news and commentary by taking action wherever journalists are attacked, imprisoned, killed, kidnapped, threatened, censored, or harassed.

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Director of Human Resources

About the position

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Human Resources (“HR Director”) will build and lead an exceptional human resources function for CPJ, and will serve as a key liaison between CPJ’s management and its recently unionized staff. The HR Director will oversee CPJ’s efforts to recruit, engage, develop and retain talent across the organization with an explicit focus on supporting CPJ’s core commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Moreover, the HR Director will serve as the organization’s leader on culture and talent, continually improving broader organizational effectiveness. 

The HR Director’s responsibilities shall include, but will not be limited to: 

Employee Relations:

• Serve as a key interlocutor with the recently formed CPJ Union, ensuring that all policies are administered consistently and equitably, and resolving any grievances 
• Bring a “staff perspective” to major organizational decisions; consider the wants and needs of the staff, anticipating what employees will think of any changes and how changes could affect their job satisfaction or productivity 
• Clearly communicate company announcements or policy changes to employees, in order to be as transparent as possible and to keep everyone up to date with important information 

Talent Recruitment, Engagement & Development:

• Codify and ensure best practices in talent recruitment across the organization, ensuring that managers are equipped to run comprehensive, equitable recruitment processes in order to select top talent for open positions from diverse candidate pools 
• Refine and support onboarding process to fully introduce and integrate new staff members into the culture at CPJ 
• Continue to refine CPJ’s talent strategies and structures, ensuring that the organization is well positioned to meet its goals and that employees are meaningfully engaged 
• Lead the organization’s thinking and execution of learning opportunities for staff, especially around best practices in management, to give staff the opportunity to build new skill-sets and to deeply engage across a range of professional and organizational needs; support a culture of continuous learning, ensuring that staff have access to continued professional development training and opportunities for growth 
• Conduct ongoing talent mapping to ensure CPJ strategically approaches and plans for retention, attrition, and succession planning 

Performance Management:

• Build upon existing performance review process, identifying opportunities for more impactful feedback, growth and learning 
• Develop staff capacity and competencies to regularly engage in feedback conversations to ensure that managers are continuously coaching and mentoring team members 
• Analyze CPJ’s core competency model and clearly articulate a career pathing process to ensure staff at all levels understand success at a given level and tenure; develop process to identify opportunities to fill organizational needs by promoting internal staff 

Candidate Requirements:

In order to be successful, the HR Director must possess the highest levels of integrity and discretion, be collaborative and service oriented, and able to build deep trust and credibility with both CPJ’s leadership and staff. 

Additional qualifications, characteristics and competencies include:

• Commitment to CPJ’s mission 
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience, with no less than five years of experience in at least two of the following HR disciplines required: HR Operations, Employee Relations, Talent Recruitment, Engagement and Development 
• Experience working in an HR department at an organization that has a global reach, and a diverse, international and unionized staff, strongly preferred 
• Knowledge of employment law compliance and legal liability awareness, strongly preferred 
• Meaningful experience leading DEI-related initiatives and trainings, strongly preferred 
• Exceptional judgement and ability to make informed, fair decisions 
• Ability to balance a strategic, broad perspective concurrent with an operational and execution-oriented focus 
• Exceptional communications and interpersonal skills, with the ability to navigate complex, confidential staff issues in an environment that can be intense at times due to the nature of CPJ’s work 
• Technologically savvy, with the ability to point to work with IT staff to develop and implement new processes and systems that improve compliance and efficiency in a fast-moving environment 
• Self-starter, with the ability to operate autonomously 

Location: NYC (strongly preferred) or Washington, DC (second choice); CPJ may consider qualified candidates who need to reside elsewhere, but are willing to travel to CPJ’s offices on a regular basis. 

Compensation and Benefits: Salary for this position will be competitive and commensurate with experience; CPJ provides a comprehensive benefits package to each of its employees. 

About CPJ

Founded in 1981, the Committee to Protect Journalists (“CPJ”) is an independent, non-profit organization defending journalists worldwide without regard to their political ideology. Through its work to safeguard journalists, CPJ protects the rights of all people to have access to diverse and independent sources of information. For nearly four decades , CPJ has helped win the early release of imprisoned journalists, secure convictions in journalist murders, and enable positive legal reform in countries where the climate for free expression has deteriorated. 

Learn more about CPJ’s fight to defend freedom of the press here: http://cpj.org/ 

Qualified individuals, please apply: https://www.on-ramps.com/jobs/1998