Collaborative Journalism Mentor and Lead - Consultant
- Organisation: Media in Cooperation and Transition
- Contract: Consultancy
- Deadline: 20 November 2026
Background
Words That Protect supports regional editorial collaboration and gender-responsive journalism. Under Component 1, one Iraqi media network and two networks based in separate MENA countries each nominate one to two journalists to jointly research and produce one in-depth cross-border piece. The piece will be published simultaneously across three national media contexts, building practical working relationships and a shared record of collaborative production.
Purpose of the assignment
The Collaborative Journalism Mentor and Lead will provide sustained editorial mentorship to the participating journalist teams throughout research, drafting, revision and preparation for publication. The mentor will help the teams integrate their national perspectives into one coherent investigation, strengthen the quality of the reporting, and develop practical skills in cross-border collaboration.
Journalists retain ownership of the story and research and participate in editorial decisions. The mentor leads the detailed editorial process and is responsible for day-to-day editorial guidance, quality review and preparation of the final piece. The MiCT Project Manager and Local Lead approve the story concept, overall reporting strategy, significant changes in direction and final story for publication, informed by the mentor’s editorial recommendation. Each network determines where and how to publish through its own publishing relationships.
Scope of work
Selection and Matchmaking Support
Support MiCT in screening and assessing applications from participating media networks, with a particular focus on editorial credibility, the quality of the proposed story angles and their potential complementarity. Final selection and matchmaking decisions remain with MiCT.
Joint reporting framework
Lead the editorial review of selected story proposals with the journalist teams. Guide agreement on the shared research questions, complementary national angles, reporting responsibilities and editorial milestones, and submit the proposed story and overall reporting strategy to MiCT for approval.
Lead and facilitate the two online planning sessions with the journalist teams, identifying how the three national angles can contribute to a single investigation and where further evidence or access is needed. Consolidate the joint reporting plan, secure agreement from all three networks and submit it to the project team for approval of its overall direction.
Research and collaborative production
• Mentor the journalist teams remotely, helping them share findings and integrate reporting from the three countries into one coherent piece.
• Identify research gaps and guide drafting, addressing inconsistencies, duplication and uneven contributions.
• Review progress and access challenges during the virtual mid-point session and agree follow-up actions.
• Lead the editorial review to ensure factual accuracy, verification, source protection, safety and coherent cross-border analysis, and submit the final piece to MiCT for approval.
• Prepare the piece for publication, including joint credits and a brief note explaining the collaboration and linking to partner publications.
• Document mentoring, editorial milestones, feedback and revisions using the project’s templates, including relevant attendance records.
• Submit a final mentoring report covering results, challenges and lessons learned, and contribute to MiCT’s reporting and final evaluation.
Working arrangements
The mentor will agree on a mentoring schedule, feedback turnaround times and review milestones at the start of the assignment. Network journalists remain responsible for research and revisions, and networks remain responsible for their publishing platforms and national source relationships. MiCT manages the overall collaboration process, selection and matchmaking, contracting and financial administration, and compilation of the final component report.
Deliverables
Deliverables will be submitted to MiCT for review and acceptance, according to the agreed consultancy workplan.
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Mentoring workplan: Schedule of mentoring sessions, editorial checkpoints and submissions, aligned with the joint reporting plan.
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Joint reporting plan: A joint reporting plan agreed and signed off by all three networks, covering the shared research question, division of responsibilities, sources and access strategies, and production milestones.
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Mentoring and review records: Concise documentation of feedback, mid-point findings, agreed actions and revisions, using project templates.
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Final editorial package: Revised collaborative piece reviewed for accuracy, verification, source protection, safety and cross-border coherence, with joint credits, a collaboration note, partner links and any outstanding concerns flagged for MiCT approval before publication.
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Final mentoring report: Summary of support provided, results, challenges and lessons learned, including publication links, available audience data and relevant session records.
Required qualifications and experience
The following selection requirements are proposed for the assignment:
• Demonstrated experience as a senior journalist, editor or editorial mentor, including investigative or in-depth public-interest reporting and cross-border collaborative production.
• Experience in gender-responsive and survivor-centred reporting.
• Strong understanding of the Iraqi and wider MENA media context, including political pressures, editorial constraints and risks affecting journalists and sources.
• Ability to mentor experienced journalists, integrate reporting from different national contexts, and provide clear, constructive written editorial feedback.
• Strong skills in verification, research methods, source protection and ethical reporting.
• Professional Arabic and the ability to communicate and report to MiCT in English; additional regional language skills are an advantage.
Confidentiality and professional standards
The mentor will protect confidential editorial material and source identities; use agreed secure channels for sensitive information and disclose conflicts of interest. Sharing unpublished material outside the authorized team requires prior agreement. Contractual provisions on confidentiality, intellectual property and payment will be set out in the consultancy agreement.