Based in: Africa

Come drive high-impact data journalism at the cutting edge of African investigative reporting.

Code for Africa (CfA) is seeking a veteran News Editor to lead our data journalism newsdesk within the iLAB (Investigative Lab), which works alongside forensic analysts and other OSINT (open source intelligence) specialists.

The iLAB works at the heart of the African Network of Centres for Investigative Reporting (ANCIR), a coalition of Africa’s leading investigative newsrooms that collaboratively expose corrupt politicians, organised crime, and corporate wrongdoing. iLAB leads complex investigations that individual ANCIR newsrooms could not handle alone—covering everything from forensic analysis of political corruption, organised crime, and illicit financial flows, to detecting and exposing coordinated disinformation campaigns, hate speech, and attempts to radicalise or polarise citizens online.

This fully remote position is open to candidates based anywhere in Africa. The News Editor will manage a dynamic newsdesk producing technically challenging content, working closely with a small team of data journalists and a broader group of forensic analysts and technologists. Together, they investigate political corruption, illicit finances, coordinated disinformation campaigns, hate speech, and digital polarisation, supporting not only ANCIR member newsrooms but increasingly, frontline investigative teams beyond Africa. 

In this leadership role, you will oversee editorial planning, assign and shape investigative stories, and guide data journalists in turning complex findings into compelling, accurate reports and evidence dossiers. You’ll interrogate findings through a journalistic lens, ensuring all content meets the highest standards of clarity, accuracy, and public impact. 

Ideal candidates bring substantial experience managing editorial teams under deadline pressure in mainstream newsrooms, demonstrate sharp news judgment, and excel in digital-first, multicultural environments. Superior writing and editing skills in English, strong analytical ability, and proven success collaborating across languages and cultures are essential. You will report to the iLAB Managing Editor, with support from a Chief Copyeditor and Production Manager.
 

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Required: minimum requirements include

• Minimum 10 years of editorial management experience, ideally in high-pressure, investigative, or data-intensive newsrooms (business, finance, or politics are a plus).
• Investigative reporting or editing background, with clear experience handling sensitive topics, disinformation, organised crime, or illicit financial flows.
• OSINT or disinformation monitoring experience — familiarity with foreign information manipulation tactics and narrative tracking is a major advantage.
• Strong editorial judgment, with the ability to turn messy research into sharp, structured stories.
• Excellent editing and writing skills, especially for fast-paced, high-clarity content.
• Proficiency in collaborative editorial tools like Google Docs, Trello, Slack, etc.
• Confidence managing remote, multilingual teams and multiple story formats.
• Meticulous attention to detail, with the ability to work collaboratively in a deadline-driven environment. This includes being an organisational whiz who can prioritise multiple simultaneous tasks while at the same time having the people skills needed to engage diplomatically and collaborate effectively with colleagues under tight deadlines.
• Demonstrable ability to self-manage, creating your own and wider team timelines and milestones with clear systems/processes.

Preferred: candidates who are able to demonstrate the following will have an advantage:

• Proven experience in investigative journalism or editing investigative content, with a deep understanding of OSINT techniques like social media mapping, metadata analysis, digital footprinting, and source verification.
• Demonstrated ability to extract story angles from dense, data-rich, or politically complex material and translate it into compelling, well-structured editorial products.
• Comfort managing and delivering a variety of outputs, from long-form investigations to radar briefs, donor reports, and newsletters, in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Sharp understanding of African media and political ecosystems, particularly around influence operations, narrative manipulation, hate speech, and the foreign actors shaping online discourse.

Language and Location Requirements:

• Location: Africa
• Primary workplace languages: English

• Preferred but not required: French, Arabic

   

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About the Role:
The iLAB is Africa’s premier newsroom for investigating the ‘digital mercenaries’ fuelling hate speech, extremism and radicalisation across the continent. It also has a robust track-record for data-driven OSINT investigation into organised crime and state capture, and evolving crypto-crimes.

As the iLAB’s News Editor, you will lead a core team of data journalists who work alongside forensic analysts and investigative technologists to tackle complex investigations that mainstream newsrooms cannot either because they lack specialised technical skills themselves, or are unable to operate at a continental level. 

The role is high-pressure and fast-paced. Guided by the newsroom’s editorial vision, you will steer editorial planning meetings, suggest data-driven angles, coordinate team efforts, and shape how investigations unfold, from initial idea to publication. You will oversee deadlines adherence, and coordinate input from other CfA teams.

The ideal candidate combines strong investigative instincts with exceptional newsdesk management experience and has a proven ability to turn messy, complex research into clean, compelling editorial products. You should be comfortable working with structured data, digital verification techniques, and tight deadlines — all while juggling multiple formats, from longform exposés to donor updates and briefing memos. Experience in African media, OSINT workflows, and collaborative newsroom tools is essential.

Responsibilities: Your daily responsibilities will include:

• You will manage the iLAB diary and deadlines for investigative reports, insights, and online content for our online platforms and partners, ensuring that it is delivered on time, is well-written and meets rigorous editorial standards. 
• Managing the editorial production process and content diaries for the iLAB, producing analytic and investigative reports.
• Scheduling and running the weekly ‘insights diary’ used to shape iLAB reports and investigative outputs.
• Ensuring that analytical and investigative outputs are aligned with organisational goals and lead to meaningful outcomes.
• You will select and prioritise editorial leads for iLAB journalists based on the trends and insights of analysts and forensic investigators, as well as algorithmic ‘listening’ or media monitoring tools, to help ensure we focus our attention on the most harmful misinformation/conspiracies.
• You will facilitate editorial planning meetings at which editorial leads/assignments are brainstormed and allocated to in-country journalists/researchers, with clear editorial briefs and submission deadlines.

What We Offer

• A competitive salary, subject to experience, with opportunities for performance-based growth, both in terms of career path and public stature.
• Medical insurance cover, underwritten by a remote-first provider to ensure cover wherever you are
• A dynamic workplace with a transnational team, occasional international travel, and generous vacation benefits.
• Ongoing opportunities to learn new cutting-edge skills and techniques/technologies to future-proof yourself in a rapidly evolving industry.
• A chance to shine on a global stage, writing for international audiences and interacting with colleagues around the world.

How to apply:
Please fill in this form by 05 September 2025

To all recruitment agencies: CfA does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our employment application line, CfA employees or any other CfA contact. CfA is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

Please note: Due to high volumes of applications, we are unable to respond to each one individually. If you are selected for an interview, we will contact you.