Job description
Who we are
Semafor is a global news platform for an increasingly complex world in which consumers are overwhelmed by too many news sources and unsure what to trust. We are building Semafor to enable world-class journalists to deliver reporting and insights with rigor in journalistic forms that ensure a new level of transparency. Our editors and reporters distill the most important stories from all over in formats that uncover the forces shaping the stories, explain the interests behind polarizing narratives, and replenish the stock of shared facts. As a global platform, Semafor recognizes that smart people can disagree and that informed readers need to understand alternative points of view from competing centers of power and culture in a multi-polar world. Want to join us? Read on.
Your Responsibilities
- Identifying, reporting, and editing business and economy-focused articles alongside geopolitics, climate, tech and other newsletter items with a focus on clarity, brevity, and nuance, drawing on intimate knowledge of African contexts, cultural dynamics, and linguistic nuances to ensure authentic and insightful coverage
- Help with news editing and production of the Semafor Africa newsletter
- Coordinate with Semafor colleagues across editorial and events teams to help organize Semafor’s live events, including conceptualizing themes rooted in African priorities and cultural contexts, securing speakers from the continent, overseeing programming with sensitivity to regional traditions and perspectives, and conducting interviews on stage
- Draw on sources and interviews — particularly those embedded in African business ecosystems—to report and write scoopy stories for publication on the web and in our newsletters, incorporating cultural subtleties and multilingual sourcing where relevant
- Plan and coordinate coverage with colleagues and freelancers who operate across multiple time zones, with an emphasis on leveraging local insights, networks, and cultural expertise across the continent
- Collaborate closely and constantly with Semafor’s editing team, and other verticals across Semafor’s global newsroom
What Makes You Qualified
- 7+ years of relevant journalism experience in African media or focused on African stories, including some newsroom management, leadership, or editing experience
- Experience in commissioning and editing stories ranging from monetary policy and fiscal policy, to climate and energy news, with an ability to convey authority and insight through a lens attuned to African economic realities, regional interconnections, and cultural intricacies
- Proven experience breaking original news stories based on information from a range of sources, such as cultivated industry/government contacts in African countries alongside press conferences, reports, and earnings calls among others, with demonstrated skill in navigating cultural protocols and language barriers for deeper access
- A deep contact book across the African business and policymaking community—built through sustained, on-the-ground engagement and cultural immersion—for reporting and editing stories, and for organizing live journalism events on the continent
- A strategic, sophisticated approach to identifying the strongest angle across different issues, storylines, and geographies in Africa, and concisely summarize it with cultural and contextual sensitivity, including an understanding of diverse ethnic, social, and linguistic traditions that shape business narratives
- Curiosity surrounding issues that Semafor Africa prioritizes, including finance, technology, digital public infrastructure, public health, and policy—all through a business and geoeconomics lens informed by direct experience in African environments and a nuanced grasp of local cultural and linguistic landscapes
- Eagerness to be part of a dynamic work environment demanding initiative, flexibility, and a willingness to jump in wherever needed to help the team succeed
- Proficiency in one or more African languages, or languages key to African news reporting—such as French, Portuguese, Chinese, or Arabic — is highly preferred to facilitate deeper sourcing, event coordination across diverse regions, and culturally resonant storytelling
Additional Job Details
This position is based in Africa (specific locations are negotiable within the continent to align with the candidate’s established networks and residency), but candidates must be willing to work flexible hours and frequently travel domestically across Africa and internationally as needed. The base salary range for this position is $75,000 - $100,000 USD annually.
Additional job details
Semafor offers a Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) policy to our full-time, salaried employees who may take paid time off as-needed without a prescribed limit or defined balance.
Semafor, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and enthusiastically encourages people from all backgrounds and experiences to apply. Semafor, Inc. will consider all applicants without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.
