Network Manager Full Time

Public Interest News Foundation (PINF)
As Network Manager, you will divide your time between our year-round networking programme and the News for All campaign, through which we are calling on policymakers to support the independent news sector. Our networking programme builds the capacity of independent news providers by sharing information and ideas, building relationships, developing leadership skills and identifying and making progress towards shared priorities. The News for All campaign is intended to secure support for the independent news sector from policymakers in Westminster and the devolved administrations of the UK, in particular through the forthcoming Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill. About the Public Interest News Foundation At the Public Interest News Foundation (PINF), we want everyone in the UK to benefit from great journalism that speaks to them, for them and with them. We work with print and digital news providers of all shapes and sizes, focusing in particular on independent providers with turnover below £2m. These innovative social enterprises are developing new models of journalism, but they face tough challenges on the road to sustainability. Since we started work in March 2020, we have provided independent news providers with funding and leadership development opportunities, backed up by original research. Now, we want to strengthen the sector, boosting the connections, confidence and capacity of independent news providers and raising their profile with external stakeholders, including donors, policymakers and the public. We are a small, dedicated team with big ambitions. We work remotely from home or in co-working spaces with get-togethers at least once a month, usually in London. We all contribute to PINF’s evolving strategy, and we support and stretch each other to do our best work. We are committed to building a diverse team who can bring their experiences from work and home into this role. Therefore, we actively encourage applications from Black, Asian or minoritised groups, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. You will have the following skills and attributes: Relationship building: You will take a keen and authentic interest in the work of independent news providers – and the organisations that support them – across the UK, taking the time to build good working relationships with a wide range of individuals and organisations, understanding their issues and connecting them to compare experiences and address shared challenges. Coalition building: You will be able to engage independent news providers and other stakeholders in the News for All campaign, through which we are calling on UK policymakers to support the sector. You will not be responsible for the campaign’s policy or advocacy (which come under the remit of the Campaigns Manager), but you will have the diplomatic skills and vision to build a happy and effective coalition in support of the campaign goals. Events management: You will be able to organise successful in-person events and video calls. You will be able to support facilitators and speakers at events, including other members of the PINF team and external consultants, and you will enjoy the opportunity to facilitate meetings yourself. Project management: You will be able to manage projects, taking responsibility for project budgets, deliverables and deadlines, often working in partnership with other members of the PINF team and sometimes managing external consultants and contractors. Communications: You will be able to communicate clearly and with integrity in writing, in person and through video calls. Problem-solving: As a start-up organisation in a dynamic environment, we can’t predict exactly what each day will bring. You will enjoy solving problems as they arise, working closely with other members of the PINF team to think ahead and troubleshoot where necessary. Enthusiasm for PINF’s mission: You may not have worked in or around journalism before, but you will understand and be able to convey the importance of journalism for communities, democracy and society as a whole. In your first 12 months as Network Manager, you will: Lead on the successful delivery of an engaging year-round programme of in-person and digital events for independent news providers and key stakeholders, including the Independent News Forum, a major in-person event to be held in a British city outside London in autumn 2023, and a range of online and in-person workshops, seminars, roundtables and meetups. Contribute to the successful delivery of the News for All campaign, working in partnership with the Campaigns Manager, with particular responsibility for ensuring that independent news providers are able to contribute to the campaign and that the campaign meets their needs and expectations.