Nation Advertises Job Opportunity Amid Looming Mass Firings

The Nation Media Group (NMG) has announced a job opportunity for interested journalists amidst fears of a possible mass retrenchment exercise at the media house.

In an advert seen by Viral Tea, NMG, known for its Twin Towers in Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), revealed that it is looking for a Local Content Editor, who will be based in Nakuru.

The successful candidate will be responsible for creating high-quality, geo-targeted, digital content that will resonate with local audiences.

He or she will also need to possess more than seven years of experience producing a variety of media content in Kenya, more than two years of experience in an editor role commissioning individual contributors and substantial experience working for a digital-first product.

Also ideal is exposure to multiple content formats (text, pictures, video, audio), journalistic instinct; someone with a 'nose for the story', who can spot facts leading to insights and exposure to a Content Management System and other digital content creation tools.

The Local Content Editor shall be charged with:

• Observe and understand a lot of what is happening in the local community
• Plan daily content output and then commission the team of contributors
• Edit the submissions of the contributors and enforce deadlines (correcting submissions for accuracy, libel, taste, house style, language use, clarity, details, objectivity and spelling)
• Fact-check accuracy, legal compliance and timeliness of multiple content formats
• Publish more than 10 items daily in multiple formats on a website
• Also, write short or in-depth content items themselves daily
• Participate in audience engagement and measurement
• Liaise with the Local Content Lead based in Nairobi on content strategy and execution
• Handle administrative tasks including the provision of adequate resources.

Among the particulars listed include being based in Nakuru. The job is full-time with a 12-month contract with the chance to become permanent and a competitive salary.

The advert comes as rumours began swirling of massive job cuts in the media house giant after it restructured its managerial sector on Friday, November 4.

Sources told Viral Tea that the mass firing will hit a yet-to-be-established number of journalists after the management notified the employees of its restructuring plan on the same day.

The meeting attended by Group CEO Stephen Gitagama and Board Chairman Wilfred Kiboro saw NTV's Joe Ageyo appointed the Group's Editorial Director (GED) in place of Mutuma Mathiu, who was demoted to the Consulting Editor (CE) role.

Other changes include Monicah Ndungu who was appointed the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Richard Tobiko as the Chief Finance Officer (CFO). The position of Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) was however left vacant after it was newly created.

NMG is eyeing a bottom-up mentorship program which will see the younger, tech-savvy journalists mentor the older ones and help them adapt to changes in the digital media landscape.

NMG would join the likes of Standard Media Group (SMG) and British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in embarking on mass firings, with reports indicating a salary crisis among the latter, three months since Viral Tea's whistleblower on the salary crisis on the Mombasa Road-based media house.