ROLE 

The Associate, Global Programmes will contribute to Luminate’s global work on information ecosystems, exploring how Luminate can fund global and transregional organisations and initiatives to build healthier media ecosystems and support constructive public debate. A key part of this role will also be to work with Luminate’s regional teams in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and to collaborate with other programmatic and functional teams.  

This is an exciting opportunity to support the media sector at a time of unprecedented need. The successful candidate will join Luminate at a time of strategic growth and will have the opportunity to both engage with an existing portfolio of organisations, as well as support the development and building up of new work.   

While grant making is central to the role, the successful candidate will also have the opportunity to engage in other activities, such as research, as well as monitoring, evaluation and learning.  

This is a global role and the Associate, Global Programmes would be based London, UK. The successful candidate must be located in and have the right to work in London. Competitive salary and benefits are offered. 

TEAM 

The Global Programmes Team is diverse and growing, composed of colleagues working across different locations. We strive to have high levels of cultural awareness and build relationships with people from different contexts. We enjoy working with people from across the globe and use strategic and analytical capability to make grant making decisions that result in lasting, positive impact. Our team members come from diverse backgrounds and include people with experience in grant making, fundraising, advocacy, campaigning, journalism, research, and investment.  

The Global Programmes Team is responsible for Luminate’s global and transregional work as we seek to deliver impact against our strategy.  

Specifically, the team is responsible for:  

• Making global and transregional grants and designing and implementing other initiatives required for Luminate to deliver against its mission and strategy; 

• Collaborating with other teams within Luminate (including regional funding teams) to share learning and increase Luminate’s organisational impact.  

 The Associate will work closely with the Principal and Vice President of Global Programmes. This position reports to the Principal, Global Programmes and will be an integral member of the team and Luminate as a whole.  

RESPONSIBILTIES 

The Associate, Global Programmes will have a range of responsibilities, all connected to Luminate’s work on healthy information ecosystems.

They will include the following:  

• Support the team’s day to day grant making efforts, including undertaking periodic reviews of progress with grantees, performing site visits, and reviewing financial and narrative reporting; 

• Work with the Principal on providing support to Luminate’s partners to strengthen their capacity and impact;  

• Support new funding opportunities and develop funding packages this includes preparing all relevant documentation and conducting necessary diligence; 

• Build and maintain a network in the field of information ecosystems that can help source and diligence grant opportunities for Luminate’s global and transregional information ecosystems work;   

• Support the team in developing ecosystem-building initiatives led by Luminate that can address gaps in the information ecosystem sector;  

• Scope and execute research projects that could help Luminate, and the field build its knowledge around information ecosystems;  

• Support the delivery of the team’s strategy and learning agenda, including monitoring impact by collecting and analysing data and reporting; 

• Collaborate with Luminate’s regional and programmatic teams on grants and initiatives related to information ecosystems. 

  This role includes some travel, so ideally, the candidate would have flexibility to travel internationally (estimated 20-30 percent).   

EXPERIENCE & SKILLS 

The ideal candidate will have experience working on information ecosystems and particularly supporting journalism, independent media, or civil society organisations and/or global solutions that counter mis-/disinformation and preserve information integrity. We welcome applications from candidates with practical experience in the field and who are keen to support our partners in having impact, even if they have no experience in grant making.  

Note: We view this section as a guide, not a checklist. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t satisfy every single bullet on this list.  

• An understanding of how media organisations and civil society work and what some of their shared challenges are, particularly in Luminate’s priority geographies and in a context of sharp revenue decline and a surge in disinformation and threats; 

• A commitment to the development of healthier information ecosystems globally, with a special emphasis on ensuring a pluralism of voice and accessibility for a diversity of audiences, including the most marginalised;

• Experience in philanthropy / grant making (or the ability to learn quickly how non-profit capital is deployed) OR experience in media organisations, civil society, or sectors connected to information ecosystems;  

• Experience in providing organisational development support to partners, based on Luminate and Global Programmes’ strategy;  

• Deep strategic and analytical skills – ability to evaluate proposed funding opportunities from multiple perspectives and have appreciation for analytical rigour and clarity; 

• Clear understanding of matters of diversity, equity and inclusion and their place in transregional grant making;

• Good interpersonal skills and experience of working across different social, cultural and political contexts;

• Good communication skills. Excellent writing and presentation skills and ability to communicate succinctly and clearly. 

The ideal candidate is aligned with Luminate's values, including Luminate's diversity policy. 

Applications are due by 11.59PM (GMT) 24 MARCH 2024.   

ABOUT LUMINATE  

Luminate is a global foundation working to ensure that everyone – especially those who are underrepresented - has the information, rights, and power to influence the decisions that shape society. The foundation is focused on enabling people to fully participate in civic and political life, to safely challenge power, and to access accurate, trustworthy information. It was established by philanthropists Pierre and Pam Omidyar and has worked for over a decade on issues related to governance and citizen engagement.   

IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW  

Luminate believes that diversity and inclusion make us more successful in our work, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by local, state, or national law.