Editorial Lead

Duration: Permanent

Reporting to: Chief Communications Officer

Location: Stellenbosch

Working condition: Hybrid

BACKGROUND

Founded in 1997 by President Nelson Mandela, HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands and Dr. Anton Rupert, Peace Parks Foundation is a non-profit organisation pioneering conservation at scale across southern Africa.

Working through Transfrontier Conservation Areas that span national borders, Peace Parks reconnects ecosystems, strengthens local economies and helps secure the natural assets on which communities depend. Its holistic approach is built on three pillars: conservation at scale, community development and conservation finance, ensuring that protected areas deliver long-term ecological and economic value.

To date, Peace Parks has helped governments protect 780 000 km², co-manages eight parks where wildlife populations have rebounded fivefold, and supports more than 280 000 people annually through its interventions. With formal government mandates and strong community partnerships, Peace Parks offers a proven model for building resilience for both people and nature across southern Africa’s most significant landscapes.

The Foundation’s Vision 2050 is to secure 17 fully functional transboundary landscapes spanning 980 000 km², making it one of the world’s largest land-based conservation initiatives.

JOB PROFILE

We are seeking an experienced editorial and content strategist from a journalism, public relations or strategic communications background who can identify compelling stories, develop strong narrative angles, and lead the packaging of content for different audiences and platforms in support of Peace Parks’ strategic priorities.

The Editorial Lead sits at the intersection of editorial, media, digital, visual storytelling and donor communications, ensuring that content is not only well written, but strategically designed to achieve specific outcomes.

A core responsibility of the role is ownership of the Peace Parks visibility calendar, ensuring that communications priorities, campaigns, announcements and storytelling opportunities are identified, planned and delivered effectively.

The Editorial Lead provides day-to-day leadership to the editorial function, setting clear standards, allocating work, developing the team and ensuring that content is delivered to the required quality and deadlines. The role is expected to operate with a high degree of independence, reducing the level of routine editorial oversight required from the Chief Communications Officer.

Working closely with leadership, field teams and communications specialists, the Editorial Lead works across the organisation to identify high-value communications opportunities and determine the most effective channels, formats and audiences for each story.

The role requires strong editorial judgement, excellent writing skills, a calm and structured approach to leadership, a coaching mindset, and the ability to turn complex information into clear, engaging and effective communications.

JOB PURPOSE

To lead the editorial function and develop and deliver strategic, audience-focused communications that strengthen Peace Parks’ reputation, support fundraising efforts, enhance partner visibility and position the organisation effectively with government, media, donors and key stakeholders.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Editorial leadership and team development

• Lead and develop members of the editorial team through clear direction, structured support, regular feedback, coaching and practical training.
• Allocate and oversee editorial work, ensuring appropriate workloads, clear accountability and timely delivery.
• Set and uphold editorial standards, workflows and quality-control processes across the communications department.
• Commission, brief and guide writers, producers and other content contributors.
• Build the team’s capability to deliver independently and consistently.
• Manage the performance of direct reports in line with organisational processes and expectations.
• Take ownership of the editorial function and reduce the need for routine editorial intervention by the Chief Communications Officer.

Editorial strategy and content development

• Identify and develop compelling stories for multiple audiences, including governments, donors, media, partners and digital audiences.
• Develop integrated content packages that combine written, visual, digital and media elements to maximise reach and impact.
• Write and produce high-quality content across a range of formats, including web stories, social media, press releases, case studies, newsletters, media materials and executive communications.
• Determine how each priority story should be packaged across platforms, ensuring that written, visual, digital, media and donor-facing outputs work together to achieve the intended communications objective.
• Translate complex programme information, technical content and monitoring, evaluation and learning data into clear, compelling narratives that demonstrate impact.
• Direct the adaptation and distribution of priority stories across written, visual, digital, media and donor-facing channels.
• Collaborate with field teams to identify stories, gather information and ensure the authentic representation of people, partners and landscapes.
• Provide editorial guidance, support and quality control across communications outputs.
• Maintain a strong understanding of audience needs, media trends and emerging storytelling formats.

Planning and organisational visibility

• Own and manage the Peace Parks visibility calendar, ensuring that priority communications opportunities are identified, planned in advance and delivered on time.
• Work across the organisation to identify upcoming milestones, announcements, campaigns and storytelling opportunities.
• Ensure that communications priorities are aligned with organisational strategy, fundraising needs, partner commitments and external opportunities.
• Contribute to media pitching, campaign development and major organisational communications initiatives.
• Monitor progress against the visibility calendar and address delays, gaps or competing priorities proactively.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• A degree in journalism, communications, media studies, English or a related field.
• At least seven years’ experience in journalism, publishing, public relations, strategic communications or a related editorial environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading, managing and developing a team.
• Exceptional writing, editing and storytelling skills.
• Demonstrated ability to develop content for multiple audiences and platforms.
• Experience working across written, digital and multimedia formats.
• Strong understanding of media, audience engagement and content strategy.
• Ability to translate complex information into clear, engaging narratives.
• Excellent organisational and project-management skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• A structured and supportive leadership style, with a demonstrated ability to coach others, build confidence and improve team performance.
• The ability to work independently, exercise sound judgement and take full ownership of the editorial function.
• Experience in conservation, development, philanthropy or purpose-driven organisations would be advantageous.

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE

• Journalism
• Publishing
• Public relations
• Strategic communications
• Content strategy
• Team leadership and development
• Editorial planning and quality control

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• Agency experience
• Thought-leadership development
• Executive communications
• Newsroom experience
• Media relations

Interested candidates are invited to submit a Curriculum Vitae, with full address, telephone number and email address. These should be submitt