Project Director, International Counter-FIMI Programme

About Zinc Network

Zinc Network uses behavioural science and AI to address the toughest problems of our time. We do this with networks of local actors who help us advance meaningful, measurable change. We have 50+ team members from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds, including democratic governance specialists, behavioural scientists, researchers, content producers, digital experts, and service designers. We work with a broad range of governmental, NGO, and private sector clients, including the UK Home Office (HO); the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO); UN agencies and missions; Microsoft; and the Internet Watch Foundation.

We conceptualise and create award-winning programmes, interventions, and campaigns that change the way that people think, feel, and act across a wide range of pervasive social issues, including disinformation and hate speech, violent extremism, poor governance, threats to children and young people's online safety, gender-based violence, and more.

The role

Zinc seeks a Project Director for a forthcoming donor-funded programme that will strengthen partner countries' capabilities to understand, identify, and mitigate the threat posed by Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI). This multi-country programme will design and deliver innovative activities and interventions with governments of partner countries, tailored to local requirements and based on existing partner capability. The position is contingent upon funding.

The Project Director will provide the programme with strategic and operational oversight, ensuring all activities delivered achieve the desired impact within time and budget while upholding Zinc Network's core values. They will be tasked with forming and maintaining relationships with government partners, client representatives, and local stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions.

Programme Objectives

Key Outcome: Strengthen partner governments' capability and capacity to counter FIMI

Key Deliverables: Deliver innovative and tailored change management, capacity-building and training activities for governments of partner countries, including but not limited to:

• Open-source research.

• Technical assistance on legislation development.

• Building relationships with social media and tech platforms.

• Developing strategic communication campaigns.

• Threat assessment methodologies.

• Delivering cross-border coordination mechanisms.

Key responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership, management, and technical direction for the programme, serving as the primary liaison with client stakeholders on strategic, operational, and contractual matters;

• Ensure the project is delivered in line with timelines and budget;

• Professionally represent Zinc Network to government partners, counterparts, donor agencies, and other programme stakeholders across multiple countries;

• Lead strategic planning and programme design, ensuring alignment with client requirements and partner country needs;

• Lead the implementation of the programme and oversee the reporting of required results to client stakeholders;

• Monitor and adapt activities to achieve results, maintaining high standards for performance and integrity;

• Manage cross-functional teams of researchers, analysts, creatives, operations staff, and technical specialists, ensuring effective collaboration and knowledge integration;

• Oversee all contractual and budgetary aspects of programme management;

• Ensure compliance with Zinc Network’s processes, policies and procedures, including security protocols and safeguarding.

Requirements

The ideal candidate

The Project Director will be responsible for providing overall management and direction to this programme and for supervising all key personnel. They must be an experienced senior leader who has successfully managed international programmes of similar size, complexity, and sensitivity. We are looking for a strategic thinker with deep expertise in national security, has experience building capacity in government agencies, can navigate complex multi-stakeholder environments, and deliver measurable change in challenging operational contexts.

Additionally, the Project Director will have contextual knowledge and experience in the Eastern European region.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in national security studies, public policy, international development, or other fields directly relevant to the programme's scope.

• Minimum 7 years of senior-level professional experience in national security, public policy, or international development contexts.

• Minimum 7 years of experience managing and implementing large-scale donor-funded programmes.

• Substantial experience in change management and capacity building with government departments and agencies.

• Proven track record of working effectively across multiple jurisdictions and cultural contexts.

Technical Expertise

• Deep understanding of FIMI threats, tactics, and countermeasures;

• Experience with open-source intelligence methodologies and analytical frameworks;

• Knowledge of legislative and regulatory environment;

• Understanding of social media platforms and technology sector;

• Familiarity with strategic communications and public messaging in sensitive contexts; Skills and Competencies:

• Demonstrated leadership, strategic thinking, and integrity in high-stakes environments;

• Exceptional stakeholder management and relationship-building capabilities, including managing remote teams;

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail;

• Ability to work effectively under pressure and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances;

What we can offer you

The opportunity to work with colleagues from a diverse range of professional and cultural backgrounds including the very best ex-diplomats, television producers, digital media strategists, linguists, researchers, and behavioural scientists from both the public and private sector. Across Zinc Network there’s a commitment by everyone to deliver meaningful, change across all the subject areas, social challenges, and policy goals we’re striving to achieve.

Area of selection

We’re committed to hiring a diverse workforce from different professional and cultural backgrounds, and to that end we encourage a variety of people to apply to join our company to represent thediverse range of subjects associated with our projects.

Conditions of employment

Candidates who receive a job offer will be required to:

• Disclose any previous disciplinary action against them resulting from a substantiatedsafeguarding (including any breaches involving trafficking- related activities) or workplaceinvestigation.

• Undergo background checks including employment verification, sexual offender registry,identity confirmation, and anti-terrorism vetting.

How to apply

Please include a CV showcasing how your background meets the position requirements. If you require an accommodation to be made at any point throughout the recruitment process, please let us know when you are contacted.