Project Manager

Zinc seeks an experienced Project Manager to lead an existing regional programme in Europe. The successful candidate will have significant experience delivering complex campaigns and programmes, including working with media partners and civil society organisations. They will work closely with project partners and Zinc’s multidisciplinary teams to ensure the project delivers high-quality outputs and achieves meaningful outcomes.

Reporting to the Project Director and forming part of the programme leadership team, the Project Manager will be responsible for the overall management of the project, including financial oversight, risk and compliance management, partner and stakeholder engagement, contractual reporting and delivery governance. The role will coordinate internal teams and external partners, ensuring delivery against client objectives while acting as a key point of contact for clients and other stakeholders.

The position is full-time until 31 March 2028. Extension beyond this date is subject to ongoing funding.

What you’ll be doing

Programme Delivery & Coordination

• Lead the day-to-day management of project activities, ensuring delivery against agreed workplans, timelines, budgets and client objectives.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams, consultants and partners to ensure effective collaboration and high-quality delivery.
• Monitor project progress and performance, identifying challenges and implementing corrective actions where required.
• Ensure deliverables are completed on time, within scope and to the required standard.
• Support the Project Director in planning, prioritisation and resource allocation.

Client & Partner Management

• Serve as a primary point of contact for clients, partners and key stakeholders.
• Build and maintain strong relationships across the project ecosystem, fostering collaboration and trust.
• Manage client expectations, partner priorities and project requirements to ensure successful delivery and sustainable partnerships.
• Support partners to deliver activities effectively while respecting editorial independence, local expertise and organisational mandates.

Financial, Contractual & Risk Management

• Manage project budgets, forecasting and financial reporting in collaboration with programme leadership and finance teams.
• Oversee contractual obligations and compliance requirements, ensuring adherence to client and donor standards.
• Maintain project risk registers and implement mitigation measures across operational, financial and reputational risks.

Strategy, Learning & Reporting

• Support the development and refinement of project strategies, workplans and results frameworks in line with client priorities and audience needs.
• Lead project reporting processes, coordinating inputs from internal teams and external partners.
• Support the integration of monitoring, evaluation and learning into project delivery to strengthen effectiveness and impact.

Leadership & Growth

• Support and manage project staff, consultants and implementing partners as required.
• Contribute to project growth, extension opportunities and wider business development efforts.

Requirements

• 4+ years' experience managing complex projects or campaigns in media development, strategic communications, information integrity, or related fields, including responsibility for budgets, reporting, stakeholder engagement and programme implementation.
• Bachelor's or master's degree, or equivalent professional experience, in international development, communications, journalism, political science or a related field.
• Experience managing donor-funded, partner-delivered programmes and operating within contractual, financial and compliance frameworks.
• Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams, priorities and deadlines.
• Strong client and stakeholder management skills, with experience working with media organisations, civil society partners and other external stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing reports, presentations and client-facing materials.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams and fostering effective collaboration across technical, operational and programme functions.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and ability to work independently
• Professional fluency in English.
• Understanding of monitoring, evaluation and learning approaches within donor programmes.
• Proficiency in one or more regional languages is desirable.
• Eligibility for UK or NATO security clearance.

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 the diverse 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 substantiated safeguarding (including any breaches involving trafficking- related activities) or workplace investigation.
• Undergo background checks including employment verification, sexual offender registry (as available), identity confirmation, and anti-terrorism vetting.

How to apply

Please include a cover letter stating how you meet each of the requirements.

If you require an accommodation to be made at any point throughout the recruitment process, please advise us when contacted.