Project Assistant

About the BJP Fund

As an independent foundation, the BJP Fund enables in-depth journalism. For 30 years, we have been enabling journalists to investigate backgrounds, dig deeper, and expose abuses. We do this by providing financial support to journalists for projects that result in articles, (photo)books, documentaries, podcasts, and multimedia publications; by facilitating the training of a new generation of investigative journalists; and by enabling journalists to continue their professional development. Since 2018, we have placed special emphasis on investigative journalism, and this year we are introducing a new grant program for innovative journalistic projects.

About the role

You will be working within the team that oversees the Project Grants Program, which consists of two project staff members and one coordinator. In this role, you will maintain contact with journalists who wish to apply for grants for their projects, provide feedback on draft grant proposals, and process submitted grant proposals. You will typically work on multiple applications simultaneously and have frequent contact with journalists regarding both the content of their projects and aspects such as the budget, the publishing media, and feasibility. You will monitor the progress of ongoing projects and serve as the primary point of contact for grant applicants and journalists working on projects with grant funding. In addition to these ongoing responsibilities, in this role you will also work with your colleagues to devise and roll out new grant opportunities for innovative journalism. Knowledge of and experience with, for example, new research methods, reaching specific target audiences, and unique storytelling approaches is therefore a plus.

We want to provide the best possible service to journalists applying for grants. In this role, you will be responsible for finalizing grant applications for review by a multidisciplinary advisory committee. You will ensure that the meetings in which the committee provides recommendations on the submitted proposals are well prepared. You will regularly attend these meetings as either the chair or the minute-taker.

The Fund is constantly working to expand its grant opportunities. In this role, you’ll keep your eyes and ears open and actively contribute ideas on how to refine existing and new programs.

What we offer

We are currently offering a varied position within a small and flexible organization that values accessibility and approachability. You will initially be offered a one-year contract, with a one-month probationary period. The BJP Fund has its own employment conditions regulations (AVR). Salary is determined based on experience and will range from €2,604.20 to €4,036.54 on a full-time basis (36 hours). Your work will generally be carried out at our office in the center of Amsterdam. Your hours can be scheduled flexibly. The BJP Fund aims to reflect the diversity of society in its organization and policies—and therefore also in filling this position.

What we're asking for

• You have strong communication skills, are diplomatic, and have a good command of the Dutch language, both spoken and written.
• You are enthusiastic about and have experience with innovative storytelling formats, and you understand the journalistic potential of, for example, live events, meetups, debates, photo exhibitions, social media, citizen participation, virtual reality, or comic strips. If you have an existing network of creators involved in innovative storytelling, we’d love to hear from you.
• You understand what it means to work for a support organization.
• You can work both independently and as part of a small team; you are detail-oriented and organized, and you don’t mind doing administrative or organizational work.
• You’re able to maintain a clear overview and ensure that communication with applicants is accessible, fast, and smooth.
• You will help us identify ways to improve the application process and internal workflows. You have an eye for areas of improvement in terms of user-friendliness and efficiency, both for journalists applying for grants and for the Fund’s staff.

Interested?

Are you interested in this position? Please send your resume and cover letter to vacatures@fondsbjp.nl by March 27 at the latest, with the subject line “Project Assistant.” For more information, please call or email Tom Springveld, Project Grants Coordinator, at 020–6386295. Recruitment agencies are asked to refrain from contacting us regarding this opening.