Content Lead at Tech Safari

We are seeking a Content Lead to write Tech Safari's weekly feature edition, edit the work of our newer writers and freelancers, and work with the Head of Growth and Editorial to decide what Tech Safari publishes next.

This is a full-time, mid-level role, and it is not an entry point into journalism.

You will report to the Head of Growth and Editorial and be their closest editorial partner. That means you will be trusted to make calls on stories, to push back when a piece is not ready, and to help shape how the newsletters grow.

Every week you will turn the business of African tech into a story that is timely, well-sourced, and worth reading. You will cover fintech, logistics, energy, health, agritech, policy, and capital across West, East, North, and Southern Africa, and you will know the difference between a press release and a story.

What You Will Do

1. Writing and research

   • You will research and write Tech Safari's weekly feature edition on the business and economy of African tech, and you will file it on time, every week.
   • You will write at least one edition of The Big Move each month.
   • You will find stories before they become obvious, using your own sources, company filings, funding data, and conversations with founders, investors, operators, and regulators.
   • You will cover a range of sub-sectors and regions, so that Tech Safari does not become a newsletter about one country or one kind of company.

2. Editing

   • You will edit Tech Safari's weekly roundup, This Week in African Tech, before it goes out.
   • You will edit pieces from junior writers and freelance contributors, and you will give feedback that makes them better writers rather than simply rewriting their work.
   • You will help review pitches that come in through our open pitch program.

3. Formats, growth, and readers

   • You will work with the Head of Growth and Editorial to develop new formats, new content pillars, and new ways to raise engagement across the newsletters.
   • You will reply to readers who write in about your editions, and you will use what they tell you to make the next edition better.
   • You will bring ideas for how Tech Safari's journalism can work as podcasts, video, and other formats. You will not be expected to host or produce them, but we want your judgment on what would work.
   • You will read Tech Safari, Ag Safari, and The Big Move closely, and you will help keep the voice and standards of all three consistent where they overlap.

Who You Are

• You have at least four years of experience writing about business, technology, or economics, and you can show us published work that you reported and wrote yourself.
• You have edited other people's writing, whether as an editor, a section lead, or a writer who reviewed colleagues' drafts.
• You already know people in African tech. You can get a founder, an investor, or a policy official on the phone when a story needs them.
• You understand how African tech companies make money, raise money, and fail, and you can explain that to a smart reader who is not a specialist.
• You meet deadlines without being chased, and you say early when a story is at risk.
• You communicate clearly in writing and on calls, and you can disagree with an editor without making it personal.
• You can write. You do not rely on AI to produce your drafts, and you are comfortable proving that in our writing task.
• You are curious about podcasts, video, and other media, and you have opinions about what makes them work.
• You adapt quickly when a story breaks, a plan changes, or a format is not working.
• You have read Tech Safari, Ag Safari, and The Big Move before applying. You do not need to have been a long-time reader, but you should know what we publish and where you think we could be better.

Nice to Have

• You have worked on a newsletter and understand how open rates, replies, and subscriber growth respond to what you write.
• You are comfortable with funding data, company reports, and simple spreadsheets, and you can turn numbers into a clear argument.
• You have reported from more than one African market.
• You have worked with beehiiv or a similar newsletter platform.

How We Work, and Where We Stand on AI

We are a small team that uses good tools to do the work of a much bigger one. You will be given room to own your editions, and you will be expected to hold a high bar without being supervised line by line.

We use AI tools across the business, and you are welcome to use them for research, transcription, and admin. The writing, however, has to be yours. Our readers come to Tech Safari for judgment and voice, and those cannot be outsourced. Every shortlisted candidate will complete a writing task, and we will track how the piece is written as well as the final draft.

Location and Terms

This is a full-time, remote role open to candidates anywhere in Africa. We have a preference for candidates based in Nairobi or Abuja, where much of our team, network, and many of our events are.

We would like the right person to start as soon as possible.