Consultancy - Support the Establishment of the KAICIID Regional Dialogue Journalism Network

Vacancy

Support the Establishment of the KAICIID Regional Dialogue Journalism Network

Consultancy

Location: Home Based 

The International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) is seeking a Consultant to design the Regional Dialogue Journalism Network through a participatory process with the Dialogue Journalism Fellows, and to provide KAICIID with a clear and practical framework for establishing and operationalizing it.

An Introduction to KAICIID

KAICIID aims to create a more peaceful world by promoting dialogue and supporting religious leaders and communities in tackling our most pressing problems. We do this through education and training, convening religious leaders and policymakers, and carrying out research to encourage and enhance interreligious and intercultural dialogue. We work with our partners to build their capacities, connections, and confidence.

Our work focuses on four pressing and linked issues that challenge humanity: violent conflict; migration; the climate emergency, and social cohesion. We bring together religious leaders with policymakers to find constructive ways to address these issues through dialogue. Our work respects and values the differences between faiths and cultures but promotes the idea that we share a common humanity and a collective need to address these problems. Through all our work run three threads: youth engagement, gender, and policy development.

The primary objective of the Programme Division (PROD) is to create the conditions, platforms and environment through which religious leaders and other actors, in particular policy makers and dialogue practitioners, can engage in constructive dialogue, thus strengthening mutual understanding and respect with the ultimate aim to encourage them to initiate action to bring about change in the policies of religious institutions and governments, at various levels, build mechanisms to facilitate on-going dialogue and action as well as strengthen networks of committed and experienced religious leaders, and other actors in the use of (IRD/ICD) for peace and reconciliation in conflict situations in particular.

The Arab Region Unit, operating under the Programme Division, aims to instil a culture of interreligious and intercultural dialogue among its diverse partners in the region. Its goals are to promote social cohesion, common citizenship, and peacebuilding efforts, as well as to counter hate speech.

The programme engages and empowers religious leaders and communities, youth, women, media practitioners, dialogue experts and policymakers to form solid foundations for peace and recovery from crisis in the region. A regional Interreligious Platform for Dialogue and Cooperation (IPDC) in the Arab region was launched in 2018 to serve as an umbrella organization to coordinate dialogue efforts and initiatives and KAICIID’s work in the region. Several sub-networks and projects have also been established under the platform to promote dialogue, peaceful coexistence, and mutual understanding between followers of different faith traditions and cultures.

In line with KAICIID’s strategic goal of enhancing partnerships with the media as a vital contributor to peacebuilding, the KAICIID Arab Region Programme launched the "Media for Peace" project in November 2021. This transformative and visionary initiative is dedicated to fostering a culture of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and nurturing peace-building efforts within the Arab media landscape. 

The "Media for Peace" project comprises two fundamental components designed for profound impact: the Dialogue Journalism Fellowship and the Dialogue Media Policy Forum. Both elements are meticulously crafted to empower participants with the ethical tools necessary to address topics such as interfaith dialogue, interfaith relations, identity, and pluralism. By equipping fellows with these essential skills, the project aims to bridge gaps between religious and cultural communities, counter hate speech, and actively promote diversity in the media landscape.

KAICIID's Dialogue Journalism Fellowship has established a growing community of journalists from across the Arab region who have been trained and engaged around dialogue journalism, religious and cultural diversity, conflict-sensitive reporting, countering hate speech, social cohesion and peacebuilding.

The Fellowship has brought together journalists from diverse religious, cultural, professional and national backgrounds. The current pool includes approximately 78 journalists from 15 Arab countries.

KAICIID Arab Region Unit now seeks to build on this foundation by establishing a Regional Dialogue Journalism Network that moves beyond a traditional alumni model and creates an active, sustainable professional community.

The proposed Network will connect journalists with one another and with media institutions, journalism networks, universities, civil society, dialogue practitioners, international organizations and relevant UN agencies.

The Network is expected to provide opportunities for professional development, peer exchange, mentoring, collaborative journalism, knowledge sharing, institutional partnerships and engagement around issues related to dialogue, religious and cultural diversity, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.

Purpose:

The purpose of the consultancy is to facilitate a participatory process through which the 78 Dialogue Journalism Fellows contribute to the design of the Regional Dialogue Journalism Network, while providing KAICIID with a clear and practical framework for establishing and operationalizing the Network.

The consultant will listen to and engage the journalists, analyse their needs and expectations, conduct targeted consultations with external experts and practitioners with relevant experience in journalism networks, media development, dialogue and peacebuilding, benchmark relevant regional and international networks, map potential partners, and translate these findings into a proposed Network model, Theory of Change and first-year action plan.

The consultancy should ensure that the proposed Network model is co-created with its members, rather than designed solely by KAICIID.

Scope and Objectives:

The consultancy will pursue the following objectives:

• Understand the current profile, needs, expectations and priorities of the 78 journalists.

• Identify what would create meaningful and sustained value for members.

• Identify the knowledge, expertise and resources that members can contribute to the Network.

• Engage journalists in a structured co-creation process through online working groups.

• Benchmark relevant regional and international journalism and professional networks.

• Map potential media, institutional, regional and international partners.

• Develop the strategic identity and framework of the Network.

• Develop a practical Theory of Change.

• Develop a first-year action and engagement plan.

• Recommend an appropriate governance and sustainability model.

• Provide practical recommendations for launching and operationalizing the Network.

The consultant will:

• Review relevant KAICIID documents and the Dialogue Journalism Fellowship model.

• Review existing information on the 78 journalists.

• Benchmark relevant regional and international networks, including, where appropriate, UNESCO, UNDP, and other relevant models.

• Develop a detailed consultation methodology.

• Develop the online survey.

• Develop interview/focus group questions.

• Prepare a stakeholder and partnership mapping methodology.

• Conduct interviews with external experts in journalism networks, media development and dialogue.

• Agree with KAICIID on the consultation and work plan.

Expected Deliverables and Timelines

Timeline: Finalized by December 15, 2026.

The consultant is expected to provide the following deliverables:

• Inception Report: Including methodology, consultation tools and detailed workplan.

• Consultation Process: Online survey, Selected interviews, 3–4 online working groups, Consultation findings.

• Network Consultation Report: An analysis of member needs, expectations, contributions, opportunities and risks.

• Network Strategic Framework: Including d the network’s description, purpose, mission, vision, principles, member value proposition, membership model, governance model and KAICIID's role. 

• Ecosystem and Partnership Strategy: Including stakeholder mapping and priority partnership recommendations.

• Theory of Change: Including assumptions, risks, outputs, outcomes and indicators.

• First-Year Action Plan: A practical 12-month implementation plan with KPIs.

• Final Network Establishment Package: A consolidated final document incorporating KAICIID and member feedback and providing clear recommendations for launch and implementation.

Our Ideal Candidate:

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, humanities or a related field.

• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience in network development, stakeholder engagement, organizational development, media development, journalism or related fields.

• Having worked on dialogue and peacebuilding in Arab Region. 

• Demonstrated experience designing or strengthening professional/regional networks.

• Experience conducting participatory consultations, surveys, interviews and focus groups.

• Experience working for an inter-governmental organization, such as the UN, or for an international non-governmental organization (desirable);

• Experience working across multiple countries and cultures.

• Excellent facilitation and communication skills.

• Commitment to the highest ethical standards and human rights.

• Flexibility and ability to work in a pressured environment with strict deadlines.

Languages

• English proficiency (written and spoken);

• Arabic proficiency (written and spoken);

• Knowledge of French will be considered as an asset. 

Management:

The selected consultant will work under the supervision of the Senior Programme Manager, Arab Region, and the Programme Officer, Arab Region.

Terms of Appointment

Duration: The consultancy should be concluded by 15 December 2026, with the maximum of 17 working days, where 8 hours of work constitute one working day.

Location: Remote

The consultancy fee will be offered in accordance with KAICIID consultancy rates, depending on the experience and expertise of the selected candidate.

The exact timeline for the assignment will be established based on the completion of the recruitment process.

How to Apply:    

Interested candidates should submit:

• CV 

• Cover Letter including the daily fee

KAICIID is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic, and social backgrounds to apply.

Deadline for applications

Tuesday, 26 October 2026, 23:59 (Lisbon Time)