Director, Global Journalist Safety

Radio Free Asia•Washington, DC

1d•Remote

About The Position

Radio Free Asia (RFA) is a private, nonprofit media organization seeking a Director of Global Journalist Safety to lead its worldwide safety and security function. This senior leadership role is responsible for protecting journalists, freelancers, and staff in high-risk media environments across Asia. The Director will oversee safety officers, manage budgets, lead preventative advocacy strategies, build crisis response architecture, and serve as RFA's principal expert on physical and psychosocial journalist safety. The role requires significant travel and out-of-hours availability during active cases.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required in international relations, security studies, journalism, or related field. Master's degree preferred, or experience in lieu of degree.
10 years of crisis management experience, including real-time response to journalist safety incidents, with demonstrable lead experience across a minimum of three serious incidents (detention, abduction, serious injury, death in field, or forced exile).
Documented experience operating against state-level adversaries, specifically state-sponsored surveillance, transnational repression, and diaspora targeting.
Candidates must be able to describe (under NDA if needed) at least one case where they navigated hostile state intelligence interest in a journalist or source.
Documented experience of at least two transnational repression (TNR) cases taken from detection through resolution, including family liaison and cross-jurisdiction coordination.
10 years of leadership including management of geographically dispersed international teams.
5 years experience in advocacy for incarcerated and other at-risk journalists.
5 years of knowledge and understanding of regional dynamics in East and South East Asia and common risks and threats in Asia.
Specifically working knowledge of the risk environment in one or more of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North Korea, Vietnam, Burma, Thailand, or Cambodia.
Strong leadership and team development skills across geographically dispersed, multi-office teams.
Excellent written and oral communicator.
Confident briefing government interlocutors and executive leadership.
Exceptional judgment and confidentiality, with the ability to recognize when to push and when not to.
Integrity and the highest standards of professional ethics.

Nice To Haves

5+ years as a journalist is advantageous.
Prior experience in media, international NGO, diplomatic service, or government security function.
Asia-Pacific journalist safety experience strongly preferred.
Bilingualism is advantageous.

Responsibilities

Directly manage two Global Journalist Safety Officers, providing clear objectives, performance reviews, and professional development support.
Manage safety function budgets, including third-party security providers and external consultants.
Report regularly to the COO on safety risks, active TNR cases, and strategic priorities; brief the President and Board as required.
Coordinate with HR on welfare, staffing, and workforce planning for global safety personnel.
Coordinate with the external/communications division on advocacy efforts, media outreach, and external engagement with USG and organizations.
Lead a preventative advocacy strategy to reduce the risk of arrest and journalists' exposure to Transnational Repression (TNR).
Support the U.S. Government in engaging national governments on journalists at risk.
Lead risk assessment for advocacy strategies, accounting for physical and psychosocial risks, with a focus on trauma.
Broaden USAGM's diplomatic engagement beyond USG to leverage effective missions for each case.
Design a UN/EU advocacy strategy targeting delegations in Brussels, Geneva, and New York.
Create and maintain RFA's Global Safety Strategy, a multi-year framework for journalist safety objectives, TNR reduction targets, Asia-region risk assessments, and advocacy priorities.
Design and manage RFA's annual safety training program, including planning, scheduling, and tracking completion.
Establish and maintain government, diplomatic, and civil society contacts to support advocacy for journalists at risk across Asia.
Develop preventative measures through the U.S.-linked business community.
Share information on specific cases with partner advocacy organizations for coordinated action.
Build peer relationships with safety directors at other media organizations.
Maintain a vetted roster of third-party security providers across RFA's Asia coverage region.
Design and manage confidentiality and media blackout protocols appropriate to each case.
Own RFA's journalist safety crisis response framework, including escalation protocols, incident command structure, and decision-making authorities.
Serve as senior crisis lead for all serious Asia-region incidents, including detention, abduction, injury, or death in the field.
Maintain 24/7/365 emergency response capability with defined on-call responsibilities.
Maintain a case management system for all active and historical TNR cases.
Conduct post-incident After Action Reviews (AARs) and embed lessons into protocols and training content.
Develop and test country-level contingency and business continuity plans for all RFA operations across Asia.
Regularly review the Crisis Management Team structure and update as necessary.
Collaborate with COO and CTO on office security, including overseas bureaus.
Oversee physical safety policy and architecture for all RFA offices.
Design emergency communication procedures and protocols connecting staff, journalists, and the crisis response function.
Consult on digital-security policy where it affects journalist safety and assume crisis lead when a digital incident creates physical risk to a journalist or sources.