Cape Town

Head of Editorial & Operations

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The African Imaginary is looking for an Editorial & Operations Lead to work alongside the founder in Cape Town, learning all aspects of the founder’s work. The mission of The African Imaginary is to spotlight creativity born and raised on the continent. We publish a monthly podcast, daily video content, and essays. We also produce and curate events. The broad nature of what we do means that the job has many different aspects.

Your Mission

  • Editorial Thinking: Champion editorial ideas, from new podcast guests to content menus for creators. Bring fresh perspectives that keep us at the forefront of culture. Lead brainstorming sessions and ideation processes. Collaborate with and commission creators. 
  • Creative Oversight: Take ownership of the creative development process from concept to execution. Ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget, while maintaining creative integrity.
  • Team Management & Mentorship: Manage and inspire a small, multidisciplinary team of creatives including editors, designers, and freelance talent, setting clear direction and inspiring them to push creative boundaries. Foster a collaborative environment. Uphold rigorous quality standards. Conduct regular creative reviews and provide constructive feedback. Set a high standard of professionalism and dedication.
  • Cultural Fluency & Innovation: Maintain a strong pulse on music, fashion, design, books and emerging creative trends on the continent. 
  • Projects & Partnerships: Identify what’s going on in the cultural landscape, who the key players are, and how we can meaningfully take part.
  • Business Impact: Help drive growth across the platform through strong creative thinking, successful partnerships, and marketing.

Your Skills

  • 3+ years of experience in a senior editorial or creative operations role within a media company, creative studio, or brand.
  • A strong sense of what The African Imaginary represents. You should be plugged into and have a genuine knowledge of African contemporary culture – especially music, fashion, design. 
  • Experience managing and mentoring creative teams, with the ability to prioritize work and resources based on short and long-term needs.
  • Comfortable using AI tools to support research, ideation, and project management – while knowing where AI stops and your own editorial judgment must take over.
  • Ability to write well and implement project management systems. 
  • A can-do attitude with an ability to embrace new challenges. 

Additional Requirements

  • A University degree
  • Legally allowed to work in South Africa.
  • The role is Cape Town based, working full time from our head office in Gardens; Monday to Friday 9am-5pm

Salary

The expected monthly salary for this role depends on your experience, qualifications and seniority, but will be in the region of R50,000-R60,000. Note that we are founder-led and self-funded, and we are not dependent on sponsors or sales.

How to Apply

If you believe this could be you:

  • Complete the below application form.
  • Note that within the form you’ll be asked to submit a short video speaking to camera – properly lit, clear audio, no AI, no teleprompter, no scripts please. Format: introduce yourself and your experience to date that matches you for this role. Then tell us about a music, design or fashion event you’ve been to in the past year that has inspired you.
  • Film this video and upload it to a sharing platform (Google Drive / WeTransfer / YouTube unlisted) before you complete this form, as you will need to share the link.

Application Form

1
About You
2
Eligibility
3
Experience
4
Video
5
References
6
Last Page
About You
Full name *
Email address *
Phone number *
Current city / location *
We ask because the role is based full-time in our Cape Town office.
LinkedIn profile
Instagram handle *
Eligibility
These are hard requirements for the role - please answer honestly, it saves everyone time.
Are you legally allowed to work in South Africa? *
Do you hold a valid passport, and are you willing and able to travel internationally for work? *
Can you work full-time, Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm, from our office in Gardens, Cape Town? *
Do you hold a university degree? *
Do you have at least 3 years of experience in a senior creative or editorial operations role within a media company, creative studio, or brand? *
Experience u0026 Fit
Briefly describe your relevant work experience *
A few sentences is fine.
Why does this role interest you? *
Tell us about a piece of editorial or creative work you're proud of (article, project, campaign, event, etc.) *
Link to it if you can.
Portfolio / content samples / relevant links
Optional.
Upload your CV *
Maximum file size: 10 MB
PDF or Word, one file, max 10MB.
Your Video
As mentioned in the job post: introduce yourself and your work experience to date that matches you for this role, then tell us what you think of The African Imaginary Podcast. Properly lit, clear audio, no AI, no teleprompter, no scripts, as we want to see you talk naturally, however imperfect.
Paste a link to your video *
Google Drive, WeTransfer, or an unlisted YouTube link. Please check the sharing permissions are open before you submit.
References
Please provide 1–2 professional references *
Name, relationship to you, and contact details. We'll only reach out if you progress to a later interview stage.
A Few Extra Things
Salary expectation (monthly, ZAR)
This role has a budgeted range of R50,000–R60,000/month depending on experience — feel free to share your expectation or leave this blank.
Notice period / availability to start
How did you hear about this role?
Consent *