Sana Youssef

About the Candidate

SANA YOUSSEF

sanayoussef@gmail.com

(613)298-3646

 

COMMUNICATIONS EXPERT AND PRODUCER

 

·       Media Expert with experience in Communications, Video Production, Media development projects and grants management.

·       Holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

·       Excellent organizational skills developed through years of working for international organizations and broadcasters.

·       Strong ability to plan, prioritize and multi-task in order to meet goals and to adhere to deadlines.

·       Keen on respecting organizations values and ethics with experience on working on Human rights.

·       Experience of working with diverse and dispersed teams, and of working autonomously.

 

 

WORK EXPERIENCE

 

Public Information Officer

United Nations: OHCHR, Regional office for the Middle East and North Africa

June 2021-March 2022

 

·       Developed the communication strategy and related content for digital marketing, in line with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights strategy and guidelines.

·       Maintained the regional office website (Drupal) and social media accounts (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter)

ensuring that each channel of communication has its own unique voice with adapted formats.

·       Prepared campaigns to publicize the priority issues relevant to the Middle East and North Africa Office including the conception and supervision of production of documentaries and awareness raising videos.

·       Contributed to the development of promotional materials, posters, infographics by contracting providers, pitching ideas, developing treatment and supervising production.

·       Produced specific types of written information communications products: Media advisories, press releases, briefing notes, reports, digital content with emphasis on human-led stories

·       Mobilized employees and partners and enhanced digital engagement and access to information.

·       Assisted the teams with the implementation of activities as per the annual workplan including the organisation of webinars and livestreaming of events on special days (International youth day, World day against trafficking in persons).

·       Monitored and analyzed current events to advise management on appropriate action to report to headquarters.

 

Executive Coordinating Producer – Communications expert and Mentor

Thomson Foundation, Brussels – Beirut

February 2017- June 2021

 

·       Coordinated the activity “Production support” in the framework of the European Union funded OPEN Media Hub project, in 10 countries from the MENA region for five years and the “Migration Media Award” in Europe and the Middle East for three consecutive years.

·       Provided support to design the process, advice and revise templates and related contractual documents.

·       Managed a team of country producers, provided guidance to both mentors and awardees in the production phase to improve independent and objective reporting: Advising on the edited story versions, ensuring higher quality of final outputs.

·       Ensured adherence of content to the funders values of objective reporting, absence of hate speech, balance of sources and accurate fact checking.

·       Contributed to the promotion and launching of Calls, selection of participants and projects, and reporting for funding approval.

·       Disseminated the calls for applications’ press releases and related newsletters using online email marketing tools (mailchimp) and Social Media.

·       Created digital forms and online surveys for applications using online form builders (wufoo, SurveyMonkey).

·       Provided support to beneficiaries and interested individuals and supporters in the application process responding to inquiries and keeping them informed of updates.

·       Assessed the eligibility of applications to receive grants and supported juries’ meetings set-up.

·       Supervised the timelines of outputs production within the scheme.

·       Contributed to reinforcing a network of journalists and media professionals.

·       Maintained a large database of participants on worksheets, a video database of productions on Box, and other resources on Dropbox and contributed to the website and Social Media accounts management.

·       Organised local trainings and seminars: Logistics set-up and implementation of activities.

·       Produced reports per rounds of calls including an overview of the processes, the applicants, juries and winning projects, and overall reports about the projects reach and outputs per country.

 

Executive Producer

Road 2 Films, Beirut

June 2016-February 2017

 

·       Created a Cinema TV Magazine show, which aimed to cover international and Arabic cinema news and to debate themes, tackled in fictions and documentaries.

·       Ensured the editorial and scriptwriting were of high quality to meet clients’ expectations.

·       Followed up on production and post-production respecting timelines of projects.

·       Worked closely with colleagues to contribute to improving processes and practices within the team to ensure they are efficient and result in the best outputs.

 

Producer

Al Jazeera Media Network, Beirut

September 2012-March 2014

 

·       Worked on the production of a new Pan Arab Youth Magazine, the first of its kind in the Arab world to portray youth engagement in their civil societies, their activism on many societal and environmental levels.

·       Ensured editorial overseeing of outputs produced in the following MENA countries: Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Algeria, Morocco.

·       Worked closely with journalists and producers on the development of proposals, helping them find the most impactful angle and planning a story that is relevant.

·       Advised on form and content in order to obtain the story with the highest potential of reach.

 

 

EDUCATION (Credentials Assessed by World Education Services for Canada)

 

– Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Lebanese University, 4-year program, September 2004 (with distinction)

– Bachelor of Arts in Journalism – Radio and Television Lebanese University, 4-year program, September 2003

 

 

LANGUAGES:

 

·       French    : Fluent ( TCF pour le Canada : C )

·       English    : Fluent ( IELTS: CLB 9 )

·       Arabic     : Fluent

 

 

TRAINER AND RESEARCHER ACTIVITIES:

 

·       April May 2022/ 2021/2019:  Due diligence assessment of media outlets applicants for an international award scheme: desk research, interviews and in-depth assessments of shortlisted applicants.

·       Feb 2021: Producing the handbook “Towards sustainability in today’s Media: Effective Ways to Grow Your Audience” for online journalists, based on Thomson Foundation experts courses.

·       July 2020: Collecting effective data to analyse, to contribute to the evaluation of a list of Media outlets.

·       July 2019: Co-trainer “Migration Reporting Seminar” for MENA video and multimedia journalists: a 3 days’ peer-to-peer exchange activity in the framework of the Migration Media Award- Malta.

·       March 2019: Covering the EU-UN conference “Supporting the future of Syria and the region”.

·       Jan 2018/ June 2018: Preparation, delivery and follow up of two parts In-Depth Production led training for video Journalists: Setting up the logistics and contributing with co-trainers to deliver the training courses.

·       March 2012: Co-trainer for the BBC/UNESCO joint training workshop “Writing for documentaries” for young TV producers.