Now hiring · Two open positions · Full-time

Want to work at
El-Shai?

Read this first.

We’re currently hiring a Social Media Manager and a Social Media Designer. Both require previous experience working in media. Visit each role page for the specific experience requirements, working arrangement, and application.

Not one of those roles? We're also always happy to hear from strong Writers and Content Creators, even when we don't have an immediate opening for them.

But job titles can be vague, especially in media, so before you apply, we want you to actually understand what working here means, what we expect, and whether this is the kind of environment you would enjoy.

Start here ↓

BE CURIOUSASK QUESTIONSUSE YOUR BRAINCARE ABOUT THINGSMAKE GOOD STUFF BE CURIOUSASK QUESTIONSUSE YOUR BRAINCARE ABOUT THINGSMAKE GOOD STUFF

01 / First, the basics

El-Shai is an Egyptian media platform covering entertainment, culture, social issues, lifestyle, internet culture, and the conversations happening around us.

Our work can take us anywhere.

One day, we could be covering a film festival. The next, we're explaining a government announcement, interviewing an actor, discussing something serious happening in society, covering a concert, or trying to understand why everyone on TikTok suddenly started doing the exact same thing.

Our content doesn't fit into one box, and neither do the people working on it.

For the two positions we're actively hiring for, previous professional experience working in media is required. We want people who understand publishing deadlines, editorial judgment, and how social content works beyond a template or trend.

We are, however, expecting everyone to be curious, reliable, willing to learn, and capable of thinking for themselves.

Our office is in Mohandeseen, and we work together across editorial, social, design, and production. Specific attendance requirements and hours are explained on each job page.

And because El-Shai is an Egyptian media platform speaking primarily to Egyptian audiences, you need to actually understand Egyptian culture. You don't need to know everything, but you should be aware of what's happening around you, understand the cultural context behind the things we cover, and be curious enough to learn when you don't.

02 / The roles

Find the role that fits you.

The details belong on each job's own page, including what you'd be doing, the experience we expect, and how to apply. Read the main careers guide first, then choose your role.

Hiring now · Timed applicationSocial Media ManagerA managerial role for experienced media professionals. Hybrid with office attendance and event coverage.Read the role & apply ↗ Hiring now · Timed applicationSocial Media DesignerEditorial and social media design. Previous media experience required. Remote, with optional office access.Read the role & apply ↗ Always open to talent · No vacancyWriterWe're always interested in talented writers, even without an advertised opening.Introduce yourself ↗ Always open to talent · No vacancyContent CreatorShare your ideas, perspectives, and the content you've made.Introduce yourself ↗

03 / What Working at El-Shai Is Actually Like

No two weeks are exactly the same.

Whether you're managing our social platforms, designing the content that goes on them, researching a story, or creating a new format, the work rarely looks exactly the same every day.

You'll work with writers, designers, social media managers, photographers, videographers, editors, and creators.

Our work can involve screenings, festivals, press conferences, premieres, concerts, interviews, and red carpets. Exactly how your role connects with events is explained on its own page.

Some days will be planned weeks in advance. Some days something will happen at 2 PM and suddenly the plan for 3 PM has completely changed. That's media.

We don't expect you to know everything. In fact, we would much rather work with someone who says "I don't know, I'll look it up" than someone who confidently guesses.

We need curiosity.

Good communication.

Common sense.

Reliability.

Cultural awareness.

Attention to detail.

A willingness to learn.

And, most importantly, a brain you're actually willing to use.

04 / About AI

In today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving digital landscape, Artificial Intelligence has emerged as a powerful game-changer, revolutionizing the way we work, create, innovate, and bring ideas to life. From streamlining workflows to unlocking endless possibilities, AI is no longer just a tool of the future. It is a transformative force shaping the content ecosystem as we know it.

At El-Shai, we believe in embracing innovation while staying true to the power of authentic human connection.

Whether you’re leading social media, designing editorial content, writing a story, or creating videos, AI can empower you to work smarter, not harder, and take your creativity to the next level.

Can you tell this was written by AI? Of course you can. It’s fucking awful.

If reading that made you uncomfortable, good. You can recognize generic AI writing.

Real talk, though, we know you use AI. That's not automatically a problem. The problem is when AI is doing the job you were hired to do.

If you're a social media designer and every creative decision starts and ends with an AI-generated visual, you will struggle here.

If you're a social media manager and you're waiting for AI to tell you what to post, how to say it, or why it matters, you will struggle here.

If you're a writer and your first instinct is to submit AI-generated copy without checking the facts or finding your own angle, you will struggle here.

If you're a content creator waiting for AI to tell you what your opinion is, you will struggle here.

Use AI. Just don't outsource your brain to it.

05 / Who Might Actually Enjoy Working Here?

You don't need to know everything. You do need to want to know things.

You hear a name you don't recognize? Google it. Someone mentions a film you've never seen? Read about it. There's a joke everyone online seems to understand except you? Figure out where it came from. You see a news story that sounds slightly off? Check it before repeating it.

And please, ask questions. We'd rather you ask 20 questions than spend four hours doing the wrong thing because you were embarrassed to ask one.

You also don't need to fit some imaginary "media person" stereotype. You don't need thousands of followers, industry connections, or an encyclopedic knowledge of everything happening in pop culture.

But you should care about something.

Maybe you know an unreasonable amount about horror films, football, fashion, K-pop, Egyptian cinema, gaming, Formula 1, theatre, books, internet drama, technology, music, or something so niche that nobody else in the office understands why you care about it.

Good. We like people who get excited about things. The so-called nerds? That’s us!

01 / 04

People talk. A lot.

We're a very open, collaborative team, whether we're together in the office or working across screens. Someone will throw out an idea, someone else will add to it, a third person will say it's terrible, and five minutes later it might turn into something completely different and actually good.

A lot of our work comes from that.

Yes, the good vibes matter.

So yes, what kids call "good vibes" these days matters to us, as cheesy as that sounds.

Not in a forced we're all a family way. You don't have to become best friends with everyone you work with.

Creative work needs trust.

We do need to like working together, respect each other, communicate, help each other, and feel comfortable throwing around half-formed ideas without worrying that someone is going to make the room miserable.

It's very difficult to be creative in an environment where nobody gets along.

Feedback is part of the job.

You'll get edits. Ideas will get rejected. You might spend hours on something and be asked to change it. Someone else might have a better idea than yours. That's part of creative work.

We care much more about what you do with feedback than whether you got everything right the first time.

And you need to actually like media, not just the idea of working in media.

If you're curious, have opinions, like learning random things, enjoy bouncing ideas off other people, and genuinely get excited when you discover a good story or come up with a great concept, you'll probably enjoy being here.

06 / The Practical Stuff

OFFICEMohandeseenGiza

USUAL OFFICE HOURS11 → 6Specific schedules vary by role.

TEAMWORKAcross teamsEditorial, social, video, and design.

ROLE REQUIREMENTSRead firstEach job has its own detailed page.

01 / 03

Communication matters.

We collaborate across departments. You should be comfortable asking questions, keeping people updated, and making sure we can depend on each other to deliver work.

Media isn't always predictable.

Sometimes stories break, events happen, or priorities change at short notice. That doesn't mean everyone has the same schedule or needs to attend every event: check the role-specific arrangements on the job page.

Give each other a fair chance.

We explain each role clearly so you can decide whether it's the right fit before applying. For active openings, we'll ask for your expected monthly salary in EGP during the application so neither side goes through a long process with incompatible expectations.

07 / Okay. How Do I Apply?

Here's where we don't want you to write us a cover letter that starts with:

"Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to express my interest in the exciting opportunity to join your esteemed organization..."

Please don't.

01 / 04

Tell us why we should hire you in whatever way actually represents you.

Make a video. Design something. Write us something. Make a presentation. Create a fake El-Shai post about why we should hire you.

There is no correct format. That's intentional.

Roast our content and then tell us why you'd make it better. Pitch us three ideas. Show us the weird niche thing you're ridiculously knowledgeable about.

Tell us about the time you figured something out that everyone else missed.

Make us laugh. Make us curious. Make us remember you.

Show us how your brain works.

We care about your experience and what you have actually contributed. Share your portfolio, published work, or projects in the format requested on your role page.

Our active roles include a timed online assessment instead of the first in-person interview. Writer and Content Creator introductions are untimed, because they are not current vacancies.

Read the role-specific instructions before starting.

One last thing…

Don't try to figure out what you think we want you to be.

Show us who you actually are.

The whole point of building a creative team is having people who bring different interests, references, skills, senses of humor, opinions and ways of looking at things into the same room.

You've read enough about us. Now make us want to know more about you.

Okay. But How Do I Actually Apply?

We now accept applications directly through the website, with a separate page for each role. There's no need to email a generic application.

For Social Media Manager and Social Media Designer, enter your details first and then start the timed assessment when you're ready. The timer starts only when you click Start and continues even if you leave the page.

For Writers and Content Creators, we're always open to introductions, but there is no immediate vacancy. Their applications are not timed.

Apply · Social Media Manager ↗Apply · Social Media Designer ↗Introduce yourself · Writer ↗Introduce yourself · Content Creator ↗