Job AnnouncementEditorial Operations ManagerAbout the RoleMBN's newsroom connective tissue is the Editorial Operations Manager. This is not a traditional leadership role - it is the person who makes sure things actually move - assignments are advancing, workflows functioning, deadlines met, budgets tracked, and nothing lost between editorial vision and daily execution.
Others may define the strategy; this person makes sure it runs. In a fast-moving bilingual newsroom across platforms and time zones, that role is critical. The ideal candidate combines editorial instinct, operational discipline, bilingual fluency, tech awareness, and a proactive mindset - someone who fixes problems before anyone notices them.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:The following tasks are considered essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions:
- Tracks editorial and operational commitments across assignments, vendors, contributors, workflows, platform integrations, and project milestones to ensure deadlines are met and nothing falls through gaps.
- Maintains real-time visibility on active projects, approvals, workflow status, budgets, and pending decisions, while proactively flagging delays, risks, and bottlenecks to leadership.
- Coordinates across editorial, production, technology, finance, and distribution teams to ensure smooth execution and publishing across platforms and time zones.
- Oversees daily operational follow-up on action items, approvals, contracts, deliverables, and editorial logistics in a fast-paced bilingual newsroom environment.
- Supports workflow optimization, digital publishing operations, AI-assisted newsroom tools, platform integrations, and process documentation to improve efficiency and consistency across teams.
- Maintains working knowledge of CMS platforms, newsletter systems, social publishing tools, project management systems, and basic video workflows to troubleshoot and support newsroom operations.
- Provides first-pass editorial and operational quality control in both Arabic and English across written, video, newsletter, and social content, understanding that bilingual journalism requires editorial judgment and adaptation - not simple translation.
- Assists in budget tracking, purchase requests, vendor coordination, and operational reconciliation processes while proactively identifying financial or operational risks.
- Drafts and coordinates internal reports, operational updates, presentations, and project communications in both Arabic and English as needed.
- Serves as a hands-on operational bridge between editorial vision and daily execution, combining editorial instincts, operational discipline, bilingual fluency, technological curiosity, and proactive problem-solving.
Other Duties:Perform additional job-related duties and take on new responsibilities as needed based on organizational requirements and circumstances.
Qualifications and Requirements:Candidates are required to have:
- Bachelor's degree in Digital Media, Journalism, Communications, Information Systems, Business Operations, Product Management, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- 8+ years of experience in digital operations, newsroom technology, product operations, media management, or digital publishing leadership roles.
- Demonstrated experience managing CMS platforms, digital publishing systems, and editorial workflow operations in a fast-paced media environment.
- Strong understanding of digital newsroom operations, multi-platform publishing, audience distribution, and content production workflows.
- Proven ability to manage complex cross-functional projects involving multiple teams.
- Experience overseeing vendor relationships, developers, technical contractors, and third-party technology integrations.
- Familiarity with AI tools, automation technologies, and responsible AI implementation within editorial or operational environments.
- Strong knowledge of metadata standards, analytics platforms, digital publishing best practices, and strategies that have our journalism resonate with our audience.
- Working knowledge of web technologies, APIs, CMS integrations, analytics systems, and digital product operations.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
- Excellent communication and leadership skills, with experience guiding teams through operational and technological change.
