Job AnnouncementExtremism Desk LeadAbout the RoleThe Extremism Desk Lead will design, build, recruit, and manage a cross-platform team of journalists focused on rigorous, field-rooted coverage of terrorism, jihadist movements, organized extremism, and the security structures created to combat them across the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
This role will oversee major editorial projects and products related to extremism, including multimedia reporting, documentaries, short-form video, social content, newsletters, and podcasts. The position requires strong editorial judgment, regional knowledge, leadership ability, and experience managing sensitive journalism with accuracy, balance, and professionalism..
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:
- Design, build, recruit, and manage a cross-platform editorial team focused on terrorism, jihadist movements, organized extremism, counterterrorism, and regional security issues.
- Lead field-rooted and audience-focused coverage of extremism and security developments across the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
- Oversee journalistic work produced by the team across digital, video, audio, newsletter, podcast, and social media platforms.
- Develop and manage a multi-part multimedia series focused on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, including a documentary, short-form web videos, and social media content.
- Ensure the 9/11 anniversary series examines the region's lived experience of the "War on Terror" and explores where extremism stands today.
- Develop and oversee an extremism-focused newsletter product that provides timely, clear, and analytical coverage for MBN audiences.
- Create and manage a bi-weekly English-language podcast focused on extremism, terrorism, counterterrorism, security policy, and affected communities.
- Work closely with reporters, editors, producers, digital teams, and social media staff to plan, produce, edit, and publish high-quality journalism.
- Review stories, scripts, podcast outlines, newsletters, and social media content for accuracy, fairness, tone, sensitivity, and compliance with MBN's editorial standards.
- Identify important trends, story ideas, interviews, investigations, and explainers related to extremism, political violence, radicalization, and counterterrorism.
- Develop and maintain relationships with credible sources, experts, analysts, academics, civil society voices, and regional contributors.
- Ensure coverage avoids sensationalism, stereotypes, propaganda amplification, and unverified claims.
- Perform additional duties as assigned.
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 Journalism, International Relations, Political Science, Middle East Studies, Security Studies, Communications, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- 7+ years of professional experience in journalism, editorial leadership, investigative reporting, conflict reporting, international news, or related media work.
- Demonstrated knowledge of terrorism, jihadist movements, organized extremism, counterterrorism, political violence, or regional security issues.
- Strong understanding of the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and related geopolitical developments.
- Proven ability to lead editorial teams and manage cross-platform journalism projects.
- Experience working across digital, video, audio, newsletter, podcast, and social media formats.
- Excellent editorial judgment, writing, editing, story-framing, and project-management skills.
- Ability to handle sensitive topics with accuracy, balance, cultural awareness, and professionalism.
- Strong understanding of journalistic ethics, source verification, fact-checking, legal risk, and editorial standards.
- Ability to work under tight deadlines in a fast-paced, digital-first newsroom environment.
- Professional fluency in English is required.
- Arabic language skills are strongly preferred.
- Experience covering Middle East affairs, international security, terrorism, counterterrorism, or conflict is highly desirable.
