Job AnnouncementManaging EditorAbout the RoleThe Managing Editor oversees MBN's day-to-day editorial operations, ensuring stories move efficiently from idea to assignment, production, publication, and distribution. This position leads daily editorial planning, manages newsroom workflows, maintains editorial standards, and ensures content is delivered on time, accurately, and at the highest quality. The Managing Editor serves as the operational lead of the newsroom, helping keep editorial priorities, resources, deadlines, and publication plans aligned across platforms and bureaus.
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:
Your job will be to set the agenda, assign the daily coverage, resolve any priority conflicts, and create a clear publication plan for reporters and writers for the week. Some the tasks include:
- Maintaining the live story budget: a real-time view of what is being reported, by whom, for which platform, and by which deadline.
- Makes the call on breaking news - who should cover it, when and with what resources.
- Manages the workflow between MBN's Middle East bureaus and the Washington D.C. bureau.
- Produces an end-of-day report for the Editor-in-Chief to go over stories published, what did well, what stalled, and what requires attention tomorrow.
The Managing Editor owns MBN's master editorial calendar, creating a strategic plan for tackling the news:
- Maintains and updates the master editorial calendar across all MBN platforms and products - Alhurra.com, MBN Agenda newsletter, Iran Briefing, The Diplomat podcast, MBN Magazine, and the Security & Extremism unit.
- Monthly planning calendar: maps out four weeks ahead to cover any major news events, policy moments, anniversaries[KOD1] , and editorial milestones considering available resources and publishing capacity. Raises any calendar conflicts, duplications between products or resource gaps to the Editor-in-Chief.
- Produces a weekly forward-planning brief for the editorial leadership team: what's upcoming and what decisions are needed.
The Managing Editor enforces editorial standards for MBN 's daily output.
- Before publication, the managing editor reviews and approves all editorial content- checking for accuracy, sourcing, tone, balance, legal exposure, and consistency with MBN's editorial guidelines.
- Makes the final call on sensitive or legally complex content.
- Maintains MBN's editorial standards document and ensures all editors, writers, and contributors are working from the same framework.
- Conducts post-publication reviews on major stories, noting anything we should be doing differently, and updating the standards framework accordingly.
- Ensures that bilingual content meets MBN's editorial standard in both languages.
- Provides direct editorial feedback to reporters and editors on filed copy.
- Supports the onboarding of new editorial hires - ensuring they understand MBN's standards, workflows, and editorial identity.
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:
- Significant experience in journalism, newsroom leadership, editorial operations, or a comparable managing editor, assignment editor, senior editor, or editorial management role.
- Strong editorial judgment, news judgment, and ability to make sound decisions under deadline pressure, including during breaking news and sensitive coverage.
- Demonstrated ability to manage story budgets, editorial calendars, publication workflows, assignments, deadlines, and cross-team editorial coordination.
- Excellent writing, editing, communication, and copy-review skills with a strong commitment to accuracy, sourcing, fairness, balance, and editorial integrity.
- Experience with digital-first publishing and multi-platform content, including written articles, newsletters, podcasts, video, social media, and other audience-facing formats.
- Strong understanding of Middle East news, U.S. policy, regional impact, and issues relevant to MBN's audiences.
- Professional proficiency in Arabic and English, with the ability to assess bilingual content for accuracy, tone, context, and consistency.
- Ability to lead staff, provide constructive editorial feedback, resolve priority conflicts, and maintain effective communication across bureaus and departments.
- Familiarity with editorial standards, media law considerations, legal exposure, corrections practices, and handling of sensitive or high-risk content.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, including occasional evenings, weekends, or extended hours based on news needs.
