Chief Editor

VAP Group; United Arab Emirates; Hybrid; AED 669,600 - 1,116,000; Full time

Job summary

VAP Group in Dubai seeks an experienced Editor-in-Chief to define and lead editorial vision for a fast-moving digital publication. You will sign off on major stories, set editorial policy, and oversee event agendas across the Global Blockchain Show ecosystem.

You will recruit and mentor senior staff, own the content roadmap, and partner with SEO, growth, and revenue teams to drive traffic and engagement while upholding editorial integrity.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of journalism/editorial experience, with at least 3 years in senior leadership.
• Proven track record building or scaling a digital news publication.
• Exceptional news judgment, editorial ethics, and sourcing standards (AP/house style).
• Strong people-leadership skills with distributed editorial teams and freelancers.
• Experience with WordPress publishing workflows, SEO fundamentals, and content analytics tools.

Responsibilities

• Define and refine Times of Blockchain's editorial vision, voice, and content strategy.
• Hold final editorial authority and sign-off on major stories, investigations, exclusives, and content with risk.
• Set and enforce Editorial Policy, separating editorial content from sponsored/press content and advertising.
• Oversee management of the Global Blockchain Show's event agenda.
• Recruit, mentor, and manage the Managing Editor and senior staff; build a high-performing newsroom culture.
• Own the annual/quarterly content roadmap balancing breaking news, evergreen guides, and thought leadership.
• Represent the publication externally: media appearances, partnerships with events, and PR/vendor relationships.
• Oversee crisis and correction protocols; ensure accuracy, sourcing, and timely corrections.
• Collaborate with SEO, growth, and revenue teams to align editorial output with traffic and business goals.
• Monitor industry trends and audience data to identify new coverage areas and formats.
• Approve editorial hires, freelancer agreements, and editorial budget.

Skills

Editorial leadership

Digital publishing

SEO fundamentals

Team management

Content analytics

WordPress publishing

Tools

WordPress

Job description

Location: Hybrid (Dubai)

Employment Type: Full-time

Key Responsibilities

• Define and continuously refine Times of Blockchain's editorial vision, voice, and content strategy in line with audience needs and market positioning.
• Hold final editorial authority and sign-off on major stories, investigations, exclusives, and any content carrying legal, reputational, or ethical risk.
• Set and enforce the Editorial Policy, ensuring clear separation between editorial content, sponsored/pressrelease content, and advertising.
• Responsible for the comprehensive management and oversight of the Global Blockchain Show's event agenda www.globalblockchainshow.com
• Recruit, mentor, and manage the Managing Editor and senior editorial staff; build a high-performing, accountable newsroom culture.
• Own the annual/quarterly content roadmap, balancing breaking news, evergreen guides, market analysis, and thought leadership.
• Represent the publication externally: media appearances, industry panels, partnerships with events (e.g., the Global Show series), and relationships with PR agencies, exchanges, studios, or vendors relevant to the vertical.
• Oversee crisis and correction protocols; ensure factual accuracy, proper sourcing, and timely corrections across all published content.
• Partner with SEO, growth, and revenue teams to align editorial output with traffic, engagement, and business goals without compromising editorial integrity.
• Monitor industry trends, competitor coverage, and audience data to identify new coverage areas and content formats (video, newsletters, social).
• Approve editorial hires, freelancer/contributor agreements, and editorial budget allocation.

Requirements

• 8+ years of journalism/editorial experience, including at least 3 years in a senior editorial leadership role (Editor-in-Chief, Chief Editor, or equivalent).
• Proven track record of building or scaling a digital news publication, ideally in a fast-moving, technical, or niche vertical.
• Exceptional news judgment, editorial ethics, and command of AP/house style, fact-checking, and sourcing standards.
• Strong people-leadership skills with experience managing distributed editorial teams and freelance contributor networks.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable representing the brand publicly.
• Working knowledge of WordPress-based publishing workflows, SEO fundamentals, and content analytics tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience covering the specific vertical at senior editorial level.
• Existing network of industry contacts, spokespeople, and press contacts relevant to the beat.
• Experience negotiating and managing media partnerships with industry conferences and events.
• Familiarity with disclosure requirements for sponsored content, press releases, and paid coverage in digital media.

Success Metrics / KPIs

• Editorial quality: accuracy rate, correction turnaround time, and adherence to editorial policy.
• Audience growth: organic traffic, returning readers, and newsletter subscriber growth.
• Team performance: retention of senior editorial staff, output consistency, and coverage speed on breaking news.
• Brand reputation: media citations, event partnerships secured, and industry recognition.