Chief Editor - Times of Games

VAP Group; Dubai; Hybrid; AED 500,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

VAP Group is seeking an experienced Editor-in-Chief to define Times of Games' editorial vision and content strategy, guiding major investigations and ensuring ethical, accurate reporting across platforms. You will lead the newsroom, set policy, and collaborate with SEO, growth, and revenue teams.

Based in Dubai with a hybrid schedule, you will oversee hiring, guide the editorial budget, manage the Global Games Show agenda, and represent the publication publicly to partners, events, and PR

Qualifications

• 8+ years in journalism/editorial work; 3+ years in senior leadership.
• Experience building or scaling a digital news publication.
• Strong ethics, sourcing standards, and news judgment.
• Experience managing distributed editorial teams and freelancers.

Responsibilities

• Define and refine Times of Games's editorial vision, voice, and content strategy.
• Hold final editorial authority on major stories and content with risk potential.
• Set and enforce Editorial Policy and ensure separation of editorial, sponsored, and advertising content.
• Recruit, mentor, and manage the Managing Editor and senior editorial staff; build a high-performing newsroom culture.
• Own the annual/quarterly content roadmap balancing breaking news, evergreen guides, and thought leadership.
• Oversee the Global Games Show's event agenda and content coverage.
• Represent the publication externally through media appearances, partnerships, and PR relationships.
• Oversee crisis and correction protocols, ensuring accuracy and proper sourcing.
• Collaborate with SEO, growth, and revenue teams to align editorial output with traffic and business goals.
• Monitor industry trends, audience data, and coverage opportunities across formats.
• Approve editorial hires, freelancer agreements, and editorial budget allocation.

Skills

Editorial leadership

Newsroom management

AP/house style

WordPress publishing

SEO fundamentals

Content analytics

Public representation

Team building

Tools

WordPress

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Define and continuously refine Times of Games'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.
• 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.
• Responsible for the comprehensive management and oversight of the Global Games Show's event agenda www.globalgamesshow.com
• Represent the publication externally: media appearances, industry panels, partnerships with events (e.g., the Global Game 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.

Location: Hybrid (Dubai)

Employment Type: Full-time

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.