Director, Editorial Booking New Arlington, VA

Axios; Arlington, Northern (VA, KY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with employer match

Health insurance

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Job summary

Axios is seeking a Director of Editorial Booking to lead editorial booking for Axios Live’s most high-profile events and to report to the Managing Editor of Axios Live. The role will book top-tier newsmakers, ensure editorial standards, and guide on-air talent decisions across global summits and franchise events.

Responsibilities include leading the associate director, shaping strategy for flagship properties like the Future of Health Summit, and building strong relationships with external

Qualifications

• 5+ years of editorial booking or media experience, with mentoring or leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and mentor the associate director and bookings team.
• Collaborate on editorial booking strategy for Axios Live’s events and summits.
• Secure high-profile newsmakers and coordinate on-stage talent and programming.
• Provide real-time editorial judgment during breaking news and live moments.
• Travel to Axios Live events and oversee on-site editorial execution.

Skills

Editorial booking

Leadership/mentoring

Strategy setting

News judgment

Relationship building

Job description

The big picture: Axios is a modern media company dedicated to providing trustworthy, award-winning news content in an audience-first format. We are hiring a Director of Editorial Booking to lead editorial booking for Axios Live’s most high-profile events.

Why it matters: Axios Live stages are where leaders come to make news. Reporting to the Managing Editor of Axios Live, the Director, Editorial Booking will serve as a senior editorial representative working alongside the Managing Editor to book top-tier newsmakers, move quickly in breaking news moments, and ensure every conversation meets Axios’ editorial standards.

Go deeper: Axios Live events are among the most sought-after platforms for newsmakers. We’re looking for a seasoned editorial leader to own booking strategy for events that represent Axios to today’s key influencers, and lead editorial booking across Smart Brevity programming around the world.This role plays a critical leadership function across Axios Live programming and will:

• Lead, manage, and mentor the associate director, setting clear expectations, workflows, and performance standards across Axios Live programming.
• Collaborate with the managing director on editorial booking strategy for Axios Live’s portfolio of annual summits and franchise events, including flagship properties such as the Future of Health Summit.
• Serve as a key talent manager across Axios Live, building trusted relationships with both external newsmakers and Axios newsroom talent to strengthen bookings, cultivate on-stage talent, and ensure reporters and leaders are thoughtfully deployed across live programming.
• Work on editorial booking for Axios House and other Axios Live products at major global tentpoles, including Climate Week/UNGA, and other similar high-profile moments.
• Secure senior newsmakers — including CEOs, elected officials, administration leaders, and global decision-makers — while delegating and guiding bookings across the team.
• Serve as a liaison between Axios Live, the Axios newsroom, and Axios leadership to align booking priorities and programming strategy.
• Exercise strong editorial judgment in fast-moving news environments, including making real-time decisions to pivot talent, framing, or programming in response to breaking news.
• Ensure Axios Live programming meets Axios’ editorial standards, reflects diverse and compelling perspectives, and maintains editorial independence.
• Oversee editorial preparation for live events, including interview prep, run-of-show development, scripts, stage cues, and briefing materials.
• Guide collaboration on event language and marketing materials, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and Smart Brevity principles across platforms.
• Provide guidance to senior newsroom leadership during live events, ensuring the team is coordinated, materials are accessible, and programming remains responsive to news developments.
• Build and maintain long-term relationships with principals, chiefs of staff, communications teams, and senior influencers to support both immediate bookings and long-term Axios Live growth
• Travel regularly to Axios Live events across the U.S. and internationally, providing on-site editorial leadership and supporting programming execution at major summits, franchise events, and global tentpoles.
• Leverage AI and emerging tools to improve efficiency across research, booking, and production workflows, and to help scale best practices across the booking team.

Worthy of your time

We’re looking for a senior editorial leader who brings sound judgment, strong relationships, and a collaborative management style. Ideal candidates will have:

• 5+ years of editorial booking or media experience, with demonstrated experience leading or mentoring other bookers or producers.
• A proven track record of owning booking strategy for large-scale editorial events, including recurring summits or franchise programming.
• Experience booking and working with high-profile leaders, including senior executives, policymakers, and global influencers.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to provide clear editorial guidance and feedback.
• Deep knowledge of the news cycle and emerging trends across politics, business, and technology.
• Experience building full show programs, from concept through execution.
• Strong organizational and people-management skills, with the ability to balance coaching, delegation, and execution.
• Familiarity with Axios’ Smart Brevity style and editorial values.
• Bonus points for experience or established networks in:
• Health care and life sciences
• Energy, climate, or sustainability
• Defense, national security, or geopolitics
• Media, technology, or communications
• Background in media, Capitol Hill, government, or political campaigns is a plus.

Starting salary for this role is in the range of $110,000 - $130,000 and is dependent on numerous factors, including but not limited to location, work experience, and skills. This range does not include other compensation and benefits. Axios' compensation philosophy takes into account cost of labor differentials across the country. Because this is a remote-optional job posting, this salary range takes into account all possible locations within the United States, but candidates will only be eligible for the salary range for their location.

Axiom is committed to embracing artificial intelligence as a core part of how we work. All team members are expected to actively develop AI literacy and use AI tools to enhance their productivity, creativity, and efficiency. We invest in ongoing learning to ensure every employee is equipped to responsibly and effectively integrate AI into their daily workflows.

What Axios brings to the table besides salary:

• 401(k) with employer match
• Robust PPO and High Deductible health insurance options on the Blue Cross Blue Shield network
• Employer Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution for the high deductible health plan option
• Dental and vision coverage
• Primary caregiver 12-week paid leave
• Annual learning and development stipend
• $100 monthly work-from-home stipend
• Tele-mental health services through Headspace
• OneMedical membership, including tele-health services
• Personal health advocacy resources through HealthAdvocate
• Inclusive fertility, hormonal health and family forming benefits through Carrot Fertility
• Access to the Axios “Family Fund”, which was created to allow employees to request financial support when facing financial hardship or emergencies
• Increased work flexibility for parents and caretakers
• Virtual company-sponsored social events
• A strong and positive work environment
• A commitment to an open, inclusive, and diverse work culture

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Axios is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Axios makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.

Details:

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What’s next:

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• Why it matters: We believe that by hiring people that reflect our diverse audience, we produce the best editorial and business outcomes.
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As set forth in Axios’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

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