Lead Editor, Emerging Threats

Middle East Broadcasting Networks; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Middle East Broadcasting Networks in Arlington, VA seeks a Lead Editor for Emerging Threats to build and lead a cross-border editorial team focused on tracking and reporting on regional threats with rigor and balance.

You will oversee multimedia projects across digital, video, audio, newsletters and podcasts, guide sensitive journalism, ensure ethical standards, and coordinate with teams in Washington and the Middle East to deliver impactful, timely reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in related field.
• 7+ years of journalism/editorial leadership experience.
• Experience with digital, video, audio, newsletter, podcast, and social formats.
• Excellent editorial judgment and project management.
• English fluency; Arabic preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, recruit, and manage cross-platform editorial team.
• Direct multilingual journalists in Washington and the Middle East.
• Develop a product pipeline for the new vertical (newsletter, podcast, live events).
• Review stories and content for accuracy, fairness, tone.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Skills

Editorial leadership

Cross-platform journalism

Multilingual team management

Editorial ethics

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Journalism

Tools

Newsletter production tools

Podcast platforms

Job description

Job Announcement

Lead Editor, Emerging Threats

About MBN

Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) is the premier Arabic-first media organization that connects the Middle East and the United States. The company is in the midst of an exciting digital transformation and looking for energetic and talented people who care about journalism and the Middle East to join us on this journey.

We provide original, indispensable reporting, perspectives and commentary on the Middle East and how America’s engagement impacts the region. MBN delivers content in both Arabic and English across multiple platforms, in formats including written articles, short-form video, newsletters, podcasts, data trackers and social media.

Our target audience is decision-makers, influencers, and residents of key capitals across the Middle East, as well as the next generation of globally engaged, digitally connected youth.

About The Role

We’re creating a new Emerging Threats vertical within MBN to track, analyze and report on the groups, people and forces that could destabilize the region — and present a threat beyond it. The job we’re looking to fill would conceive, create and run this exciting new venture.

You’ll build and lead a team that crosses many borders and operates on different platforms. We want to uncover and report on — with rigor, deploying new tools of gathering information, always creatively — extremist groups across the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. But as much as they will be a focus, we won’t limit ourselves to jihadist leaders or movements. Threats to stability can emerge from different and sometimes surprising places

The team will produce 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. A familiarity with and openness to working with data is a plus .

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 emerging threats from the region.
• Recruit and direct a multi-lingual and multimedia team of journalists, both in Washington and in the Middle East.
• Develop a product pipeline for this new vertical including but not limited to a possible newsletter, podcast and live events.
• Review stories, scripts, podcast outlines, newsletters, and social media content for accuracy, fairness, tone, sensitivity, and compliance with MBN’s editorial standards.
• 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.
• 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.

MBN is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity.