National Policy Editor

Nashville Public Radio; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

The Wall Street Journal is seeking an editor to lead the Washington bureau as National Policy Editor, bridging policy craft in Washington with campaign trail outcomes for voters.

Reporting to the Politics Editor, you will oversee a diverse team of reporters covering federal policy and national politics, delivering timely, nuanced stories that connect governance and campaigns for a global audience.

Qualifications

• Exceptional narrative judgment and the ability to edit complex political strategy and dense policy into crisp prose.
• Deep understanding of federal policy mechanisms and national campaign politics.
• Impeccable journalistic ethics to navigate polarized environments with fairness.
• Proven leadership under pressure in breaking news and high-stakes cycles.
• Minimum 4 years of high-level journalism experience focused on national politics or policy.

Responsibilities

• Connect D.C. policy battles to the campaign trail and explain impact on voters and businesses.
• Lead a diverse team of reporters across federal policy and national political coverage.
• Sharpen angles and push for deeply reported, character-driven narratives and analytical pieces.
• Coordinate with senior editors across desks to cover major political moments and debates.
• Champion data-driven journalism and visuals to translate polling, policy impacts, and election trends.

Skills

Editorial leadership

National politics

Policy understanding

Ethics

Deadline-driven

Tools

Editorial planning

Job description

The Wall Street Journal is seeking a sharp, versatile, and ambitious editor to join our Washington bureau as National Policy Editor. This is a high-impact leadership role at the intersection of governance and politics, responsible for bridging the gap between how policy is crafted in Washington and how it plays out on the campaign trail and in the lives of voters.

Reporting to the Politics Editor, you will oversee a diverse, dynamic team of reporters. Half of your team will focus on the high-stakes power struggles in D.C. to shape federal policy, while the other half will be deployed across the country covering national political issues, campaigns, and the electorate. The ideal candidate is a sophisticated journalist who can effortlessly toggle between complex policy debates and the raw mechanics of campaign politics, delivering timely, nuanced stories that capture the true pulse of Washington and the nation.

You Will

• Masterfully connect D.C. policy battles to the campaign trail, ensuring our coverage clearly explains how decisions made in Washington impact voters, businesses, and political outcomes.
• Lead a diverse team of reporters, balancing the fast-moving daily news cycle of federal policymaking with the unpredictable, high-energy demands of national election and campaign reporting.
• Work closely with reporters to sharpen their angles, pushing them to move past conventional political horse-race coverage to deliver deeply reported, character-driven narratives and sharp analytical pieces.
• Partner with senior editors in Washington, New York, and our national desks to coordinate comprehensive, competitive coverage of major political moments, debates, and election nights.
• Champion data-driven journalism, creative visuals, and digital formats that translate polling numbers, policy impacts, and election trends into indispensable content for our global audience.

You Have

• Exceptional narrative judgment and the ability to edit complex political strategy and dense policy initiatives into crisp, compelling, and accessible prose on tight deadlines.
• A deep, sophisticated understanding of both federal policy mechanisms (regulatory, economic, and social) and national campaign politics, including polling, voter demographics, and election law.
• Impeccable journalistic ethics and the ability to guide reporters through highly polarized environments with fairness, balance, and analytical rigor.
• Proven leadership skills under the intense pressure of breaking news, major policy rollouts, and high-stakes election cycles.
• A minimum of 4 years of high-level journalism experience, with a significant background in editing or reporting on national politics, federal policy, or major political campaigns.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. EEO/Disabled/Vets

Reasonable Accommodation

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application and/or interview process. If you need assistance or accommodation in completing your application or participating in an interview due to a disability, email us at [e-mail]. Please put "Reasonable Accommodation" in the subject line and provide a brief description of the type of assistance you need. This inbox will not be monitored for application status updates.

Base Pay Range: $150,000 - $175,000

We’re committed to offering competitive and flexible compensation to attract top talent. This pay range reflects our good faith estimate for the role and may vary based on a candidate’s experience, skills, location, and other relevant factors.

For bonus-eligible roles, targets are determined based on multiple considerations, including market benchmarks and individual contributions.

For benefits-eligible roles, we offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package covering health, retirement, wellbeing, and more, along with optional benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees.

The Wall Street Journal is a global news organization that provides leading news, information, commentary and analysis. The Wall Street Journal engages readers across print, digital, mobile, social, audio, and video. Building on its heritage as the preeminent source of global business and financial news, the Journal includes coverage of U.S. and world news, politics, arts, culture, lifestyle, sports, and health. It holds more than three dozen Pulitzer Prizes for outstanding journalism. The Wall Street Journal is published by Dow Jones, a division of News Corp (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV).