Publications Associate

Business Executives for National Security (BENS); Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Business Executives for National Security (BENS) is seeking a Publications Associate to manage member-driven content from idea to publication and media placement. The role focuses on drafting, editing, and coordinating editorial processes with a strong emphasis on accuracy, AP style, and SEO.

You will work closely with members and staff to shape long-form pieces, Practitioner Perspectives, and Substack articles, while supporting external media outreach and content operations.

Qualifications

• Exceptional writing and editing skills with strong grammar, structure, and voice across long- and short-form formats.
• Copyediting and fact-checking experience; comfortable applying AP style.
• Research skills to translate technical material into accessible prose for varied audiences.
• Experience or strong interest in external media placement and storytelling for outlets.
• Interest in or exposure to speechwriting and writing in another's voice.
• Ability to manage multiple drafts, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Familiarity with web publishing/CMS platforms and basic SEO and distribution awareness.
• Comfort with LinkedIn and other social platforms to support content goals.
• High attention to detail and reliable follow-through on editorial timelines.
• Interest in US national security is advantageous; curiosity and learning mindset are essential.

Responsibilities

• Serve as BENS primary writer and editor for publications, guiding ideas to final publish.
• Draft and edit member-contributed content across recommendations, perspectives, and Lens Substack.
• Conduct research and fact-checking; ensure AP style and manage final approval with members.
• Identify events for written capture and extract substantive takeaways for publications.
• Build a library of re-usable engagement content for cross-format use.
• Apply basic SEO to improve search visibility of published content.
• Coordinate with Communications on social media and editorial calendar.
• Prepare amplification packages with summaries and direct links for members.
• Draft/exactly adapt content for external media placement and special products.
• Support content operations and cross-team needs, including CRM data management.

Skills

Writing & editing

Copyediting & fact-checking

Research skills

Media placement

Speechwriting interest

Project management

CMS platforms

SEO basics

LinkedIn & social media

Attention to detail

Tools

Zoho CRM

Substack

Job description

Hybrid in Washington, D.C., but fully remote considered for strong candidates.

Business Executives for National Security (BENS) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that harnesses private-sector expertise to strengthen U.S. national security. BENS members are elite business executives, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders who volunteer their expertise to help government tackle complex national security challenges. A core part of that value exchange happens through publications: BENS captures members' firsthand insights, recommendations, and practitioner experience and turns them into polished written products that showcase their expertise, advance BENS' campaigns, and strengthen BENS' brand as a trusted, credible partner in the national security space.

We're looking for a Publications Associate to manage this pipeline. "Publications" at BENS is broad - it spans long-form website content such as thought leadership pieces, Practitioner Perspectives, and Member Recommendations; shorter, timelier BENS Lens (Substack) articles; pre- and post-trip reports and other special products; and writing developed specifically for placement in national or local media outlets to extend BENS' reach and reputation externally.

You'll work directly with members to shape their ideas and experience into finished pieces across these formats, coordinate internal review, and see content through to publication and distribution. Member contribution management and editorial support will make up the majority of the role with the remainder split across media placement, special products, and content operations. This role reports to the head of the Office of External Affairs.

Key Responsibilities

Writing, Member Contribution Management & Editorial Support (70%)

• Serve as BENS primary writer and editor for all publications. This includes draft to publishing authorship, operating as a primary point of contact for members and BENS staff looking to turn member expertise into a published piece, managing correspondence from initial idea through final publication.
• Draft, substantively edit, assist with research and/or copyedit member-contributed content—including Member Recommendations, Practitioner Perspectives, and BENS Lens Substack articles—ensuring each piece reflects the member's firsthand expertise and aligns with BENS' four core campaigns (Strengthening Supply Chains, Homeland Resilience and Response, Mobilizing Private Capital, and Geopolitics and Economics).
• Conduct research and fact-checking to support accuracy, sourcing, and citation standards, including maintaining AP style consistency and managing the final approval/lock process with contributing members.
• Identify which roundtables, dinners, briefings, and other in-person convenings merit written capture, including detailed review of event recordings, transcripts, and notes to identify substantive takeaways, notable exchanges, and quotable moments suited for a Practitioner Perspective, BENS Lens post, or other publication format.
• Help build a running library of engagement-derivEd content that can be repurposed across formats (web articles, Substack, LinkedIn, stakeholder materials, media pitches).
• Apply basic SEO practices to improve search visibility of published content.
• Coordinate with Communications staff on corresponding social media content and the editorial calendar to ensure content balance and consistent publishing cadence.
• Prepare member amplification packages (customizable post drafts, short summaries, direct links) to support members sharing their own published work.

Other Written and Digital Products (External Media Placement Writing, Reports, Speeches & Special Products) (10%)

• Draft and adapt member-derived content for potential placement in national and local media outlets (trade/specialized and general-audience), in support of BENS' broader brand and reputation goals.
• Work with staff to identify strong candidates for external placement and develop pieces that meet the editorial standards and length requirements of target outlets. Support the pitching process by preparing outlet-ready drafts and coordinating any needed revisions with the contributing member.
• Draft or assist in drafting public-facing reports and other special products documenting BENS delegations, engagements, and initiatives. Work with staff to determine appropriate scope, format, and length for special, emergent or short-fuse products required on an ad hoc basis.
• Draft and edit remarks, talking points, and prepared speeches for BENS leadership for events, conferences, and engagements as needed. Coordinate with the speaker and relevant staff to ensure remarks reflect current BENS positioning.

Website, Internal Communications & Content Management Support (10%)

• Help ensure published content is properly categorized, tagged, and cross-linked across the site to support navigation and SEO. Monitor BENS external-facing properties and publications, and flag stale or outdated web content for review and refresh as part of ongoing site maintenance.
• Support internal communications needs, including drafting member invitations, recruitment or marketing copy, announcements, and internal briefings. Support broader website content management needs beyond publications pages including updating landing-page carousels, campaign section pages, and other content areas as directed.

Content Operations & Cross-Team Support (10%)

• Maintain the publications editorial calendar and track content in progress, from concept through publication or placement.
• Periodically assist with broader social media content needs beyond publications promotion.
• Flag opportunities to cross-reference and hyperlink published pieces to relevant partner or stakeholder work, and support Partnerships staff by identifying published content suited for sharing with government and industry stakeholders or for inclusion in stakeholder-facing materials (e.g., one-pagers, slide decks).
• Assist with maintaining accurate publications-related data in the CRM (Zoho) to support external-facing analytics, CRM data, and KPI tracking across the External Affairs office.

What You Bring

• Exceptional writing and substantive editing skills, with strong command of grammar, structure, and voice across long-form, short-form, and spoken formats.
• Copyediting and fact-checking experience; comfort applying a house style guide (BENS uses AP style).
• Research skills and enough national-security/policy literacy to translate technical or programmatic material into accessible prose for a range of audiences.
• Experience or strong interest in writing for external media placement, with an understanding of how outlet standards and audiences shape a piece.
• Interest in or exposure to speechwriting, or a demonstrated ability to write persuasively in another person's voice.
• Experience managing multiple priorities at once, including juggling multiple drafts, deadlines, and stakeholders (members, internal reviewers, leadership) simultaneously.
• Familiarity with web publishing/CMS platforms and newsletter or Substack production; basic SEO and distribution awareness.
• Comfort with social media platforms (particularly LinkedIn) and an interest in how published content supports broader partnership and communications goals.
• Eagerness to contribute to a team-focused, collegial, and positive working environment and a willingness to learn about detailed aspects of business and national security while producing excellent written content.
• High attention to detail and strong follow-through, particularly when coordinating author approvals and managing sensitive editorial timelines.
• An interest in or understanding of the U.S. national security enterprise is advantageous, but curiosity and a willingness to learn are just as important.

We request two writing samples for consideration. Samples may be from any prior work, academic or professional, and may be on any topic or issue. Each should be no less than 500 and no longer than 750 words, if possible.

Applications will be considered through November 2, 2026.