Senior Editor

Republic Affairs; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

401(k) matching

Downtown DC location

Job summary

Republic Affairs, a Washington, DC-based strategic communications firm, seeks an editorial leader to oversee a small team of investigative researchers. You will edit and fact-check deep-dive reports, shape findings into clear written output, and ensure high-quality, well-sourced work for partners in media and advocacy.

The role emphasizes editing, research management, and mentoring, with a preference for candidates familiar with public-interest reporting and public records research.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in investigative journalism, editorial management, or a closely related field.
• Strong editing, copyediting, and fact-checking skills; ability to improve dense research memos.
• Sound editorial judgment to distinguish between what matters and what’s interesting.

Responsibilities

• Manage and support a team of investigative researchers, setting priorities and ensuring quality.
• Edit, copyedit, and fact-check research memos, profiles, and long-form reports for accuracy and impact.
• Shape raw research findings into polished written products for communications and media partners.
• Exercise editorial judgment on what to pursue, publish, or refine.
• Collaborate with the communications team to package and deploy research output effectively.
• Provide guidance to junior researchers to develop skills and improve work quality.

Skills

Editing

Editorial management

Fact-checking

Research memos

Quality control

Mentoring

Job description

Republic Affairs is a Washington, DC-based strategic communications firm that helps civic organizations operate with confidence, earn public trust, and advance their missions.

If you have a journalism or editorial background, know good work when you see it, and aren't afraid to say when something isn't ready, we want to hear from you.

About the role

This role sits at the intersection of editorial leadership and research management. You will oversee a team of investigators producing deep-dive research into political actors, organizations, and funding networks. Your job is to make their work better and make sure it gets out the door.

That means editing and fact-checking research products, shaping findings into clear and compelling written output, and exercising the kind of editorial judgment that separates a good story from a great one. It also means managing the day-to-day of a small research team, setting priorities, keeping work on track, and pushing for higher standards.

The ideal candidate has spent time in investigative journalism, editorial management, or a closely related field and knows what rigorous, well-sourced work looks like. You won't always be the one doing the digging, but you have to know good research when you see it and know how to make it better.

Your responsibilities

• Manage and support a team of investigative researchers, setting priorities, reviewing work, and maintaining quality and output standards.
• Edit, copyedit, and fact-check research memos, profiles, and long-form reports to ensure accuracy, clarity, and impact.
• Shape raw research findings into polished written products ready for use by communications and media partners.
• Exercise editorial judgment on what to pursue, what to publish, and what needs more work.
• Collaborate with the communications team to ensure research output is packaged and deployed effectively.
• Help develop the skills and instincts of junior researchers through feedback and guidance.

What we're looking for

• 5+ years of experience in investigative journalism, editorial management, or a closely related field.
• Strong editing, copyediting, and fact-checking skills. You can take a dense research memo and make it sing.
• Sound editorial judgment and the ability to distinguish between what's interesting and what matters.
• Experience managing or mentoring junior staff in a newsroom, research, or editorial environment.
• Deep familiarity with the current political landscape and how political actors, organizations, and funding networks operate.
• A high bar for accuracy. You don't let anything out the door you can't stand behind.
• This role is based in Washington, DC. We have a strong preference for candidates who can be in the office regularly, but are open to hybrid arrangements for the right candidate.

Preferred qualifications

• Background in investigative journalism, opposition research, or public interest reporting.
• Familiarity with public records research, including FEC filings, IRS 990s, and FOIA requests.
• Experience packaging research for external audiences including journalists, content creators, and advocacy partners.

Why join us

• Base salary range: $80,000 – $110,000, commensurate with experience
• 100% covered medical insurance
• 401(k) matching program
• Metro-accessible, downtown DC location
• Opportunities to learn, grow, and do work that supports organizations strengthening civic life