Senior Manager, Editorial Operations (National Geographic DC)

The Walt Disney Company; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 116,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus potential

Medical benefits

Job summary

National Geographic is seeking a Senior Manager, Editorial Operations to oversee all production across editorial platforms. The role functions as the managing editor for National Geographic magazine and its print products, driving cross‑functional workflows and modernizing processes.

You will lead a team, manage calendars, and triage issues as content moves from print to digital, while partnering with leadership to implement tech-enabled improvements.

Qualifications

• 8+ years managing editorial workflows in magazine environments.
• Experience leading projects with 25+ editors and designers.
• Strong understanding of print and digital production processes.
• Proficiency with editorial tools like Airtable and InCopy/InDesign.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end print production workflows: scheduling, production, printer delivery and deadline enforcement.
• Provide structure and project management for cross-departmental digital features.
• Oversee print editorial calendars across leadership teams and adjust as needed.
• Coordinate content flow across print and digital platforms and align priorities.
• Oversee copy editing and fact-checking workflows for print and digital content.
• Act as power user of Airtable to keep deadlines and story details up to date.

Skills

Editorial workflows

Project management

Print production

Digital production

Copy editing

InCopy/InDesign

Airtable

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Bachelor’s degree in English/ Communications/ Journalism

Tools

InCopy/InDesign

Airtable

Job description

Role Overview

The Senior Manager, Editorial Operations manages all aspects of production across National Geographic’s editorial platforms. He/she/they is functionally the managing editor of National Geographic magazine and oversees a team that manages all other print products—Nat Geo Kids, Nat Geo Little Kids, National Geographic History, and newsstand special editions—as well as ambitious digital projects for NationalGeographic.com. He/she/they is the key manager of all workflows and the production processes of our content creation, tracking progress and triaging issues as work moves through its lifecycle. Reporting to the VP, Head of Editorial Operations, this department lead plays a critical role not only in driving an efficient operation today but in continually identifying areas for improvement, including the application of technology to our work. This is a terrific opportunity for a strategic, systems-oriented thinker to join a creative organization and have a meaningful impact in a time of evolution and change, as we modernize both our operation and our output and create extraordinary and innovative content.

Role Overview

The Senior Manager, Editorial Operations manages all aspects of production across National Geographic’s editorial platforms. He/she/they is functionally the managing editor of National Geographic magazine and oversees a team that manages all other print products—Nat Geo Kids, Nat Geo Little Kids, National Geographic History, and newsstand special editions—as well as ambitious digital projects for NationalGeographic.com. He/she/they is the key manager of all workflows and the production processes of our content creation, tracking progress and triaging issues as work moves through its lifecycle. Reporting to the VP, Head of Editorial Operations, this department lead plays a critical role not only in driving an efficient operation today but in continually identifying areas for improvement, including the application of technology to our work. This is a terrific opportunity for a strategic, systems-oriented thinker to join a creative organization and have a meaningful impact in a time of evolution and change, as we modernize both our operation and our output and create extraordinary and innovative content.

Responsibilities

• Manage all print production workflows from end to end (scheduling, issue production, delivery to printer), defining and optimizing process, determining and enforcing deadlines, and troubleshooting delays and other roadblocks to ensure work is completed on time
• Provide structure and project management for ambitious, high-priority digital features and packages that necessitate involved cross-departmental collaboration
• Manage the development and maintenance of print editorial calendars, working across the editorial leadership team and proposing adjustments as needed
• Manage the flow of content across platforms, from print to digital and vice versa, including prioritization, timing, and alignment on direction and level of effort
• Oversee the application of copy editing and fact-checking teams to print and digital content, ensuring the accuracy of our content through effective prioritization and process
• Serve as a power user of our production management platform (Airtable) to guarantee that deadlines, tasks, and story details are up-to-date for every article and to ensure Airtable remains a reliable tool for aligning the staff across deliverables and competing priorities

Basic Qualifications

• 8+ years of working with and managing editorial workflows/processes, preferably in a magazine environment as a Managing Editor or Deputy/Assistant Managing Editor required.
• 5+ years of experience managing projects that involve 25 or more editors and designers.
• Experience with and understanding of print products and their associated production processes
• Experience with and understanding of digital platforms and their associated production processes.
• Familiarity with copy editing and fact-checking and their associated methodologies and processes.
• Familiarity with standard publishing tools, such as InCopy/InDesign, and collaboration and project management tools, such as Airtable.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills.
• Exceptional organizational skills, process/systems thinking, and attention to detail.
• Ability to work with a wide variety of personalities and navigate a highly matrixed organization with aplomb.
• Ability to maintain a positive demeanor while also enforcing deadlines and adherence to process and policy.
• Candidate must reside within a reasonable distance to our office in DC. This role requires someone onsite 4 days a week.

Required Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience

Preferred Education

Bachelor’s degree in English, Communications, Journalism, or another field that emphasizes writing and reading comprehension

The hiring range for this position in Washington, D.C. is $115,500 to $154,800 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.