Lead Editor, Emerging Threats

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 is looking for energetic and talented people who care about journalism and the Middle East. MBN delivers content in both Arabic and English across multiple platforms, 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 Lead Editor will conceive, create, and run this exciting new venture, building and leading a cross-border, cross-platform team. The focus will include extremist groups across the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, but will not be limited 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.

Responsibilities

• 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, including new responsibilities based on organizational requirements and circumstances.

Requirements

• 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.