International Editor

Position description

We’re on a mission to deliver riveting storytelling for all of America. At The Washington Post, you’ll help reinvent news. Our work is driven by a deep investigative spirit and enhanced by innovation to bring audiences closer to the stories that matter most.

About Our Team

The Washington Post is powered by the passion and talent of our people. It takes all of us to reinvent news. Beyond our award-winning Newsroom and Opinions teams, we work across many departments, including Brand & Events, Communications, Customer Care, Engineering & Product, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, Marketing & Advertising, Print Operations, and Sales.

Why This Role Matters

 

The Washington Post is seeking an accomplished, ambitious and globally minded journalist to lead our International reporting team at a defining moment in world affairs.

This is a leadership role responsible for shaping and driving The Post’s evolving international report across major breaking news and original enterprise. The International Editor will oversee a team of correspondents and editors in Europe, Asia and Latin America producing authoritative, agenda-setting coverage of the political, economic and cultural forces reshaping the world, especially their intersection with U.S. national security issues. The editor is also tasked with helping build out a network of contractors and freelance writers around the globe to help on major stories of relevance to Post readers.

We are looking for a leader with exceptional editorial judgment, a sharp sense of global story priorities, fluency with the use of audience data and a range of journalistic formats, and a vision for how international journalism can reach and engage broad audiences. The ideal candidate combines deep experience in international reporting or editing with the ability to lead coverage strategically, understand the distinct and unique interests of Post readers, and work collaboratively across a rapidly evolving news environment. Given the growing international debate around and impact of American foreign policy, a strong grounding in U.S. defense and security policy is preferred. 

The International Editor will guide coverage of diplomacy, economies, immigration, terrorism, wars, personalities, trends and disasters and other major storylines shaping the global agenda, with a focus on topics and people relevant to the U.S.-based Post audience. They will help ensure that The Post moves intelligently on breaking developments while also producing a steady cadence of distinctive enterprise stories revealing how global shifts are affecting Americans.

This editor will oversee more than a dozen full-time journalists along with a stable of freelancers, and work closely with leaders across the newsroom to elevate relevant, compelling international coverage across platforms and formats.

This position is based in our Washington, D.C., newsroom, but we may consider other locations for the right candidate.

What Motivates You

• You are driven to produce world-class journalism on the defining global stories of our time.

• You thrive in fast-moving, high-stakes news environments and enjoy making smart editorial decisions under pressure.

• You are deeply curious and knowledgeable about international politics, power and culture.

• You enjoy developing journalists and helping teams produce ambitious, distinctive work.

• You are collaborative and energized by working across desks, formats and time zones.

• You have leadership and management experience and thrive in a newsroom that is evolving as the industry changes.

• You understand how to use audience data properly to understand reader interests and opportunities.

How You’ll Support the Mission

• Lead and shape The Post’s international report across breaking news and enterprise.

• Set ambitious coverage priorities and ensure the department delivers authoritative, agenda-setting journalism.

• Guide story selection, framing and editing with a commitment to clarity, rigor and audience resonance.

• Oversee and develop a team of editors, correspondents and contributors covering major global stories.

• Collaborate across departments to identify consequential story targets and execute comprehensive, multi-format coverage.

• Drive innovative storytelling approaches, including visual, audio, data and other formats that deepen audience engagement.

• Help manage operational, staffing and security considerations related to international coverage.

• Represent and advocate for international coverage within newsroom leadership discussions and strategic planning.

• Foster a collaborative, ambitious and supportive team culture with high standards for journalistic excellence.

The Skills and Experiences You Bring

• Significant experience leading international reporting or editing at a major news organization, with a demonstrated understanding of U.S. military and diplomatic affairs.

• Exceptional editorial judgment and a demonstrated record of shaping high-impact journalism.

• Deep understanding of global affairs, geopolitics and international news dynamics.

• Strong leadership and management skills, including experience developing journalists and guiding teams through complex coverage moments and working in newsrooms during periods of change.

• Ability to move fluidly between breaking news management and longer-term editorial strategy.

• A vision for how international journalism can evolve to engage new and broader audiences.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.

• A commitment to accuracy, fairness and the highest standards of journalism.

Interested candidates should upload a résumé and a cover letter outlining their vision for the role to our jobs portal. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but those received by June 20 will be prioritized. The cover letter should be addressed to Managing Editor Peter Spiegel.

The base salary range for this position is $161,100 - $299,300. The actual starting salary within this range will depend on individual skills, experience and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements. This position may be eligible for a bonus or incentive program, and a Post recruiter will discuss bonus payment terms and conditions during the interview process.

Application instructions

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