FT seeks a political news editor

The Financial Times is looking for a dynamic and ambitious journalist to join the New York news desk and edit our US political coverage.

The US political news editor will work with the FT’s Washington bureau chief to run our coverage of the 2024 presidential race as well as other major American political events. In addition to assigning and deploying reporters on stories and assignments, they will be responsible for long- and medium-term planning of our election coverage, picking the big stories that we will pursue throughout the campaign. They will be the main interlocutor between the Main News Desk and World News Desk in London, the New York News Desk, and the Washington bureau with regards to political news, ensuring there is a single point of contact for all of our 2024 coverage.

In addition to managing the forthcoming election, the successful candidate would control one of our most important areas of coverage at a hugely consequential moment in US politics. The Federal Reserve is implementing one of the most aggressive monetary tightening campaigns in its history. The US has become the main provider of arms and aid for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia. And the Republican party has taken control of the House of Representatives by the narrowest margins, setting the stage for two years of high-stakes brinksmanship.

You will work closely with the Washington bureau chief, the World news editor, and correspondents in Washington as well as other reporters who will cover the campaign from time to time. You will report to the US news editor.

Key responsibilities

• Manage all aspects of our US political coverage, including long- and medium-term planning, commissioning and line editing
• Act as a splash writer during major political events such as Super Tuesday and the presidential debates
• Generate distinctive story ideas that play to the FT’s strengths in a crowded field
• Work with a tight-knit New York news desk and Washington bureau as well as colleagues in London

Is this the role for you? 

The position requires you to be comfortable with these essential skills:

• Fast, accurate editor and clean writer
• Accomplished planner, able to generate distinctive ideas and turn them into stories that are scheduled for maximum impact
• Excellent communicator able to share and explain plans with multiple people in the FT newsroom

Please submit your application by the end of the day, 16th February 2023.