Editor-in-Chief

Company Overview

Sightline Media Group is a dedicated to delivering top-tier journalism to U.S. military, defense, and national security communities with leading brands like Defense News and Military Times.  Sightline Media Group is committed to providing timely, impactful content across multiple platforms while driving meaningful engagement within a complex, rapidly evolving media landscape.

Job Overview

The Editor in Chief will lead the editorial vision, growth, and transformation of Sightline Media Group’s portfolio, specifically within a time of digital disruption and opportunity. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in the national security and defense space, ideally as a military veteran, and have experience directing multi-platform newsrooms that have unionized. This is a critical role to drive innovation in content creation, subscription growth, and brand authority while maintaining Sightline's journalistic standards. The successful candidate will also steer the development of new premium subscription models, events, and editorial initiatives aimed at engaging and expanding our audience amid shifting social media dynamics and the rise of AI platforms.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute a visionary editorial strategy that builds on Sightline’s reputation in defense, federal, and national security coverage.
• Navigate the unique challenges of a unionized newsroom, fostering a collaborative, transparent environment that ensures high morale and journalistic excellence.
• Drive transformation to address traffic losses from Facebook and Google by exploring new distribution channels, partnerships, and engagement tactics to meet audiences where they are.
• Proactively explore and integrate artificial intelligence and advanced analytics tools to streamline editorial processes, enhance reporting, and improve audience engagement.

Subscription and Membership Growth

• Spearhead the growth of a subscription/membership platform, introducing premium newsletters, exclusive reports, print magazines and live events that enhance reader loyalty and value.
• Develop social media, video, and custom editorial products that resonate with diverse audiences and amplify Sightline’s authoritative voice on digital platforms.

Content and Product Innovation

• Drive editorial quality and content innovation through training, mentorship, and professional development, equipping the team with the skills needed to excel in digital storytelling and event programming.
• Collaborate with all business and editorial teams to ensure that editorial priorities are integrated into product development, focusing on the seamless delivery of both free and premium content.
• Work with sales and custom team to support sponsored content and custom editorial projects. Provide staff to moderate custom events. Have a willingness to try new ideas and sponsored products.

Building the Newsroom of the Future

• Envision and build a future-forward newsroom that integrates AI tools, automation, and multimedia to enhance reporting efficiency and quality.
• Establish a forward-looking content strategy that capitalizes on emerging trends, particularly in data journalism, multimedia storytelling, and mobile-first news delivery.

Qualifications

• Military Background: Military veteran or strong understanding of the defense/national security landscape, able to bring credibility and depth to Sightline’s content.
• Editorial Leadership: Proven experience leading and scaling newsrooms, ideally with a background in managing unionized teams.
• Digital Transformation: Strong track record of driving audience growth in a challenging digital landscape, leveraging SEO, social media, and direct-to-consumer models.
• On-Camera Expertise: Experienced media spokesperson with the ability to represent Sightline on-camera, at conferences, and as a thought leader in the industry.
• Subscription & Membership: Demonstrated success in launching subscription models, events, and other monetizable editorial products.

Skills and Attributes

• Strong understanding of digital and social media dynamics, content distribution, and emerging technologies (AI, data analytics).
• Excellent communication and people management skills, with a strong commitment to journalistic integrity and editorial independence.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, balancing short-term deadlines with long-term strategy.

This role offers the unique opportunity to redefine national security journalism in the digital age while leading a storied brand into its next chapter. You’ll shape the content, community, and business strategy for some of the most trusted publications in the defense sector while driving innovation and collaboration across the newsroom.

Location: Arlington, VA (Five days each week on-site presence)
Reports to: SVP / Operating Partner