Comment Editor

About The National

The Role

Key Responsibilities

• **Commissioning and strategy:**
• Identify key global trends, news pegs, and regional developments to commission timely, authoritative, and compelling op-eds from leading global thinkers, academics, diplomats and internal voices.
• **Editing and refinement:**
• Sub-edit complex political, economic and cultural arguments into sharp, clear and engaging prose, ensuring all content maintains the highest standards of accuracy and nuance in
• *The National’s*
• editorial voice.
• **Digital and social innovation:**
• Collaborate closely with the social media and multimedia teams to package and adapt opinion content for maximum impact, creating scroll-stopping headlines, hooks and formats tailored for digital audiences.
• **Network building:**
• Maintain and expand a diverse, international network of high-profile contributors, ensuring a wide range of balanced perspectives and expert insights.
• **Forward planning:**
• Anticipate major global events, elections and summits to build an aggressive, forward-looking commentary calendar.
• **Collaboration:**
• Work alongside the wider editorial leadership, news desks and regional bureaus to ensure opinion coverage aligns with and elevates our daily news agenda.

Requirements And Qualifications

• **Experience:**
• 7+ years of experience editing or writing opinion/analysis for a major international news organisation or reputable foreign policy publication.
• **Regional expertise:**
• A deep, nuanced understanding of Middle Eastern geopolitics, international relations and global economic trends.
• **Editorial excellence:**
• Flawless English-language editing and writing skills, with the ability to sharpen arguments and handle sensitive topics with absolute discretion and diplomatic tact.
• **Digital savvy:**
• Proven experience optimising editorial content for digital platforms; a strong understanding of how opinion pieces travel on social media and what drives deep audience engagement.
• **Network:**
• An existing rolodex of global contributors, policymakers and thought leaders.
• **Adaptability:**
• Ability to thrive under tight deadlines in a fast-paced, 24/7 digital newsroom environment.
• **Location:**
• Must be based in or willing to relocate to Abu Dhabi.

What We Offer

• A competitive salary and benefits package.
• The opportunity to shape the narrative on global and regional affairs from the heart of the Middle East.
• A collaborative, multicultural and forward-thinking newsroom environment.