Standards Editor

The Washington Post seeks an experienced editor to join its Standards desk, which is responsible formaintaining The Post’s commitment to accuracy, consistency and fairness.

The Standards desk upholds The Post’s policies by supporting the newsroom, including overseeing the implementation of the corrections policy and advising our journalists on the most complicated stories and projects.The desk also sets and enforces reporting and sourcing standards and works with our legal team.

The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of Post ethics and standards, as well as significant editing and decision-making experience.This role also requires excellent news judgment as well as meticulous fact-checking, research and line-editing abilities.Discretion, interpersonal skills and a cool head amid chaos also are essential.

Responsibilities:

• Help revise, create and enforce easy-to-understand policies and codes of conduct that offer clear direction to newsroom staff.

• Help maintain the highest and most rigorous standards of fairness and integrity across all aspects of The Post’s journalism.

• Exercise excellent news judgment on all matters that come before the Standards desk. Issues of importance include sourcing guidelines, including on anonymous sourcing; fairness and balance in stories, fair comment in reporting, issues around identity; and social media policies.

• Advise reporters and editors on the most complicated stories and projects.

• Enforce The Post’s corrections policy.

• Work closely with newsroom leadership when policies may have been violated.

• Serve as an authority on The Post’s stylebook across all formats, whether that’s an investigative series, an audio segment or a visual story.

• Work closely with copy editors and senior editors as an internal authority on language, journalistic ethics and taste. 

Preferred qualifications:

• At least 10 years of professional journalism experience, including at least three years as an editor or manager.

• A demonstrated record of consistently excellent news judgment and the ability to confidently exercise it under pressure. 

• Knowledge of Post ethics and standards as well as meticulous fact-checking, sourcing, research and line-editing skills. 

• A diplomatic approach to the sensitive work of looking into and correcting the record when we fall short.

This position is based in our Washington, D.C., newsroom.