Job Description

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world's population sees AP journalism every day.

The Associated Press seeks a talented journalist to join its Election Services team as a news editor overseeing our coverage of elections – from the mechanics of counting ballots on election night to explaining how AP declares winners. This editor will serve as a senior member of the Elections Services team and will work in close coordination with AP’s politics news editor and leaders in the Washington bureau as they direct the journalism that comes from AP’s unique role in the American democracy. This is an administrative role and is based in Washington, D.C., although exceptional candidates in other locations will be considered.

Responsibilities: Reporting to the vice president and head of Elections Services, you'll join a team of researchers, data scientists, developers, journalists and others who make up AP’s Elections Services team. In this role, you will directly supervise a small team of elections explanatory reporters based in Washington, as well as the elections interactives and graphics team. You will be responsible for the journalism that originates with the AP vote count and election analytics teams, including AP’s race calls, crafting the news report from Election Day (and the days before and days after) in partnership with AP’s politics editor and peer editors in Washington. With the elections interactives and graphics editor, you will help shape how we tell that story with data and data visualizations. You will be comfortable with organizing and directing coverage, especially with partner editors across the newsroom, and working across media formats to serve AP's wide-ranging set of customers and digital audiences across the globe.

We’re looking for someone who will:

• lead a team of reporters and edit stories to deliver spot news, explanatory and enterprise coverage about elections that breaks news, has impact and is exclusive to AP.
• work with the editor of the elections interactives and graphics team to deliver data visualizations that serve the needs of AP’s licensed elections customers, as well as our consumer audience.
• demonstrate strong communication skills and work collaboratively with the diverse team of journalists at the AP who operate in all formats: text, photo, video, audio, digital, social, interactive and graphics.
• have a great news sense, with the ability to help reporters from all media types to deliver engaging stories and visual journalism that people will want to share, like and talk about on social media and other platforms.
• pursue innovative and inclusive coverage techniques while maintaining AP’s standards for integrity and fact-based, nonpartisan journalism.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, such as at least five years of full-time experience at a daily newspaper, broadcast station, online or digital news outlet, or an AP bureau or regional desk.
• All applicants must be able to work in the U.S. or be able to gain permission to do so.
• Advanced-level professional competency in written and spoken English. Professional competency in a language besides English is a plus.
• The ability and willingness to work at night and on weekends, as AP is a 24/7 operation and polls almost always close after the end of the business day.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational and planning skills, with the ability to juggle multiple projects across formats and deliver success on complex story lines.

Preferred Qualifications: You must have demonstrated excellence as an editor, with a deep record of delivering exclusive, illuminating and distinctive journalism on challenging assignments and unmovable deadlines. The successful candidate will have experience covering and editing news about elections and politics, leading teams and organizing and allocating resources. Applicants must be able to support, guide, motivate and inspire journalists to achieve success across formats, in particular those who work in visual formats. You must be able to effectively communicate and coordinate with AP staff throughout the company and AP customers worldwide. A history of leading journalists working in more than one format is a major plus.

We will consider strong candidates who do not meet every listed qualification. You may use a cover letter to describe the unique qualifications you would bring to this role.

The anticipated salary range for this position is $110,000-$150,000, negotiable based on experience, qualifications, market location and other job-related factors.

The Associated Press offers comprehensive benefits which include:

• Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage
• Retirement benefits
• Company paid life insurance
• Paid vacation and sick days
• Paid parental leave for any new parent

Application deadline is August 12, 2025, at 11:59p.m. EST. 

AP seeks to build an inclusive organization grounded in respect for differences. We support all aspects of diversity and provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a veteran, or other characteristic protected by law.

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