Position Summary:

KFF is the independent source of health policy research, polling, and news. Our mission is to fill the need for trusted information on national health issues.  KFF is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.

KFF is seeking a Managing Editor, KFF Health News, to join the senior KFF staff and help manage its  nationwide team of bureaus, desks, reporters, editors and freelancers  and contribute to the conception and development of sharp, engaging stories on US health policy and politics.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

KFF’s award-winning newsroom covers all aspects of the American health-care system and examines how health issues impact people’s lives. Our articles are distributed at no cost to other news organizations that want up-to-date, reliable stories about the business, policies, and politics of the US health-care system.

Our journalism seeks to expand Americans’ knowledge of their health care and the people, companies, and institutions responsible for providing it, particularly for diverse populations and in parts of the country ill served by local news and declining coverage of state capitals.

KFF Health News is one of three major KFF operating programs, along with Health Policy and Polling and Survey Research, and a critical part of KFF’s role as an information organization.  You will be a KFF employee and a member of the senior staff, expected to participate widely in the life of the organization and in high-level staff and board meetings as requested. You would report to the KFF Health News Executive Editor and help run KFF Health News’ nationwide reporting team of staff and freelance reporters.

We are looking for a highly collegial person who can make things happen. We want someone who can keep the newsroom organized and drive editors and reporters to do their very best work.  While knowledge of health and health policy is helpful in this job, it is not a prerequisite. What is necessary: Fine-tuned news judgment, with a keen ability to generate story ideas, elevate great ideas from colleagues – and to say no to the bad ones. We also require a demonstrated commitment to professional collegiality and a strong interest and commitment to KFF’s mission and high standards.

The person we hire for this position will be responsible for managing a key newsletter partnership. Those duties include assigning and editing newsletter submissions from our staff several days a week and serving as primary point of contact with our external partner.

Other responsibilities include:

• Second-editing stories with an eye toward expanding their power and reach. We need someone who writes great nut grafs and attention-getting headlines
• Launching and landing projects of your own conception and helping to guide and improve others

You would work collaboratively within the newsroom as well as with partners in other news organizations and your colleagues across KFF’s programs as well as its executive staff and CEO. 

Minimum Desired Qualifications, Skills, and Experience:

• Authorization to work in the U.S.
• Experience writing or editing a newsletter
• Experience or demonstrated aptitude running a newsroom or a newsroom team
• An understanding and commitment to KFF’s mission and high standards as health care’s leading health policy information organization

This full-time position will be based in KFF’s Washington, DC office, located downtown near Metro Center. KFF has a hybrid work schedule and requires all staff to work in the office a minimum of two days a week.

Compensation

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications. Compensation includes an outstanding benefits package equivalent in value to approximately fifty percent of base salary including a generous and immediately vested defined contribution plan and zero-premium health coverage.

The annual salary range for the Managing Editor position is between $200,000 and $240,000. Our job titles and salary ranges may span more than one career level, and the salary offered to a candidate will be determined based on factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the position, job-related knowledge and skill set, depth of experience, certifications and/or degrees, and our practice of upholding salary equity within the organization. 

How to Apply

If this position is of interest to you, and you have the requisite experience and qualifications, please click  to apply.

KFF has an efficient applicant review process and will contact candidates who have applied for this position and whose qualifications most closely fit the criteria for the job. No phone inquiries, please.

KFF requires all employees to be up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations.

It is the policy of KFF to actively promote a diverse and inclusive workplace in every respect, and to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees in every phase of employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, political affiliation, arrest or conviction records, or other categories protected under the law.