Managing Editor

Focus of the Role

Exceptional, engaging writing is key to the Tony Blair Institute showcasing impact and delivering on its mission to ‘equip political leaders to build open, inclusive and prosperous societies in an interconnected  world.’ It’s imperative that we communicate clearly and consistently across all our written work and our Managing Editor will set and maintain excellent standards, leading by example and working with our policy experts and other authors to ensure the efficient and effective drafting of publications and external copy

Job Introduction

They will inject operational rigour into our editorial processes and oversee the development of our written work, ensuring that appropriate sign-offs are secured and a consistent tone-of-voice is preserved throughout. The postholder will build strong working relationships with those individuals across the organisation who author written materials and they will work with colleagues to hone a fast-turnaround, impactful editorial operation.

An accomplished writer, the Managing Editor will be responsible for drafting various external and internal written content. They will support the Director of Creative Strategy & Delivery to craft stories of the Institute’s successes and deliver impactful campaigns as well as leading or supporting with the drafting of corporate communications such as annual reports, donor packs etc.

The role will report into the Director of Creative Strategy & Delivery and will play a key role in the broader marketing and communications community at TBI led by our Executive Director for External Affairs.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversight of the editorial guide, the editorial process, including securing appropriate sign-offs, integrating feedback and meeting deadlines.
• Supporting writers across the Institute to deliver written work that is impactful and aligned to a single tone of voice through copywriting and editorial
• Drafting written communications
• Working with brand and design to ensure authored work is amplified by messaging and design in tandem
• Supporting the wider communications and marketing team to deliver exceptional written output.
• The post holder will be expected to build strong working relationships with: TBI experts and authors; Head of Design; the Director of Marketing (Government Advisory Practice); Director of Engagement; Director of Communications (Policy); Director of Communications (Press).

Person Specification

• Excellent written communication skills and the ability to communicate often complex ideas clearly and persuasively at all levels to both internal and external audiences
• Exceptional organisational skills and self-discipline, with the confidence to oversee an organisation-wide editorial operation.
• Delivered exceptional written content with impact, and know how to encourage others to reach these standards
• Proven ability to get things done both independently and in a collaborative, team-oriented environment
• Be a self-starter and entrepreneurial in spirit, able to quickly understand an organisation and ingratiate themselves within it to work closely with multiple teams
• Be keenly interested in the work of TBI and share in our mission and values
• Be comfortable navigating the internals of an organisation whilst still maintaining a commitment to developing and delivering strong ideas

About The Institute

At the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change we are dedicated to making globalisation work for the many, not the few. We do this by helping countries, their people and their governments, address some of the most difficult challenges in the world today – beginning with those where we think we can break new ground, offering leaders new thinking and new approaches. Our staff – over 200 of them, based all over the world – are working on some of the most intractable problems around issues of co-existence, governance, the peace process in the Middle East and renewing the centre.