Executive Editor

Blue Star Families

8h • $106,000 - $146,000 • Remote

About The Position

Blue Star Families seeks a visionary, mission-driven Executive Editor to lead the strategic direction, editorial integrity, and continued expansion of the organization’s public-facing digital platform. This leader will define how Blue Star Families shows up in the world - shaping a cohesive editorial voice that advances the organization’s mission, strengthens credibility, and deepens engagement with military families, partners, policymakers, and the broader public.
The Executive Editor owns the end-to-end content ecosystem: setting editorial strategy, overseeing content creation and governance, guiding storytelling priorities, and ensuring excellence across every outward-facing channel. This role also provides leadership in platform strategy, including CMS selection, site redesign, and digital experience enhancements..
As a fully remote organization, we rely on regular in-person gatherings to fulfill core business functions, including strategic planning, cross-functional collaboration, and culture-building. This role requires the ability to travel overnight several times per year to attend team offsites, leadership sessions, and company-wide events.
These events are critical to performing the essential functions of the role, enabling team alignment, effective decision-making, and strong interpersonal connection. Attendance and participation in these gatherings is a non-negotiable component of the position.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, English, or a related field (advanced degree preferred).
• 8+ years of progressive editorial experience, including at least 3 years+ senior-level leadership responsibility.
• Demonstrated success building and managing content strategies for mission-driven organizations, media outlets, or digital platforms.
• Proven ability to establish and uphold rigorous editorial standards.
• Experience leading editors, writers, and freelance contributors.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and narrative development skills.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management abilities.
• Experience with digital publishing platforms, content management systems, and analytics tools.
• Strong project management capabilities, with the ability to oversee multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Technological proficiency and comfort navigating CMS platforms and digital tools.
• Ability to travel out of town overnight several times per year for staff offsites, planning retreats, and company-wide events. These gatherings are essential for connection, brainstorming, and staying strategically aligned across teams. Participation is required as a core part of the role.
• Ability to lift and carry supplies and equipment up to 30 lbs.
• Willingness to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as necessary to support key organizational initiatives.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in military service or working in military-connected organizations.
• Experience scaling content operations and audience growth for public-facing platforms.
• Familiarity with membership-driven organizations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-channel content strategy aligned with organizational priorities, growth objectives, and mission impact.
• Define and steward a clear, distinctive editorial voice that communicates authority, authenticity, and empathy across diverse audiences.
• Establish content pillars, story frameworks, and narrative arcs that elevate programs, research, partnerships, advocacy, and community impact.
• Guide long-term editorial planning while maintaining agility to address timely issues affecting military families.
• Set and enforce rigorous editorial standards for accuracy, tone, accessibility, inclusivity, and ethical storytelling.
• Oversee editorial workflows, including content planning, editing, fact-checking, approvals, and publication processes.
• Maintain and evolve editorial guidelines, governance documentation, and quality assurance systems.
• Ensure consistency and credibility across all outward-facing content.
• Lead strategic decisions regarding content platforms, CMS upgrades, and website redesign initiatives.
• Partner with digital and technical teams to enhance user experience, storytelling capabilities, and platform scalability.
• Champion innovation in digital publishing formats and audience engagement strategies.
• Collaborate with internal departments to surface compelling stories and translate complex initiatives into audience-centered narratives.
• Serve as a trusted editorial advisor to senior leadership and stakeholders.
• Coordinate with external contributors, partners, and subject matter experts to produce authoritative, high-impact content.
• Lead, mentor, and develop content staff, fostering a culture of creativity, accountability, and excellence.
• Recruit and manage freelance writers, editors, and contributors, ensuring alignment with standards, deadlines, and budget.
• Assign and prioritize projects to balance long-term strategy with timely execution.
• Partner with marketing and digital teams to expand reach, visibility, and engagement.
• Leverage performance data and audience insights to refine editorial strategy and distribution decisions.
• Identify opportunities to scale content operations and diversify storytelling formats.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Virtual/remote nonprofit organization that moves with you (position specific)
• Career growth opportunities
• Excellent benefits (403(b) with matching, Flexible Spending, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Communications Allowance, and more)
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Leave for Active Duty Military Spouses
• On-the-job professional development training
• Front-line opportunity to positively impact the military experience
• Competitive salaries
• Workplace flexibility

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive