Managing Editor for Leading National Security Media Outlet

Job Description

Job Description

War on the Rocks ( is seeking a detail-oriented, creative, and enthusiastic managing editor to join our editorial team.

Please note that this is not a remote position. We follow a hybrid schedule, with employees working in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. We will consider only candidates who live in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area or are willing to relocate there.

The Position

The managing editor will help oversee the publication and editorial process for commentary articles, working closely with our editors, contributors, and other members of the War on the Rocks team. Responsibilities will include stewarding articles from submission through publication, editing for argument, structure, clarity, and style, managing editorial workflows and deadlines, and helping maintain the quality and consistency of the publication.

Our contributors include current and former military personnel, civilian national security practitioners, government officials, scholars, and members of the defense industry. The successful candidate will be comfortable working with authors who possess deep subject-matter expertise but varying levels of writing experience.

We are looking for someone with a strong background in national security and the judgment to evaluate arguments about strategy, defense, and foreign affairs. This position is not a good fit for candidates whose experience has been primarily in journalism without substantial exposure to national security policy or practice.

About the Publication

War on the Rocks serves a community passionate about strategy, defense, and foreign affairs.

Founded in 2013, War on the Rocks seeks to improve professional and public discourse on issues of strategic importance by publishing experienced and authoritative voices through articles, essays, and podcasts. We value camaraderie, creativity, expertise, intellectual seriousness, and editorial excellence.

Before you apply, please (a) listen to this podcast by our founder, Ryan Evans, "10 Years of War on the Rocks," (b) read this article, also by Ryan Evans, which we published years ago, "The Hard and Lovely Things About War on the Rocks."

In your cover letter, please include an amusing story about yourself.

War on the Rocks is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any classification protected by federal, state, or local law.

Requirements

• Five years of editorial experience. This does not mean you need to have been employed as an editor, but you should be able to demonstrate that a past position has involved serious and sustained wordsmithing
• Deep familiarity with defense and foreign policy issues, as demonstrated by a minimum of five years of professional experience (not inclusive of graduate education or internships)
• Exceptional and obsessive attention to detail
• A passion for developing, improving, and maintaining organized editorial processes
• A proven ability to produce excellent work under short deadlines while managing longer-term projects
• Exceptional command of written English, including the ability to make prose clearer, more precise, and more elegant
• Patience, rigor, and sound editorial judgment
• The ability to work collegially with authors and colleagues
• The flexibility to take on a range of responsibilities as part of a small team
• Right to work in the United States

Preferred

• Experience in the U.S. armed forces, the Department of Defense, or the Department of State
• MA or other advances degree in international relations, strategic studies, military science, or a related topic

Benefits

• Fully covered medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums
• Competitive salary (starting range is $115,000 to $130,000)
• Annual bonuses