Managing Editor for 'War on the Rocks' - Leading National Security Media Outlet

War on the Rocks; Vermont; Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Annual bonuses

Job summary

War on the Rocks is seeking a detail-oriented, creative managing editor to join our editorial team. This hybrid role requires in-office presence Tue–Thu in the Washington, DC area, with relocation if needed.

The managing editor will oversee the publication process for commentary articles, edit for argument and clarity, manage workflows, and ensure quality and consistency. A strong background in national security and policy is essential.

Qualifications

• Five years of editorial experience.
• Deep familiarity with defense and foreign policy issues, with at least five years of professional experience.
• Exceptional and obsessive attention to detail.
• Passion for developing, improving, and maintaining organized editorial processes.
• 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 and more elegant.
• Patience, rigor, and sound editorial judgment.
• Ability to work collegially with authors and colleagues.
• Flexibility to take on a range of responsibilities as part of a small team.
• Right to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Oversee publication and editorial process for commentary articles, working with editors, contributors, and the War on the Rocks team.
• Edit for argument, structure, clarity, and style; steward articles from submission through publication.
• Manage editorial workflows and deadlines to maintain quality and consistency.

Skills

Editorial experience

Defense/foreign policy knowledge

Attention to detail

Editorial process management

Written English proficiency

Collaborating with authors

Time management

Team collaboration

Education

MA in international relations or related field

Job description

War on the Rocks (https://warontherocks.com) 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.

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

War on the Rocks is anequal opportunity employerand 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.

• 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

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