War on the Rocks is looking for a full-time Engagement Editor who will report directly to the CEO and work closely with other members of the team. This editor will be in charge of engaging with War on the Rocks members and readers across a variety of platforms, gathering insights about the site’s audience to inform editorial and business decisions, and identifying opportunities for growth.
War on the Rocks is a Washington, D.C.-based media outlet focused on fostering and serving a community passionate about strategy, defense, and foreign affairs. Founded in the summer of 2013, War on the Rocks aims to improve the public discourse on issues of strategic importance by featuring experienced and authoritative voices in articles, essays, podcasts, and other formats. War on the Rocks has a loyal readership, including – as of early 2017 – a paying membership community. Our goal is to grow that community while improving the quality of their experience. We view engagement as informing, helping, and moderating while building deeper relationships with our readers and members.
Because this is a small company, the position requires someone who can thrive in a fast-paced environment that will rarely be bounded by 9 to 5. If you are looking for something exciting and unconventional that allows you to play a major role in fostering a thriving community of readers, members, and writers, then this job might be for you. Compensation and benefits are competitive. Potential for advancement is high. We value comradery, creativity, expertise, and a commitment to advancing the boundaries of what a mission-oriented media company can accomplish.
This role will come with a great deal of autonomy and responsibility. We are looking for a candidate with at least five years of relevant professional experience. While being an intern can offer a valuable entryway into a rich and rewarding career, we are not counting internships towards this minimum, five-year requirement.
The deadline to apply for this job is May 25, 2018.
Key responsibilities:
- Conducting interviews with national security and foreign policy experts for our members-only podcast, the WarCast, and managing the podcast’s distribution;
- Managing social media campaigns;
- Producing and distributing newsletters;
- Moderating and engaging in our members-only forum, the War Hall;
- Designing and executing analytics-informed marketing campaigns to grow our membership community;
- Using data analytics to gain insights about WOTR’s readership and growth opportunities.
Skills and experience required:
- Exceptional and elegant written English;
- Subject-matter familiarity with a broad array of defense and foreign policy issues;
- Professional experience with social media management;
- Basic familiarity with publishing platforms and services, such as WordPress, MailChimp, Drip, etc.;
- Five years of relevant professional experience;
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (anything from International Relations to Communications);
- Attention to detail, patience, and rigorous organizational skills;
- Commitment to responsiveness and responsibility;
- Ability to work flexibly as a part of a small team;
- Ability to multi-task, juggling many balls in the air without letting them drop.
Bonus skills and experience:
- Military and/or U.S. government experience;
- Experience with online community-building and management with a media organization or professional association;
- MA in a relevant field.
Application instructions:
Before you apply, please read the following:
- Ryan Evans, “Introducing War on the Rocks,” July 8, 2013.
- Frank Hoffman, “Repairing America’s Strategy Bridge,” July 21, 2013.
- Ryan Evans, “Three Lessons on Our Third Anniversary: The Hard and Lovely Things About War on the Rocks,” July 12, 2016.
- Ryan Evans, “The Story of the War on the Rocks Membership and You,” Feb. 21, 2017.
Applicants should provide their resume, a cover letter, and three professional references – all as PDFs and all as attachments (no Google Drive please). In your cover letter, please include an amusing story about yourself. Send applications to editor@warontherocks.com with WOTR ENGAGEMENT EDITOR APP in the subject line.
Applications submitted after May 25, 2018 will not be considered.
War on the Rocks Media, LLC 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.
Image: Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Derek Seifert
