The War Horse Is Hiring Two Full-Time Investigative Reporters

The War Horse team is excited to meet our first full-time investigative reporter—who will help lead our nonprofit newsroom and develop unique, hard-hitting investigations on some of the biggest issues the military and veteran communities face today. You’ll hold powerful people and institutions accountable, and produce stories with lasting impact. You’ll be a leader at a nonprofit newsroom that produces award-winning projects, and you should be prepared to grow alongside a world-class team of reporters and editors. Simply put, your mission will be to develop world-changing reporting projects. 

At The War Horse, we don’t just accept difference—we support and celebrate it. Our newsroom and our community thrive on it. We want, in turn, to ensure that a wide variety of voices are present and represented in all that we do. We welcome all applicants regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, income level, disability, gender identity, veteran status, or other personal characteristic.

Our History

Founded in 2015 out of concern over legacy media companies’ declining investment in high-quality reporting about military and veteran affairs, The War Horse has grown to become a national leader in the military and reporting communities. Our work has created international headlines, spurred changes to multiple military and federal laws, and has been featured in Vanity Fair, the Center for Investigative Reporting, and many others. During 2021, The War Horse partnered with WBUR’s On Point and PBS Newshour, and were awarded the prestigious Edward R. Murrow and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Journalism Awards. Our donors and supporters include Fortune 100 companies, Ivy League Universities, leading foundations, philanthropists, and everyday people  from around the world.

Explore more about our impact and read the results of our 2019 Audience Survey.

Our Programs

Newsroom

Our investigative and multimedia reporting has been recognized with prestigious journalism awards and has led to changes in military and federal law. The ideal candidate will be deeply committed to building a sustainable nonprofit newsroom that shines a light on abuses of power and betrayals of public trust—and sticks with those issues for as long as it takes to hold power to account.

Writers Program

Since 2016, The War Horse has published more than 250 reflections, which form the cornerstone of our writers program and provide vital context for our reporting. Many of these stories come directly from our writing seminars—all-expenses-paid workshops centered around community-building and training the next generation of war writers. Our writing seminars ensure those most affected by war have a prominent voice in the national conversation. The ideal candidate will embrace mentorship opportunities with War Horse Fellows to help nurture them as writers during and after attending the writing seminar. 

Primary Responsibilities

The investigative reporter will work alongside the managing editor to help set The War Horse’s editorial vision, inspire our growing newsroom team to do its best work, and expand the organization’s reputation as one of the country’s most credible nonprofit newsrooms. The investigative reporter will uphold the highest journalistic standards. The ideal candidate will grow alongside The War Horse and the position has the potential to become a role where the candidate manages reporters and other editorial staff. The reporter will report directly to the managing editor.

Our ideal candidate has a distinguished track record of conceiving and executing ambitious, high-impact projects. We’re looking for well-honed instincts for assessing story leads and tips, and coaching journalists through dead ends and alleyways in the reporting process. The ideal candidate will be prepared to navigate the thorniest parts of difficult investigations, crafting FOIAs, developing sources to talk, navigating ethical issues, and preparing for security concerns. 

The investigative reporter will have a strong personal editorial vision and an articulated process for developing, refining, and maximizing the ideas and ambitions of others. Key to this role is the ongoing process of building a culture of respect and teamwork within the organization. The person in this position will inspire others, serve as a mentor and coach, and continue to foster a high-performing, creative newsroom environment.

The War Horse is committed to collaboration. An ideal candidate will execute partnerships to co-produce and distribute stories, participate in innovative public engagement events, design and facilitate local reporting initiatives, and more. The successful candidate will share our belief that a diverse newsroom results in better reporting and is critical to our long-term relevance, growth, sustainability, and success. 

In addition to supporting engagement and newsroom operations, the investigative reporter will be responsible for:

• A minimum of 3-4 explainers monthly, roughly 1,500 words or less, that break down timely, newsworthy topics to bridge the military and civilian divide.
• A minimum of one monthly ambitious, solutions-driven investigation or data project focused on improving the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.
• A minimum of one quarterly enterprise package that explores complex experiences and issues impacting veterans and military families.

Qualifications

This is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual with extensive reporting and editing experience to grow in an investigative reporting unit dedicated to shining a light on abuses of power and betrayals of public trust within the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. We seek someone who:

• Demonstrates commitment to dogged reporting; combs through documents and cultivates human sources to tell intriguing, high-impact investigative stories
• Views reporting as an opportunity to nurture your talents and be deeply invested in sharing them to benefit the professional growth of the members of The War Horse team. 
• Embraces creativity and experimentation, with a thoughtful approach to resource allocation that balances investment in new ideas and in our core work. 
• Executes high-impact, high-stakes investigations. National and/or international experience is preferred. 
• Navigates the legal and security protections necessary to support and protect an investigative newsroom.
• Keeps lists of story ideas and potential projects and can’t wait to report them. 
• Loves a good team, the opportunity to mentor, and the possibility of continual brainstorming opportunities to prove good journalism matters.

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time salaried position based remotely. Compensation is $80,000/yr along with a growing benefits package including 401k with matching, healthcare stipend, digital privacy services, and more. To have a direct impact on the veterans and military families we serve, submit your cover letter, resume, and three clips demonstrating ambitious, impactful reporting to jobs@thewarhorse.org. The deadline to apply is Friday, February 18, 2022.