Managing Director, Senior Editor | Teach For America | USA |
THE ROLE
As part of Teach For America’s One Day Studio and reporting to the Editor-In-Chief of One Day Digital, the Senior Editor will help to shape how TFA reports on national issues as related to education and with a lens on the communities where we work and the leaders driving solutions. The Senior Editor manages a team of two senior writers and several project-based freelancers/contributing writers and oversees the day-to-day production of editorial digital content including oversight over the editorial content development process – assigning and copyediting stories – both written and visual. The Sr. Editor also writes headlines, manages editorial calendar, is responsible for ensuring accuracy, readability, quality and adherence to editorial guidelines, and may write larger stories and curate newsletters.
The Senior Editor has a refined POV, deep journalistic instincts, and can shape ideas and stories while collaborating both internally and externally to get the best editorial content to our audiences. You will illuminate the inequities within and surrounding our education system, while elevating the opportunities, inspiration, leadership, solutions and progress towards our mission. You will help TFA lift up voices from across our network and within our communities. You must be an excellent communicator and thrive at giving feedback to make our storytelling better. We’re looking for someone who understands the different content requirements per platform and the related best practices for content types and format. You will write strong headlines and copy that not only addresses user needs and drives action, but aligns them with the organization’s mission. You have an intimate understanding of producing editorial web content and have a desire to expand into multiplatform experiences (e.g. podcasts, live talk shows, etc.) using data to drive smart content decisions. Having subject matter expertise in education, culture and with BIPOC communities is welcome.
THE ORGANIZATION
There are more than 16 million children growing up in poverty in the U.S., and less than 10 percent of them will graduate from college. These statistics are not a reflection of our children’s potential; we know that children growing up in poverty can and do achieve at the highest levels. Rather, these statistics reflect the systemic lack of access and opportunity for children in low-income communities.
Teach For America’s (TFA) mission is to find, develop, and support a diverse network of leaders committed to expanding opportunity for children from classrooms, schools, and every sector and field that shapes the broader systems in which schools operate. We are seeking individuals who align with our mission, core values and commitment to Diversity Equity & Inclusiveness and are ready to join us in this global movement.
THE PERSON
• Source, produce, and edit editorial stories that are compelling while ensuring editorial integrity, brand standards and TFA Foundations
• Implement editorial content strategy and own editorial calendar
• Manage freelance and contributing writers
• Collaborate with internal partner teams and stakeholders to understand business goals and core audience preferences, using those to inform and align content decisions
• Partner closely with the Insights team to determine what content is resonating with our audiences and how to iterate and optimize it to achieve our goals
• Work with cross-functional teams, including Teach For America’s regions, to advance digital storytelling and best practices across the organization
• Ensure copy tone and style are consistent with brand and style guidelines
• Work on multiple projects simultaneously and juggle a high volume of writing, editing, producing, and packaging content
• Contribute to brainstorming and creative brief development for new copy/content campaigns and projects.
• Keep up-to-date on industry standards and trends
• Manage content within Teach For America’s CMS
Qualifications:
THE MUST HAVES
• Minimum of 8 years writing/curating/editing for news/media organization or digital agency; experience at an organization with a regional or distributed model preferred
• Previous experience in managing daily editorial production; expert at prioritization and managing competing deadlines
• Experience delivering innovative, highly polished editorial content from concept to finished work strongly preferred
• Experience working across teams and synthesizing feedback from multiple stakeholders
• Working knowledge of Drupal CMS and HTML
• Passionate about educational equity as well as a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusiveness
• Able to think big, generate ideas and drive solutions to complex problems in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• An exceptional writer and oral communicator, including the skills to write in others’ voices and in edit others’ work
• Skilled in the art of persuasion, with a deep sense of humility and openness to the perspectives of others
• Able to maintain a sense of possibility in the face of obstacles, and balances both short- and long-term results
• A strong writing portfolio that exemplifies a thoughtful approach to story development and writing for diverse audiences is required
• National travel for in-person meetings as needed; some weekend and evening work expected. For FY21: All Travel is on-hold until further notice.
THE TEAM
One Day Studio produces authentic, differentiated & diverse content and creative on behalf of TFA and with like-minded partners that sparks curiosity and conversation and moves the next generation of locally-rooted and nationally connected leaders to take action in the fight for educational equity. One Day Digital leverages TFA’s digital platforms to produce and distribute editorial content that examines inequity through the lens of the education and shares stories of individual, collective and local community impact.
THE PERKS
By joining staff, you join a network of individuals committed to pursuing equity for all students and developing themselves as professionals in the process. We as an organization value the longevity of our employees and offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits plan. The salary for this position is also competitive and depends on your prior work experience. Please be advised, you will have an opportunity to discuss salary in more detail after you begin the application process.
WE ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSIVENESS
In all we do, we act on the following beliefs:
- Diversity is crucial for successful change efforts and is one of Teach For America’s greatest strengths.
- The full potential of our diverse network will be reached only when we are an inclusive community.
- The predictability of success or failure for our students or individuals in our organization should not correlate with any social, cultural or other identity-based factors.
Teach For America encourages individuals of all ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds to apply for this position. We are committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization, as we want to engage all those who can contribute to this effort.
Teach For America is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member) or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.
*This job description reflects Teach For America’s assignment of essential functions and qualifications of the role. Nothing in this herein restricts management’s right to assign, reassign or eliminate duties and responsibilities to this role at any time.
NEXT STEPS
Interested in this position? Apply now! Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the link to the online application. If you still have questions regarding the role, feel free to contact our recruitment team at StaffHiring@teachforamerica.org or visit www.teachforamerica.org/about-us/careers.