Editorial Associate, Communications and External Relations

Company Description:

The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), part of the State University of New York and an internationally renowned college of art, design, business and technology with a strong emphasis on liberal arts, invites nominations and applications for an Editorial Associate in the Communications and External Relations department.

The Fashion Institute of Technology, a part of the State University of New York, has been a leader in career education in art, design, business, and technology for nearly 70 years. With a curriculum that provides a singular blend of hands-on, practical experience, classroom study, and a firm grounding in the liberal arts, FIT offers a wide range of outstanding programs that are relevant to today's rapidly changing industries. Internationally renowned, FIT draws on its New York City location to provide a vibrant, creative community in which to learn. The college offers more than 45 majors and grants AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees, preparing students for professional success and leadership in the global marketplace.

With close ties to industry, FIT draws faculty from the city's art, business, and design elite, and from the rich academic community of the region. The college continually seeks creative faculty members who are passionate about their field and demonstrate exceptional professional capability in the core competencies of instruction design, learning enrichment, globalism, and use of technology, as well as mastery of established and emerging industry practices.

Job Description:

The Editorial Associate reports to the Editorial Director and is part of the Communications team within the Communications and External Relations division. The Editorial Associate is responsible for copyediting, fact-checking, and proofreading a wide range of work, such as publications, advertising, media relations materials, digital content, correspondence, and other documents in support of the college's marketing and communications activities. Projects include a large volume of catalogs, brochures, websites, digital and video content, press releases, and the college's magazine. Additional responsibilities include maintaining contact with key areas of the college to ensure accuracy of regularly published information, and providing research and technical writing to support projects as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Ensuring accuracy of information and compliance with FIT editorial style for marketing and communications materials;
• Copyediting, fact-checking, and proofreading content to be used in print and digital communications;
• Reviewing materials for visual and graphic integrity and appropriate application of FIT's visual brand guidelines, proper use of FIT logos, and adherence to accessibility standards;
• Reviewing websites and checking tags and URLs to ensure they are functioning and accurate;
• Reviewing content in a range of databases for accuracy and checking updates as needed;
• Contributing copy, research, and editing for memos, newsletters, brochures, digital content, and speeches as needed;
• Supporting divisional leadership in communicating essential information (written and recorded messages) during crisis/emergency situations, as part of the CER crisis communications team;
• Serving as backup to the Internal Communications Specialist and other editorial staff as needed;
• Coordinating with CER colleagues to ensure branding and messaging are consistent across the institution;
• Making recommendations to improve efficiencies in workflow, trafficking, and project processes;
• Maintaining relationships with freelance proofreaders and coordinating assignments as needed.

The preceding description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required of the position; other duties may be assigned consistent with the classification of the position.

Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, English, Journalism, or related field.
• 4-to-5 years' professional experience proofreading, fact-checking, copyediting, or other relevant editorial support work on digital and print platforms.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated high-level skills as an editor and proofreader with a strong track record of working on a wide variety of communications platforms and materials (e.g. websites, reports, long-form editorial, charts, graphics, video, etc.).
• Sound judgment in handling work assignments, priorities, and schedules, with the ability to resolve problems effectively and efficiently, meet deadlines, and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with extensive contacts, including administrators, staff, faculty, students, and external contacts.
• Ability to ensure that writing/images conform to in-house editorial and brand style guidelines and educate others about these rules as needed.
• Superior communication skills, both written and oral, to effectively address all levels within the organization.
• Positive, confident, and enthusiastic self-starter with a commitment to providing excellent customer service.
• Demonstrated ability to think critically, take the initiative, and change direction when necessary .
• Maturity to work either independently or with detailed supervision, as needed.
• Demonstrated proficiency in multiple platforms and software applications, including Microsoft Office Suite, WordPress, Google Suite, HTML, MailChimp, and data base applications. Adobe Creative Suite a plus.
• Experience working in a digital content management system and/or digital asset management system a plus.
• Higher education communications experience strongly preferred.
• Hands-on experience with creating and uploading content on a CMS system a plus.

MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

Read Comprehend- Constant; Perform Calculations- Occasional; Communicate Orally- Constant; Reason & Analyze- Constant; Write- Frequent

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The position is on campus, primarily in an office environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Sit- Constant; Stand-Occasional; Bend- Occasional; Walk- Frequent; Climb- N/A; Pull- N/A; Push- Occasional; Lift<10- Occasional; Lift 10-20- N/A; Lift over 50- N/A; Reach- Occasional

Additional Information:

The UCE-FIT Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) dictates the compensation, benefits, and conditions of employment. 
Starting Salary: $60,685 per year with step increments per Salary Schedule 92, after one year of service and annually thereafter.
(See Successor Agreement, page 7)
 

Full-Time Benefits
Employee Holiday and Work Schedule
Remote Work Policy

Days/Hours: M-F, 9am-5pm, in person; work schedule subject to change based on needs of the department.

Review of applications will begin immediately until the position is filled.

Successful completion of a background check is required for appointment to this position once an offer has been made.

Application Instructions:

In order to be considered for the position, you must submit the following documents online:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Unofficial transcript 
• A list of three references with telephone numbers and email addresses

Returning Applicants- Login to your FITNYC Careers Account to check your completed application.

Please note that due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to contact each applicant individually regarding his or her application status.

For more information about FIT, please visit FIT's website at: http://www.fitnyc.edu.

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor's Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov.

EEO/ Affirmative Action Statement

FIT is firmly committed to creating an environment that will attract and retain people of diverse racial and cultural backgrounds. By providing a learning and working environment that encourages, utilizes, respects, and appreciates the full expression of every individual's ability, the FIT community fosters its mission and grows because of its rich, pluralistic experience. FIT is committed to prohibiting discrimination, whether based on race, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, religion, ethnic background, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military service status, genetic information, pregnancy, familial status, citizenship status (except as required to comply with law), or any other criterion prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local laws. FIT is committed to providing equal opportunity in employment, including the opportunity for upward mobility for all qualified individuals.  Applications from minorities, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged.  Inquiries regarding FIT's non-discrimination policies may be directed to the Affirmative Action Officer/Title IX Coordinator, 212.217.3360, titleix@fitnyc.edu.

The Fashion Institute of Technology is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is strongly and actively committed to diversity within the community.

Apply Online