Managing Editor

At VCU, we Make it Real through learning, research, creativity, service and discovery — the hallmarks of the VCU experience. A premier, urban, public research university nationally recognized as one of the best employers for diversity, VCU is a great place to work. It’s a place of opportunity, where your success is supported and your career can thrive. VCU offers employees a generous leave package, career paths for advancement, competitive pay, and an opportunity to do mission-driven work.

Strategic Marketing and Engagement (SME) provides coordinated and strategic engagement for all Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) constituents. SME manages university wide donor events and stewardship, the annual giving calendar of solicitations and all university wide messaging to alumni, donors and internal constituents.

Launching in 2022, VCU Magazine will serve as the university’s flagship publication. A key element in the university’s communications structure, the magazine will showcase the intellectual dynamism of a community of engaged, interesting and accomplished alumni, donors, faculty/staff members and students. The managing editor is a creative individual with a knack for language, strong editorial skills and a vision for how publications can enhance the ways in which the university fulfills its mission.

VCU Magazine is produced by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, and the managing editor is part of the DAR Communications team. The magazine staff consists of the managing editor and a dedicated staff writer and a copy editor, a designer/art director and a photographer/videographer who split duties with other projects. The managing editor coordinates all phases of production, including helping to ensure the magazine’s timely publication, maintaining the magazine’s budget and delivering compelling content and a strong visual impact, while working closely with the art director. The managing editor also works collaboratively with the creative and marketing teams, as needed, to create editorial and storytelling strategies across all DAR communication channels. This role will report to the executive director, DAR communications and collaborate with university colleagues to mine storytelling possibilities across VCU.

In this role, you will:
- Work with the senior director of DAR Communications, DAR leadership and internal stakeholders to set editorial strategy, ensuring content aligns with VCU’s and DAR’s initiatives.
- Create and maintain relationships with freelancers; make assignments; coach writers through article ideas; and serve as first-line editor on all copy.
- Maintain an editorial calendar and manage long-term editorial planning.
- Identify article ideas for features and standing departments by staying current on VCU news and personalities.
- Provide editorial content for various standing departments and occasionally write content.
- Conceptualize multimedia elements, including audio, video, photography and graphics, in collaboration with the creative team.
- Lead editorial, design and photo planning meetings.
- With the art director, create a storyboard for each issue, fit and tweak content as needed for the page and approve page layouts.
- Oversee regular maintenance of the magazine’s website, working with the associate editor and creative team to keep the site fresh and to deliver value-added multimedia content.
- Work with the creative project manager to coordinate production details, including setting schedules and monitoring adherence to deadlines.
- Provide direct supervision to the associate editor, copy editor and contributing freelance writers.
- Build and maintain relationships with cross-campus communicators, alumni relations staff and development directors to proactively identify and pitch article ideas and to facilitate the approval process.
- Maintain accurate and timely records of interactions in the alumni and donor database.
-Support advertising creation and placement, adhering to postal guidelines and internal policies.

As a team member, you will:
- Maintain and encourage open and honest professional relationships within the team and throughout DAR and VCU.
- Work in a fast-paced, performance-based professional environment
- Collaborate with peers and stakeholders to add to DAR’s collective innovative thinking.
- Align your values with DAR’s core purpose and values.

Minimum hiring standards:
- Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing or related field.
- Four or more years of editorial experience in a publishing-related setting to acquire skills necessary to manage and coordinate a variety of tasks, including managing and coaching writers.
- Self-starter who can succeed with general direction and exercise independent judgment.
- High degree of professionalism while maintaining complete confidentiality.
- Ability to manage multiple requests and make priority-based decisions.
- Ability to shape article ideas and coach writers in their storytelling.
- Ability to combine the innovativeness of a writer with the practical focus of an operations manager.
- Superior grammar, spelling and editing skills and superior knowledge of AP Style.
- Exceptional copywriting and editing skills with a high attention to detail.
- Strong sensibility of visual elements appropriate for print and digital channels.
- Ability to write/direct strong print and SEO headlines.
- Ability to work flexibly and collaboratively.
- Ability to manage and adhere to deadlines and editorial timelines.
- Outstanding listening and communications skills, both written and oral.
- Excellent organizational and leadership skills.
- Excellent creative problem-solving skills.
- Adaptable, proactive, deadline-driven, results-oriented and highly organized.
- Working knowledge of content management systems.
- Trustworthiness to serve as a brand ambassador and to handle issues or escalate as appropriate.
- Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU.

Preferred hiring standards:
- Two or more years’ experience as a managing editor.
- Knowledge of alumni relations and fundraising.
- Experience working in higher education.

Salary Range: Commensurate with experience, up to $75,000.

Position Details:

Department: Development and Alumni Relations
Employment Type: Full-time, University and Academic Professional
Restricted Status: N/A
FTE: 1.0
Exemption Status: Exempt

Contact Information:

Carolyn E. Lee, SHRM-CP
Senior Human Resources Administrator
Email: clee23@vcu.edu