Writing Program Manager
POSITION DETAILS:
EMPLOYER: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
TITLE: Writing Program Manager
CATEGORY: Editorial / Writing, TYPE: Hybrid/Remote, Full-time, SALARY RANGE: 60-70K
JOB POSTING ANNOUNCEMENT: https://jobs.nd.edu/postings/36446
DESCRIPTION: As a leading global Catholic research university, one of just 71 members in the esteemed Association of American Universities (AAU), the University of Notre Dame is committed to living its mission to be a powerful means for doing good in the world through its research, scholarship, and creative endeavor.
Now, in order to showcase the work of ND’s researchers, NDR is searching for a new Writing Program Manager who will promote the work of our faculty and student researchers through exceptional research storytelling.
This role will specifically serve NDR and its reporting units, as well as the University on the whole, by discovering and then writing stories that showcase the many research, scholarship, and creative endeavor outputs from ND’s researchers, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the University’s research reputation to target audiences, such as faculty and senior administrators as peer universities, prospective postdoctoral scholars, and graduate and undergraduate students, elected representatives, funding agencies and donors, community members, and more. We are looking for a content creator who can regularly produce content to feed websites and social media and who has a strong appreciation and enthusiasm for research from across the academy. Additionally, this service-minded individual will work hard to support faculty and advise on best practices for communications for faculty by understanding their diverse communications needs.
As a skilled and accurate communicator, the Writing Program Manager (WPM) will work to ensure that:
NDR’s communications platforms have dynamic, up-to-date, and consistently developed written content that is well-presented, technically accurate, and meets target higher education audience needs, in addition to serving the strategies and tactics of NDR’s communications vision and mission.
The media-savvy WPM will proactively seek out and identify stories of interest.
He/she/they will read background documentation, prepare interview questions, coordinate scheduling with the researcher, and then write and edit both long- and short-form stories for approval by the Director in a timely fashion.
In addition to stories that arise due to publications, grants, events, and more, the WPM will also write and/or manage new or ongoing NDR series.
Together with the Director, the WPM will plan for and manage an engaging editorial calendar that ensures all web and social channels are populated with timely, interesting content.
The WPM will draft content for marketing materials, including brochures, fact sheets, posters, reports, and more. Some speech-writing support may be required.
The WPM will support the review and editing of written content for both ND’s style guide and AP style for materials that are released from the NDRC team, including newsletters, mass emails, print items, and more.
The WPM will work closely with all NDRC team members but may be expected to support the videographer with interviewing.
The WPM will regularly review, evaluate, and report on related storytelling data in order to help inform decision-making on future strategies and tactics.
Further, the successful candidate will work collaboratively with ND’s Office of Public Affairs and Communications, including Media Relations, ND Creative, Brand Content, and others, as well as colleagues in the Colleges and Schools, and Development. This is a hybrid position based in South Bend, Indiana.
Finally, the ideal candidate will be a collaborative, solutions-oriented problem solver, who has an understanding of, and enthusiasm for, higher education and research, and can work within embargoed and/or confidential arrangements, will work diplomatically as part of the NDRC team to support all existing NDR communications services in order to help to provide central communications and marketing service to all units within Notre Dame Research.
Notre Dame Research is committed to creating a community that fosters equity of experience and opportunity and ensures that members of all backgrounds feel safe, welcome, and included. We strive to achieve a culture of openness, autonomy, and belonging, making Notre Dame an exceptional place for our team, partners, and collaborators to flourish.
QUALIFICATIONS: Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree required.
English, public relations, or other communications with an interest in STEM fields desired. Alternatively, a science or engineering background with strong writing skills is beneficial.
1 to 4 years of relevant work experience
Skills:
Candidate must be a creative and collaborative problem-solver with a proven ability to manage a continuous, professional presence in all areas of communications.
Proficiency in Macintosh platforms and Google products required, including email, calendar, sheets, docs, analytics, and more.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills required, including research, fact-checking, and editing.
Must be proficient with the AP Style Guide.
Well-organized and detail-oriented, with an ability to multitask and handle shifting priorities.
Candidates will need the ability to function as a team member to fulfill team objectives while working collaboratively with the highest standards of confidentiality, discretion, and diplomacy.
Enthusiasm and ability to meet strict deadlines, creative and strategic thinking, strong organizational skills, detail-oriented, and a collaborative style, even when in a remote or hybrid environment, and the ability to work effectively within a diverse population.
Preferred Qualifications
Preferred:
Master’s degree preferred.
Past experience working in higher education or academic setting and past experience in STEM disciplines strongly desired.
Experience using content management systems and experience using social media for business purposes is desired.
Experience with Adobe Suite preferred.
Some travel may be required, so a valid passport, or an ability to successfully apply for one, is needed.
CLOSING DATE: December 6, 2024
CONTACT: Brett Beasley