Senior Editor, UVA Today

The News & Content unit of the University of Virginia’s Office of Communications seeks a Senior Editor to help us tell the dynamic story of UVA and to advance its strategic priorities through content that engages with and grows a multitude of audiences.

This position would be ideal for a seasoned, mature editor at a daily newspaper, magazine or online publication with significant deadline experience and a track record of working with writers to generate compelling stories and improve copy.

The Senior Editor, reporting to the UVA Today Managing Editor, will oversee several direct reports; edit copy for grammar, accuracy, and adherence to Associated Press and local style; and research and write stories as needed. The ideal candidate will be a sharp-eyed, detail-focused journalist who efficiently shepherds daily stories through the editing process while also taking the time to help writers improve their craft. He or she will be attuned to news and current events and be able to quickly identify opportunities to showcase UVA’s students, faculty and staff in the context of the day’s key stories and issues.

Our Content & News team operates a high-quality newsroom that values timeliness and urgency in its content, and collaborates to produce one of higher education’s most successful news products, and the most important strategic communications platform at the University. The UVA Today Daily Report is delivered Monday through Friday to more than 150,000 recipients, and our UVA Today content attracts more than  5 million page views annually.

This is a fast-paced and fun work environment, which provides adequate resources to tell stories that affect people’s lives. It is an enormous opportunity for someone to pursue their journalistic passions while serving an institution committed to serving the greater good. The successful candidate will bring appropriate skills and experience, as well as a comfort with operating in a dynamic environment with the lively character of a daily news operation.

Responsibilities:

• Edit daily stories for the University’s news outlets to ensure UVA Today’s writing is concise, compelling, and accurate.
• Supervise and coach writers.
• Assist in story planning so content aligns with and advances UVA’s strategic priorities.
• Collaborate with University News & Content colleagues to ensure that storylines selected for emphasis get maximum exposure through the platforms and products managed in University Communications, including social media, digital marketing, and paid content.
• Foster productive working relationships with sources across Grounds for coordination, story mining and proactive media relations.
• Track owned and earned media progress and measure success using metrics gathered by tools such as Google Data Studio, Parse.ly, etc.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills and Competencies:

• Exceptional writing and editing skills.
• Thorough understanding of AP Style.
• Outstanding news judgment.
• Ability to edit quickly and competently.
• Ability to help writers translate complex, technical or scientific subject matter into clear language for broad audiences.
• Ability to develop and execute earned-media strategies.
• Ability to operate effectively in a deadline-driven communications environment.
• Interest in and curiosity about current news and events.
• Experience or familiarity with modern communications tools such as the Office suite, social media, and analytics tools.

Required education:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, or related field.
• At least five years of relevant professional experience.

Preferred experience:

• Proven ability to collegially work with writers with different experience levels, from student writers to veteran wordsmiths.
• At least five years writing and editing a daily news publication, or in a higher education, government agency, private or corporate environment.
• Experience successfully pitching content for earned media coverage.

Anticipated Hiring Range: $85,000 to $100,000, commensurate with experience.

About University Communications:
It is our privilege to tell the remarkable and evolving story of the University of Virginia. We are writers, artists, planners + programmers, strategists, and communicators, proudly celebrating, promoting, and publicizing UVA’s iconic reputation, accomplishments, brand, and history. Visit our website to find an overview of our latest work, an introduction to our team, and further communications resources.