Overview
The Editorial Director serves as the editorial lead for a full range of short and long-term, digital and print-based content projects. Working in concert with senior leaders, the Editorial Director helps set the editorial vision and plays a lead role in every step of the publishing process, from writing and copyediting to preparing digital files for production. With assistance from other editorial staff members, this individual will be required to execute and review targeted content to achieve K of C goals — ensuring the production of timely, dynamic content that meets a high standard of professional journalism and promotes the mission of the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Church. The Editorial Director is also expected to be a thought partner, developing relationships that lead to successful projects and partnerships.
Core Responsibilities:
- Manage and mentor editorial team, providing task prioritization, issue escalation, direction and assistance as necessary.Provide leadership and direction to assigned editorial team members to ensure that projects meet expectations and all related project deadlines.
- Work closely with senior leaders and other staff members to define requirements, develop strategy, and publish timely, excellent, effective content. Oversee revisions, reviewing and editing a wide range of content — from long-form articles to social media posts and other brief text — to ensure that editorial standards and goals are being met.
- Establish effective communication channels with both internal and external resources; attend key team and client meetings as required. Ensure a thorough understanding of K of C policies, procedures and practices.
- Promote and foster a strong team culture and open, transparent communication within the editorial team. Ensure that key messages/initiatives are communicated correctly and appropriately to staff.
- Perform related duties as required.
Essential Competencies
- Professionalism/Personal Accountability, Collaboration and Teamwork, Communication, Flexible and Adapts to Change, Service to Customers and Clients
Additional Competencies for managers:
- Strategic Planning, Talent Development, Leadership
Skill Qualifications
- Must be an excellent writer and editor
- Strong attention to detail, tone and precision in checking and conveying facts, ensuring stylistic and grammatical standards are met, and expressing messages with nuance and audience awareness
- Knowledge of the Catholic Church and its teachings, and familiarity with the Knights of Columbus
- Strong time management skills and work ethic; ability to handle regular, often tight deadlines; able to prioritize tasks effectively
- Sound judgment; ability to make recommendations
- Must be a supportive teammate, willing to assist in a wide range of tasks, and have shown capability of managing others
- Experience and comfort with MS Word (including track-change feature); file sharing (e.g., OneDrive); digital publishing platforms, including content management systems; and social media
- MS Office; familiarity with Adobe InDesign, Acrobat, Photoshop; Mac O/S
Education and Experience Qualifications
Required:
- 5+ years of experience as a Managing Editor or Director, 10+ years overall experience
- BA or BS in journalism or related field
Preferred:
- Master’s in journalism or related field a plus
Key Leadership Behaviors
- Sets a clear strategic direction
- Adapts to change quickly
- Fosters mutual trust
- Leads by example
- Commitment to fostering a growth mindset in oneself and others; willing to learn and execute new skills and unfamiliar tasks
- Follows through on actions, promises, and assignments
- Demonstrates high ethical standards
- Lives, leads, manages, and works with integrity
- Accepts responsibility for own actions
- Leverages the strengths of each team member
- Treats others with respect and empathy
- Creates a working environment that motivates high individual performance