Associate Director, Editorial

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $80,000 - $88,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Senior Director of Content and Editorial, the Associate Director, Editorial for Marketing & Communications will develop editorial content that brings Columbia Business School's vision, thought leadership, and strategic priorities to life. Working closely with stakeholders across CBS, this creative storyteller will produce engaging content that meaningfully communicates the School's mission and impact.

The desired candidate is a strong writer and editor with experience in newsletters as well as long- and short-form editorial content. They will think critically not just about the stories that will interest our readers, but also about packages and series, interactives, and how to use all available channels, including social media and emerging platforms, to tell stories about business that keep our audience engaged and growing.

The Marketing & Communications department brings the Columbia Business School (CBS) mission, vision, and values to life through innovative and best-in-class marketing, communications, and content strategies. Our work enhances the overall visibility of CBS, increases positive perceptions and engagement, differentiates it in the marketplace, and reinforces our commitment to shaping the ideas and leaders of tomorrow. 

About Columbia Business School 

For over a century, Columbia Business School (CBS) has helped develop leaders and enterprise builders who drive value for their stakeholders and society at large through our MBA, MS, PhD, and Executive Education programs. We are equally committed to cultivating new scholars and teachers and to creating and disseminating pathbreaking knowledge, concepts, and tools that advance the understanding and practice of management through our faculty research and PhD programs. Our vision is simple: to develop ideas and leaders that transform the world, from the very center of business. 

Our ever-evolving curriculum, featuring pioneering courses, STEM certification, and immersive experiential learning, prepares students to excel in key areas such as digital transformation, entrepreneurship, innovation, twenty-first-century finance, the intersection of business and society, and climate and sustainability. The CBS administration enables CBS’s educational and scholarly mission through strategic and operational guidance and support, optimizing School resources through well-designed, transparent processes, and fostering a culture of respect for all. 

Responsibilities

Writing

• Conduct editorial interviews with faculty and other subject matter experts. Write, and publish short- and long-form editorial content (e.g. features, profiles, news stories and research summaries) for a variety of print, digital, and social media platforms, including newsletters.
• Develop substantive, engaging pieces on business and financial topics and faculty research that are clear, accurate, and readily accessible to business practitioners. Translate technical findings into language easily understood by the general public. Meet deadlines and maintain CBS editorial standards.
• Experiment with new formats, using creative as well as data-informed approaches.
• Work with content team members to provide copy for editorial projects, including social media and video.
• Attend and cover lectures, conferences, and School events, as needed.

Editing

• When required, line edit, copy edit, proof, and guide the development of text as needed.
• Maintain a consistent voice and monitor all communications with an eye to editorial appropriateness. Support and enforce a School-wide visual and editorial identity. Work with authors both inside and outside the School, and members of the administration, to resolve editorial issues and maintain editorial guidelines.
• Collaborate with design to help strategize best-in-class graphic elements for editorial pieces and packages
• Work with the Senior Director of Content & Editorial as well as other members of the Communications team to curate and manage the website, demonstrating strong editorial judgment and SEO/GEO understanding.

Planning

• Work with the Senior Director of Content & Editorial to implement a more robust Newsletter strategy, as well as a plan that leverages key internal and external moments and events, bringing the School’s research, initiatives, and thought leadership to life. 
• Update and maintain planning documents and tools as appropriate.
• Develop and maintain relationships with faculty, staff, alumni, and external audiences to generate content ideas and research topics, and to stay current in key areas of focus.
• Proactively research and pitch content to support and reinforce strategic goals.
• Stay abreast of trends in business and think of ways to tie those trends to CBS thought leadership on an ongoing basis
• Propose unique and exciting story angles on a regular basis that bring CBS’s vision, thought leadership, and strategic priorities to life in a highly engaging way.

Managing/Operations

• Manage projects, as directed by the Senior Director of Content & Editorial, and work closely with content team colleagues and outside vendors to complete projects on deadline, ensuring accountability and quality.

Other

• Performs additional duties as required.  

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and/or its equivalent required. Minimum 3-5 years related experience required.
• Proven history of creating high-quality, engaging content.; A portfolio/writing sample is required, including news, newsletters, profiles and features.
• Must have highly proficient writing and editing skills. Can understand, synthesize, and distill complex thoughts into clear, easy to understand and highly compelling content pieces.
• Demonstrated computer proficiency and experience with content management systems required. Has basic knowledge of SEO, keyword research, and SEO guidelines.
• Meets deadlines and maintains CBS editorial standards. Has worked in a fast-paced environment and is able to work on multiple projects simultaneously within deadlines, and work both independently and collaboratively. 
• Must demonstrate excellent interpersonal and oral and written communication skills and be able to work with many levels of faculty and staff. Energetic, enthusiastic, collaborative, and willing to work hard on a small team.
• Knowledge of best practices across content types, from longer prose to newsletter copy 

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in communications, creative writing, or journalism preferred. At least 5 years experience writing about business or finance, preferably in a journalism capacity, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience as a content provider or project manager for websites preferred. Knowledge of InDesign, HTML, and/or Photoshop is a plus.
• Has provided support in additional content areas (e.g. promotional material, social media copy, speech writing).
• Must be a strategic thinker with experience leveraging content across print, digital, and social channels and a demonstrable success advancing a publication.
• Experience working at an institution of higher education, or related institution, a plus

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.