Writing/Editing Specialist

IU Bloomington campus.

Department Specific Responsibilities

• Serves as a primary point of contact for local, regional, and national media outlets covering the school's performances, faculty, students, educational mission, and initiatives.
• Pitches compelling story ideas and proactively cultivates relationships with journalists, editors, and producers across print, broadcast, and digital platforms.
• Drafts and distributes press releases, media advisories, and talking points; coordinates interviews and media access for events.
• Monitors media coverage and maintains a press contact database; tracks coverage trends and reports on outcomes.
• Acts as the primary copy editor for the communications team, reviewing and refining content across web, print, and email before publication.
• Writes and edits a range of content including feature stories, profiles, event announcements, and institutional statements.
• Upholds and evolves the school's editorial style guide, ensuring consistency and quality across all channels.
• Collaborates with faculty, staff, and students to develop accurate, compelling narratives that reflect the school's mission and culture.

General Responsibilities

• Writes and edits clear, informative written content for various communications needs, audiences, and publication formats, assessing for relevance, accuracy, and appropriateness; tailors the degree of copyediting to a project's specific needs.
• Corrects basic and complex grammar, spelling, punctuation, formatting, and syntax errors and performs edits that improve overall writing quality of communications and ensure alignment with university mission, strategies, objectives, and brand and accessibility guidelines.
• Performs reviews of peer writing to ensure grammar, quality, tone, and level of depth are sufficient; may also review against requirements for specific publications, including content, length, brand guidelines, and deadline specifications.
• Consults regularly with writers, printers, faculty, staff, and/or other stakeholders to ensure adherence to writing and publications deadlines.
• Identifies user and audience needs and analyzes usage of existing content in order to identify content gaps; plans, develops, and publishes internal and external communications.
• Drafts sample communications to be reviewed with manager at project deadline checkpoints.
• May provide guidance to other Writing/Editing Specialists.

Requirements

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

Education

Required: Bachelor's degree in English, communications, journalism, public relations, or related field.

Work Experience

Required: 2 years in relevant field.
Preferred: 3 years of experience in communications, public relations, journalism, or a closely related field.

Skills

Required

• Proficient written and verbal communication skills.
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism.
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills.
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality.
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Seeks to acquire knowledge in area of specialty.
• Highly thorough and dependable.
• Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure.
• Ability to work within tight time frames and meet strict deadlines.
• Ability to simultaneously handle multiple priorities.
• Ability to drive multiple projects to successful completion.
• Demonstrates familiarity with correct style and ability to write, edit, and proof text, including ability to read for content and correct accordingly.

Preferred

• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills.
• Ability to catch what others miss and make every sentence better.
• Proven experience building and maintaining media relationships, with a track record of successful placements.
• Familiarity with AP Style and strong command of editorial best practices.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment and meet tight deadlines without sacrificing quality.
• A genuine passion for music, the arts, or arts education is a strong plus.

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical and dental insurance.
• Health savings account with generous IU contributions.
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
• Basic group life insurance paid by IU.
• Voluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance.
• Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting.
• Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options.
• Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses.
• 10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year.
• Generous paid time off plans.
• Paid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer events.
• Employee assistance program (EAP).

Learn more about our benefits by reviewing the IU Benefit Programs Brochure.