Description
Job Summary
The overall purpose of this position is to solicit, edit, write and produce news and blogs for IEEE Spectrum web site and the news section of the magazine. Timely, high-quality content is necessary for the Spectrum web site to generate traffic and sell advertising to generate revenue. This content also feeds IEEE Xplore and other electronic reference libraries, which generate substantial revenue. Timely and compelling news coverage enhances the popularity of IEEE Spectrum magazine and its website, which both serve as membership retention and recruiting tools. News keeps IEEE members abreast of the latest developments across a broad range of topics. Finally, provocative and timely articles attract the attention of other journalists and can lead to additional articles that reflect favorably upon the IEEE. The role reports to an Editorial Director and currently manages no direct reports.
Key Responsibilities
Specific duties include but not limited to:
- Create assignments and evaluate blog post and article pitches from IEEE Spectrum staff members and freelance writers and select the best ones for assignment, based on solid understanding of the interests and needs of Spectrum readers. Communicate this understanding of the magazine's readers to freelancers and others as needed.
- Keep abreast of important developments and trends in technology, engineering, and science and time the assignment of articles to staff and freelancers so that topical articles can be published/released to web site for maximum impact.
- Edit blogs posts and news articles for maximum readability, impact, and clarity, including strong leads and straightforward organization. Work with art directors for both online and print to produce accompanying graphical treatments and multimedia enhancements such as data visualizations.
- Using agreed upon KPIs derived from analytics, coordinate with Editorial Director, Digital to keep a steady flow of timely technology news stories and blog posts to the website. Judiciously choose which posts are suitable for print and edit accordingly.
- Maintain and monitor keyword groups and ensure keywords are incorporated in content in both heds and deks meetings and in content edited by other blog editors.
- Working in concert with Editorial Director, Digital, direct the strategic direction of the content mix to meet traffic and engagement goals.
- Assess, on weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis the success of target topics as determined in concert with SEO and analytics tools and Editorial Director, Digital. Produce reports as necessary.
- Help curate and manage Spectrum’s social media platforms.
- Aid in the development and deployment of new products based on the production of the news department.
- Work with art department and photo editor to make sure that the section is attractively and creatively designed and illustrated.
- Work within the section's budget: understand how much money is available for producing the section (print and online); provide periodic written documentation of planned monthly expenditures as well as estimated future expenses as requested by Managing Editor or Editor in Chief and others.
- Provide twice-annual informal reports to Executive Editor about the performance of other Spectrum staffers, including "page counts" and qualitative assessments of staffers' work.
Occasionally, as ideas present themselves, suggest expert authors and topics to Executive Editor. Contribute ideas, including article ideas, for special reports and issues. Manages social media for all of IEEE Spectrum's social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Reddit and YouTube.
Qualifications
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience electrical engineering, physics, computer science, journalism, English, or related area or equivalent experience in technology reporting and editing
Work Experience
4-7 years journalism experience with experience overseeing freelance and in-house writers and editors. Demonstrated skill as a science and technology journalist.to prioritize efforts, anticipate and identify issues; recommend and implement solutions.
Editorial management experience in the scheduling of staff assignments, determining page budgets for eso they remain on schedule and within budget.
Skills and Requirements
Ability to prioritize efforts, anticipate and identify issues; recommend and implement solutions.
A demonstrated ability to write, edit, and package articles with informative illustrations, interactive elements, data visualizations and SEO’d headlines so they are accessible to our readers
Knowledge of science and its practical application as technology familiarity with many fields in electrotechnology, computers, telecommunications, physics, information sciences and related areas and their business and public-policy ramifications
Some international travel might occasionally be desirable for this position, so valid travel credentials and/or experience are helpful to have.
The person in this position must be a digital native, a technologically savvy knowledge worker who seeks out technology solutions to business challenges.
Specific technology experience needed to produce desired outcomes for this position include the following:
- Familiarity with word-processing and publishing software such as Microsoft Word, K4 file-manager system and Adobe In-Copy.
- Familiarity with content management systems, social media platforms, SEO platforms, analytics packages such as Google Analytics and Parse.ly.
- Familiarity with newsroom collaboration software such as Camayak and data visualization tools such as Tableau are essential to this role.
- HTML, Javascript, CSS and other coding experience is a plus
- Journalistic editing and writing skills must be first-rate
Must be able to quickly read and absorb substantial amounts of material of diverse kinds in order to come up with ideas for future articles, or to assist in the editing of articles
May be required occasionally to make presentations before small to medium-size IEEE groups, such as the Spectrum advertising sales team or an IEEE Publications department meeting
The news editor needs to be articulate enough to converse easily and effectively with writers, sources, and others. He/she needs to be able to ask precise, knowledgeable, and sometimes delicate questions
or information on work demands and conditions required for this position, please consult the reference document, “Physical, Mental, and Work Environment Standards for IEEE Positions.” This position is classified under Category I – office positions.
Disclaimer: This job description outlines the general nature and key features performed by various positions that share the same job classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties and qualifications required of all employees assigned to the job. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or re-assign duties to this job at any time due to reasonable accommodations or other business reasons.
