Editorial Director

We are seeking an Editorial Director who will play a leading role in the conceptualization, creation, and curation of content for the university's flagship publications, working closely with the Senior Content Director to set and execute a strategic editorial vision across multiple channels. They will manage and mentor editors and writers, play a lead role in story ideation and refinement, and help ensure continuity of voice, tone, and style for Johns Hopkins University content published in print materials and online.

This individual will have broad oversight of the editorial direction and creation of Johns Hopkins Magazine, working with the publication's editors to plan future issues and ensuring that university goals and quality standards are met. They will steer the editorial process from start to finish, collaborating with writers and designers, resolving issues along the way, and ultimately ensuring a smooth process and on-time delivery of the publication each quarter.

The Editorial Director will help drive the university's storytelling efforts with a particular focus on magazine-format content, in print and digital formats. They will also be involved in assigning, writing, editing, packaging, publishing, and/or promoting content in support of university priorities.

The Editorial Director has a deep understanding of editorial, digital, and content strategy and monitors new and emerging trends in content delivery and audience engagement. They are both a thinker and a doer who is hands-on with day-to-day responsibilities while also managing a larger vision and priorities, and a leader who can convene and guide staff members and manage projects to completion.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Oversee the conceptualization and creation of a wide range of magazine-style content for distribution across channels.
• Develop and execute an overarching editorial vision for print publications and magazine-style content with long-term plans in support of the university's strategic priorities.
• Assign, edit, and author content for the university's flagship publications, with a focus on feature storytelling and profiles.
• Serve as a campus thought leader for print and digital magazine content.
• Collaborate with peers across the enterprise to conceptualize and execute new storytelling vehicles in digital and print formats.
• Collaborate with team members to maintain editorial calendars and story budgets for print and digital publications.
• Oversee the planning and production of Johns Hopkins Magazine, the university's quarterly flagship print publication for alumni and other friends and supporters, with ultimate responsibility for delivering high-quality, engaging content and design.
• Manage and mentor editors and writers in support of the publication process.
• Support a collaborative content planning and story idea generation process for each issue of the magazine, helping to lead regular meetings with editors, writers, designers, and others involved in magazine production.
• Collaborate with the art director to plan the layout and appearance of features and other stories in each issue of Johns Hopkins Magazine.
• Cultivate relationships with and solicit feedback from key stakeholders in university and alumni relations leadership.
• Monitor peer institutions and other organizations to maintain knowledge of emerging trends and best practices in magazine content and publishing both inside and outside of higher education.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Journalism, English, or related field.
• Ten years of experience in an editing and/or writing position for a news organization or in the communications office of a major organization.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree.
• Magazine experience.
• Experience in online journalism and working with digital publishing tools.

Technical Qualifications and Specialized Certifications

• Demonstrated ability to think creatively about content and communications and to execute strategic approaches to writing, storytelling, content presentation, and content promotion across digital and print channels.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills, including experience prioritizing and setting objectives and a collaborative leadership style.
• Demonstrated ability to work with and communicate effectively with administrators at the highest levels of the university, alumni leadership, and key colleagues and collaborators.
• Demonstrated excellence and versatility in writing and editing.
• Demonstrated ability to produce digital content quickly and accurately, including experience with website content management systems.
• Sound, reliable editorial and news judgment.
• Organized, detail oriented, and adept at working independently and juggling multiple assignments to meet deadlines.
• Experience with search engine optimization, Google Analytics, social media tools, HTML, and Photoshop preferred.

Classified Title: Editorial Director-JHU

Job Posting Title (Working Title): Editorial Director (University Communications)

Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PF

Starting Salary Range: $85,500 - $149,800 Annually ($105,000 targeted; Commensurate w/exp)

Employee group: Full Time

Schedule: 8:30am - 5:00pm / Monday - Friday

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location: Hybrid/JH at Keswick

Department name: University Communications

Personnel area: University Administration

Total Rewards

The referenced base salary range represents the low and high end of Johns Hopkins University's salary range for this position. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. Exact salary will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, market conditions, education/training and other qualifications. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here:

Education and Experience Equivalency

Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines: JHU Equivalency Formula: 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.

Applicants Completing Studies

Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

Background Checks

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate's conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

EEO is the Law

Accommodation Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University requires all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Exceptions to the flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry.

The following additional provisions may apply, depending upon campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.