Associate Director – Managing Editor

This position is no longer open.

The Marketing and Communications Department at LAU produces several institutional publications per year including a quarterly magazine and a corporate report; edits dozens of academic publications; manages an online news section, develops collateral material for a large number of initiatives/events organized by LAU schools/institutes/offices; helps meet the editorial requirements of various university publications that arise every year (magazines, brochures); acts as an advisor for the outsourcing of certain editorial-related projects.

The managing editor works in close collaboration with MarCom’s team members: web manager, writers, web editor, account managers, as well as a roster of freelancers and suppliers: printing houses, production agencies, etc.

The work requires a strong background in communications, journalism, writing, and editing with a solid understanding of digital media production. It also requires excellent organization skills and the ability to manage several assignments at once with creative flair, up-to-date knowledge of editorial standards and a professional approach to time, costs and deadlines.

The managing editor is based at LAU’s Beirut campus, and reports to the Assistant Vice President for Marketing & Communications. Frequent commuting to the Byblos campus is required.

This is a key full-time position at MarCom. Errors can result in the publication of incorrect information or damage to the university’s reputation.

Area of expertise:

Writing, editing, copy editing, journalism and communication, digital media.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Oversee editorial work of MarCom’s staff. Oversee projects, including university catalogues, books, exhibition text, magazine, email newsletters, fundraising materials, recruitment and academic materials, digital communications, brochures, invitations, and collateral material.
Manage production of the print and digital version of LAU Magazine & Alumni Bulletin and other flagship publications as needed. This includes guiding the development of story concepts, assigning/writing stories, editing copy, selecting/editing photography, supervising design and printing and posting the online version.
Manage production of the President’s Report. This includes guiding the development of section concepts, writing the content, editing copy, selecting/editing photography and supervising design and printing.
Develop and edit news stories for the LAU website. An average of two stories per week need to be developed and copy-edited by the managing editor.
Develop and edit the annual LAU at a Glance brochure in collaboration with the relevant university offices and divisions.
Edit the annual Fact Book in collaboration with the editorial team and the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment.
Develop brochures about LAU’s departments and degree programs in collaboration with the editorial team.
Ghostwrite for the university’s president.
Coach writers/content developers to ensure professional, accurate and complete coverage as well as compliance with editorial guidelines.
Assist and guide the LAU community on appropriate coverage and promotion of university events. Encourages members of the community to submit write-ups to help produce more comprehensive coverage.
Liaise with local and external public/private/community agencies, academic institutions and research institutions to identify sources for our articles.
Guide and oversee all phases of publications projects, including proofing, mailing and timely distribution and posting.
Establish short- and long-term global publication schedules for all editorial projects and develop new strategies and protocols for emerging media.
Work closely with MarCom staff members on outreach initiatives to pitch relevant content as well as on production and editing of high-priority communications.
Develop reports, proposals, correspondence and briefs for all internal and external communication purposes.
Identify and manage a roster of writers, photographers, editors and printers.
Help internally implement the branding and visual identity initiatives at LAU.
Maintain an editorial style guide for LAU publications and ensure adherence to MarCom’s editorial and procedural standards.

Deliverables:

On-time production of high-quality periodical and one-off publications.
A continuously updated communications procedures manual.
A continuously updated online guide to visual identity and editorial style.

Position Requirements:

Advanced degree in communication, journalism, English literature or a related field from an accredited university.
At least 10 years of experience working on the editorial side of English-language communications (electronic, print or both) in a variety of contexts, including advertising and marketing, journalism, editing, book publishing, websites.
Some experience in digital media production, i.e. development of content for the web or mobile apps, video/audio editing, re-packaging content for different social media platforms, updating websites/blogs, etc.
Experience within academic institutions is a plus.
Excellent command of written and spoken English (mother tongue highly desirable).
Expert knowledge of spelling, punctuation, grammar, idiom and style. Familiarity with AP, Chicago and New York Times style guides preferred.
Advanced computer skills and strong familiarity with the Macintosh platform. Good knowledge of a variety of computer software applications for word processing. Proficiency in Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop and Acrobat is a plus.
Ability to manage several tracks and deal productively with delays that are beyond MarCom’s control.
Ability to train beginners in writing and publishing.

Candidates should have a passion for the work, and the initiative to search for new ways to approach old problems. They must be willing function both as leaders and as members of a team. They should be neat, organized, spirited, multi-tasking and professionally capable.

Additional qualifications:

While not strictly necessary, each of the following qualifications will be considered a plus:

Fluency in Arabic.
Familiarity with LAU campuses, faculty, staff, students or alumni.
Familiarity with the higher education field.
Digital photography skills.

CV, letter of motivation and 3 writing samples of previous work should be emailed to vacancy3@lau.edu.lb, specifying the job title in the subject line. Please provide the exact month and year while listing your professional experience.

This vacancy will remain open until the position has been filled.

No applications will be accepted after this date, and only shortlisted candidates will be notified.