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Newsletter Writer-Editor
Seeking a newsletter writer-editor to provide news and explanatory analysis for the next generation
Chicago, IL
Job Description
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is where your world and the world meet. The Council is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that empowers more people to help shape our global future. We are launching an editorial startup team to connect with the next generation of changemakers who want to create a more open and promising world for all. By informing them, inspiring them, and involving them in world affairs, we will support an inclusive community of globally conscious people who want to have a tangible impact. The Council celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2022. Do you want to help shape our next century?
The Role
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is seeking a newsletter writer-editor to provide news and explanatory analysis for the next generation of changemakers, across a range of subjects.
The ideal candidate will be an insatiable news consumer who instinctively knows the topics and takes that people want to read. You will be attuned to the most pressing global concerns and can present them in compelling, cohesive ways for people who are smart skimmers that sometimes dive deeper. You’re a quick and clear writer who demonstrates excellent news judgment that surprises and delights on a daily basis.
The person in this role will anchor a daily newsletter that provides globally curious readers with the stories everyone will be talking about - with first, fresh angles that they want to drop into the group chat. You can capture and keep attention, select and synthesize in a short format, and provide context with clarity.
You will spend hours scouring sources and talking to interesting people so that you can produce a newsletter each day that will make people smarter in the 3-5 minutes it takes them to read it.
You’ll be joining a collaborative team that is hoping to learn from a newsletter connoisseur who is impeccably accurate, relentlessly curious, and understands how to interest people in the important global events of the day.
The position is a hybrid role and requires occasional in-person attendance at our Downtown Chicago location based on work activities and peak seasons. The position reports to the Editorial Director.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Qualifications and Skills
We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, handicap or disability, marital status, military service or veteran status, genetic information, or for any other reason prohibited by applicable law.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
We are committed to weaving diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the fabric of the Council, and we believe people — their identities, experiences, beliefs, knowledge, and ideas — are critical to our success and to global affairs. We will elevate diverse voices and identities and a full range of perspectives, advance equitable and inclusive access to exploring and shaping ideas, and ensure our organization reflects the diversity of Chicago, our nation, and the world.
To learn more, visit: https://www.thechicagocouncil.org/about-us/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-council
Vaccination Statement
For the safety and well-being of our staff, the Council requires that all prospective employees submit proof of an up-to-date COVID vaccination and booster record or seek a reasonable accommodation for a religious or medical reason prior to their first day of employment.
The Role
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is seeking a newsletter writer-editor to provide news and explanatory analysis for the next generation of changemakers, across a range of subjects.
The ideal candidate will be an insatiable news consumer who instinctively knows the topics and takes that people want to read. You will be attuned to the most pressing global concerns and can present them in compelling, cohesive ways for people who are smart skimmers that sometimes dive deeper. You’re a quick and clear writer who demonstrates excellent news judgment that surprises and delights on a daily basis.
The person in this role will anchor a daily newsletter that provides globally curious readers with the stories everyone will be talking about - with first, fresh angles that they want to drop into the group chat. You can capture and keep attention, select and synthesize in a short format, and provide context with clarity.
You will spend hours scouring sources and talking to interesting people so that you can produce a newsletter each day that will make people smarter in the 3-5 minutes it takes them to read it.
You’ll be joining a collaborative team that is hoping to learn from a newsletter connoisseur who is impeccably accurate, relentlessly curious, and understands how to interest people in the important global events of the day.
The position is a hybrid role and requires occasional in-person attendance at our Downtown Chicago location based on work activities and peak seasons. The position reports to the Editorial Director.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Sourcing, curating, and aggregating interesting, important information for a daily newsletter.
- Writing quickly, accurately, and well, with a consistent eye to audience needs, grammar, style, and accessibility.
- Crafting compelling, conversational subject lines and headlines, optimized for open rates and to amplify our content’s reach across platforms.
- Relying on news judgment and excellent journalism ethics to surface story ideas, brainstorm angles, and match content to story form.
- Verifying the authenticity of information, sources, photos, and video found through social media.
- Comfortable appearing on video, in podcasts, and across media platforms.
- Choosing photos, videos, graphics to illustrate newsletter items.
- Using data and analytics to improve open rates, and other newsletter metrics.
- Work with marketing, design, and product teams to grow subscribers, extend reach, and deepen loyalty and engagement.
- Taking a forward-looking, lab-like approach to testing new content and engagement ideas intended to build a diverse audience.
- Participating in the team’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies.
- Fostering cross-team collaborations in support of the Council’s digital transformation objectives and goals.
- Provide support for Council events (virtual, hybrid, or in-person), sometimes requiring early morning or evening hours. Examples may be registrations, ushering, greeting, monitoring social media channels, etc.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and Skills
- Bachelor’s degree or higher is preferred
- 2-5 years’ experience in a newsroom or journalistic environment preferred
- Sharp editorial instincts and skills, with a track record in newsletters
- Familiar with interpreting newsletter analytics to grow subscribers, open rates, and audience engagement
- Collaborative, with proactive and inclusive interpersonal and communication skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office
We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, handicap or disability, marital status, military service or veteran status, genetic information, or for any other reason prohibited by applicable law.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
We are committed to weaving diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the fabric of the Council, and we believe people — their identities, experiences, beliefs, knowledge, and ideas — are critical to our success and to global affairs. We will elevate diverse voices and identities and a full range of perspectives, advance equitable and inclusive access to exploring and shaping ideas, and ensure our organization reflects the diversity of Chicago, our nation, and the world.
To learn more, visit: https://www.thechicagocouncil.org/about-us/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-council
Vaccination Statement
For the safety and well-being of our staff, the Council requires that all prospective employees submit proof of an up-to-date COVID vaccination and booster record or seek a reasonable accommodation for a religious or medical reason prior to their first day of employment.
Job Summary
Start Date
2/1/2023
Employment Term and Type
Regular, Full Time
Salary and Benefits
There are many benefits to working at the Council, including a flexible remote/in-office work environment, half-day summer Fridays, paid parental leave, employer-subsidized medical/dental/vision insurance, generous paid time off, retirement match, mobile phone stipend, commuter accessible, fitness center membership, and more.
Required Education
Bachelor's Degree
Required Experience
2 to 5 years
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