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 Style & Standards Editor to ensure that everything we publish is clear, accurate, and fair. The ideal candidate will be an insatiable news consumer who can distinguish instinctively between fact and inference, who spots the missing voice, recognizes loaded language, and sees potential red flags that others may miss.
You will be attuned to the most pressing global concerns and can help ensure they are explained in compelling, cohesive ways for people who are smart skimmers that sometimes dive deeper. You’re a quick copy editor who demonstrates excellent news judgment that helps produce stories that surprise and delight the people who watch, listen, or read our work.
You understand inclusive storytelling and recognize source diversity (or the lack of it) in a single piece, and across articles, videos, and social posts.
You’re equally adept at reviewing video scripts for YouTube, Instagram, TikTok; audio scripts for podcasts; and text for newsletters and website articles.
You know how to strengthen storytelling to capture and keep attention, and how to provide context with clarity while maintaining a reader’s focus. You’ll be joining a collaborative team that is hoping to learn from an editor 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 Executive Editor.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Ensuring everything we publish meets our standards, which you will help refine
Editing for grammar, spelling, punctuation; AP style; fair use, libel, and other legal issues
Editing for inclusiveness, across differences, and for clarity, accuracy, and fairness
Managing day-to-day script and copy deadlines and workflow
Contributing to compelling, conversational subject lines and headlines, optimized for open rates and to amplify our content’s reach across platforms
Verifying the authenticity of information, sources, photos, and video that appear in content
Understanding data and analytics to improve readership
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
3-5 years’ experience in a newsroom or journalistic environment preferred
Sharp editorial instincts and skills
Familiar with editing across platforms, including comfort editing video scripts, social media posts, newsletters, as well as other formats
Collaborative, with proactive and inclusive interpersonal and communication 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.
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.