Full Job Description

The Office of College Communications and Marketing invites applications for the part-time position of Writer/Editor (20 hours per week).

The writer/editor will work as part of the college’s editorial team to curate, write, edit and distribute stories and other content that showcases and promotes Rhode Island College. This writer/editor will place a special focus on content that highlights the college’s Latinx and Hispanic communities, including students, faculty, staff and alumni. This position will require writing stories that will be originally published in English, then translating them and distributing them to Spanish-language media outlets.

Rhode Island College is a regional comprehensive public college that serves approximately 6,000 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students through its five schools: The Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development, the School of Business, the School of Nursing and the School of Social Work. Established in 1854, it is Rhode Island’s first public institution of higher education.

The college is located on a beautiful 180-acre suburban campus in the vibrant city of Providence, and has satellite locations at the Rhode Island Nursing Education Center in Providence’s Innovation District and the Rhode Island College Workforce Development Hub in Central Falls, RI. Rhode Island College is known throughout the Northeast for its 200 high-quality academic programs, small class size, personalized, hands-on learning experiences, world class faculty, and high value compared to other four-year institutions. For more information, visit www.ric.edu.

Primary Purpose

The writer/editor will work as part of the college’s editorial team to curate, write, edit and distribute stories and other content that showcases and promotes Rhode Island College. This writer/editor will place a special focus on content that highlights the college’s Latinx and Hispanic communities, including students, faculty, staff and alumni. This position will require writing stories that will be originally published in English, then translating them and distributing them to Spanish-language media outlets.

Essential Duties

• Write, edit, and proofread news and feature stories and other content for online news, weekly/daily newsletters, Alumni Magazine, and other college publications.
• Develop relationships with Spanish-language media outlets and reporters to secure editorial placements that represent the college.
• Write Spanish-language news releases, media advisories, social media promotions and print and online materials as needed. Assist in the release of information to internal and external media sources.
• Prepare, write, and promote informative Spanish-language material, including social media, for distribution to the campus community.
• Translate press releases, campus announcements, email messages and other written materials from English to Spanish for distribution to the campus community and/or Spanish-language media.
• Confer regularly with campus community to determine possible story ideas for campus newspaper/ publications and external media sources.
• Coordinate writing assignments with college photographers to obtain accompanying photos.
• Serve as backup photographer in the absence of college photographer.
• Function as a reporter conducting interviews and attending events to promote the college.
• Prepare and write informative material for distribution to the campus community.
• Work with the Assistant Director of Communications to establish and maintain media contacts and assist with the promotion of the college and its activities and events.

Occasional Duties

• Write/translate advertising and promotional copy as needed.
• Write/translate radio and TV commercial copy as needed.
• Assist in production of print and online materials.
• Participate in media-related events on and off campus as required.
• Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
• Proven news writing, copy editing and proofreading abilities.
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing in both English and Spanish.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Excellent writing, editing and proofreading skills.
• Proven ability to produce news releases, media advisories and other content using traditional, social, and online media.
• Proven ability to work under pressure and to meet established deadlines.
• Proficiency in using computer software such as Microsoft Office.

Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in English, Spanish, journalism, communications or related field.

Experience: At least three years of experience in news, public relations, or communications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s or other advanced degree.
• Knowledge of and relationships with Spanish-language media in southern New England.
• Proven ability to secure editorial placements in Spanish-language media.
• Public relations abilities.
• Environmental Conditions
• The employee is not exposed to known adverse environmental conditions.