Executive Editor, UU World Magazine

Purpose

To hold the vision and oversee the editorial direction and implementation of the semi-annual UU World magazine and uuworld.org for the Unitarian Universalist Association. To manage, guide, and direct the editorial staff and team to meet deadlines for print and online work. To develop and implement an editorial strategy to cover national and local topics aligned with UUA organizational priorities, justice issues, and values. Justice priorities include voting rights, climate justice, combatting criminalization, LGBTQ and gender equity, racial justice and centering the voices of Black and Indigenous People and People of Color, and the Movement for Black Lives. Commitments also reflect dismantling white supremacy culture within the wider world, our congregations, and broader faith tradition. To embed in editorial framing the themes of UUA spiritual life, principles, and theological underpinnings, equipping our leaders for vital ministries for all audiences (families, youth and children). To amplify and intertwine a UUA values driven voice into editorial practice and coverage of news stories and overlapping issues within the public arena.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Oversees and develops the vision, conceptual framework, and editorial direction of UU World magazine and online content for uuworld.org. Defines and implements content strategy as a whole and for the semi-annual print magazine and digital properties on an ongoing basis, developing UU World editorial calendars as planning and publishing tools.
2. Develops editorial strategies to cover national justice-based topics alongside topics about UU spiritual life and local congregations. Frames issues via ongoing assessment of UUA priority issues in the public arena/press, UUA landscape, and congregational life, including digital platforms and UUA materials as well as Beacon Press and Skinner House publications. Leads editorial planning and collaborates with staff on identifying topics and coverage based on audiences, for print and online formats.
3. Directs, manages, and builds trust within the internal team, editorial staff, as well as with a range of magazine constituents, contributors, writers, sensitivity readers, and UUA colleagues, reflecting standards for ethics of consent and core UUA values. Makes the most of team expertise and best newsroom and editorial practices.
4. Manages Advisory Board relationships, meetings, and feedback to inform editorial decisions from a multiracial, multicultural, and interdisciplinary perspective, centering the voices of BIPOC, LGBTQ, disabled, and directly impacted communities.
5. Oversees editorial production to meet deadlines, assigning stories and content with the editorial team. Provides editorial feedback, supporting staff writers and external authors, writers, and journalists to do their best work, contributing original writing on an as needed basis.
6. Oversees the work of printing, design, and photography vendors for the print magazine and online properties as needed. Manages and works with the team to coordinate the development and curation of multimedia content, artwork, and creative assets for digital and print.
7. Works with supervisor, Senior Digital and Marketing Manager, and the Public Relations Director to align staff group messaging and content strategies. Collaborates with other Communications colleagues to integrate UU World content into UUA editorial calendar, which includes multiple channels and platforms.
8. Responsible for monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on analytics for UU World website, e‑newsletters, and other digital properties to measure impact and inform effective audience engagement strategies. Responsible for periodic reader surveys to capture insights on efficacy of print magazine.
9. Coaches team to embrace ongoing change and innovation in the editorial space, creating an environment of creativity and collaboration. Manages Periodicals staff and provides regular support, including check-ins, performance reviews, and makes professional development opportunities available, aligned with department priorities and staff growth areas.
10. Responsible for the UU World budget, including tracking of on-budget expenditures related to magazine production, external contributors, and vendors. Prepares budget figures and trending data on request, including for staff group quarterly reports, forecasts, and annual projections.
11. Performs other duties as requested by supervisor, the Executive Vice President, or the President.

Qualifications

This is a Grade 14 position with an expected hiring range of $75,000 to $85,000, depending on experience. Note that qualifications may be met as a result of lived experience, volunteer work, professional experience, and/or formal or informal training. Ideal candidates have 7+ years of newsroom and/or editorial experience, especially someone who has led a shift from a print focus to a digital forward approach, with a keen sense of how to integrate digital into editorial practice. We are looking for candidates with a demonstrated ability to drive innovation and change, and a facility for spotting and developing accomplished writing and storytelling.

Candidates should be up to date on magazine trends and best practices, including an understanding of engagement with younger audiences and current practices in digital publishing. Candidates must have a strong understanding of news planning, reporting, editing, and production, and experience as an editor as well as a content producer, including a facility for the production of long- and short-form copy. Successful candidates will also have a strong, demonstrated writing ability.

We are looking for someone who brings their own justice interests that intersect with organizational priority topics and issues. Proficiency in social justice and/or faith-based editorial is highly desirable. Candidates should have a deep interest in Unitarian Universalist values and we are especially interested in those that have done related work previously in issue- or faith-driven organizations. We are seeking candidates who are passionate and knowledgeable about BIPOC and LGBTQ issues, with demonstrated understanding of the complexity of these issues and how to translate them into editorial policy and practice.

Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite is required (especially Outlook and Word); website content management system experience and an understanding of the user experience are desirable. Multimedia experience, though not required, is a plus. Evening/weekend work may be required. Occasional travel is also required, including travel to the annual General Assembly each year in June. Work or lived experience with communities of color or Indigenous peoples is of particular value. Eagerness to work in an organization in which the dismantling of white supremacy is a high priority.

* Important: During the time of COVID-19 pandemic, the Boston offices of the UUA remain at limited use/low capacity. As such, this position can be a work-from-home or hybrid position until our offices reopen.

How to Apply

People with disabilities, people of color, Indigenous people, Hispanic/Latinx, and LGBTQ candidates are encouraged to apply. The UUA is committed to developing a diverse and talented staff team. If you are excited about this role, but are unsure whether you meet 100% of the requirements, we encourage you to inquire and/or apply. Candidates should send a cover letter that conveys their interest and motivation for this role, a CV, three editorial or writing samples, and details of compensation expectations. Send cover letter, résumé and writing samples—indicating “Executive Editor, UU World Magazine” in the subject line—via email to careers@uua.org, via fax to (617) 948-6467, or to Human Resources, UUA, 24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210. E-mail submissions preferred.

Note: The UUA is currently hiring an Interim Executive Editor, UU World Magazine until the Executive Editor, UU World Magazine position is filled. We encourage applications from candidates for either or both positions.

About the UUA

The Unitarian Universalist Association is a progressive religious denomination headquartered in Boston’s waterfront Fort Point Innovation District with offices in Washington, DC and at the United Nations in New York City. Our faith community of more than 1,000 self-governing congregations brings to the world a vision of religious freedom, tolerance, and social justice. Our normal workweek is 35 hours, we pay 80% contribution towards health insurance premiums, 10% towards retirement (after one year), and have generous paid time-off policies. We are a great place to work and we value diversity. The UUA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to the full inclusion of all. As part of this commitment, the UUA will ensure that applicants and staff with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (617) 948-4648 or humanresources@uua.org. For more information on the UUA, visit us online at UUA.org and uuworld.org.

Support for the Mission and Values of the Association

The Unitarian Universalist Association is a progressive and historic religious denomination. While it is not generally required or expected that an applicant/employee identify as a Unitarian Universalist (UU) or be a member of a UU congregation in order to work at the UUA, all UUA staff members are expected to perform their job duties in accordance with the UUA’s values, principles, and mission. In particular the following points, drawn from the Seven UU Principles, are of particular importance for the UUA’s work environment and staff culture:

• The inherent worth and dignity of every human being: We affirm the need for a human-centered workplace that allows our diverse staff to flourish. We also understand that our wider culture and society oppresses and denies human dignity, and we seek to counter the effects of that oppression in our hiring and workplace culture so that each person feels whole and valued.
• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations, and the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all: We speak openly and publicly of our support for social and political issues, including LGBTQ equity, racial justice, climate justice, gender equity, and reproductive justice.
• The interdependent web of existence: We recognize that the liberation of all people is interwoven, and we work to counter patriarchy, white supremacy, colonialism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, environmental exploitation, and other interrelated systems of marginalization.