Managing Editor (Automotive)

Circa - IPG DXTRA•Detroit, MI

2d•$113,000 - $145,000

About The Position

The Detroit office of Weber Shandwick is seeking a Managing Editor to join our editorial team, in support of a major automotive client. This role is embedded with the automaker directly; but can be based in any of our office locations. You will be responsible for evolving the automaker’s brand and product focused storytelling, to allow its stories to thrive in a transformed information landscape, with the goal of reaching and engaging audiences – spanning external and internal audiences. You will be instrumental in defining the internal and external stories and tone of voice for client projects and assignments across a variety of communication strategies and channels. You need to be obsessive about honing your craft and polishing your words. You also must be comfortable editing at any point in the writing process – developmental, structural and line editing, and proofreading. Understanding brand tone, a passion for problem solving, and the ability to tell compelling stories must be in your DNA. You must work well under pressure, and be collaborative, a self-starter and resilient to ever-changing deadlines. What We Are Looking For: An external storyteller who can: Lead, integrate and collaborate across a matrixed organization to tell stories that change perceptions: Be part of and aligned with the company’s editorial leadership and strategy; you'll participate in development of story angles for multiple channels. Flex editorial leadership muscle; keeping an understanding of all news and programs coming the automaker’s brand comms team; and help architect storytelling upstream. Attend all editorial and bi-monthly brand meetings with brand comms leaders Offer a deep understanding of what makes a story a story; storymining is critical for the role: Explore angles, people, technologies and capabilities in a way that resonate with consumers Feel comfortable leading meetings with engineers, designers, manufacturing, and financial comms to enrich stories with context and anecdotes Reimagine video storytelling by collaborating with editorial and content leadership on vehicle reveal content, episodic possibilities, and more Work directly with content leadership and EIC to devise story choreography, medium, more Editorialize the product launch Focus language on messaging, formatting, content optimized for AI discoverability Serve as a copyeditor for materials drafted by the brand bomms teams An internal storyteller who can: Deliver smart brevity at scale In today’s multi-platform, information-heavy world, employees need concise, memorable content to better advocate for this automaker Develop fresh content for the internal eco-system This goes beyond the content in a press release, for an internal audience Can include rich content gleaned from cross-functional collaboration (interviewing engineers, designers, etc.) Create quick-turn internal launch kits Partner with content and editorial leadership to codify a kit – visuals, short scripts, and talking points for every brand and product moment Gauge narrative recall Explore ways to measure internal retention and engagement Stay connected Attend bi-monthly brand meetings with Brand and Product comms leaders, leaders of editorial and content teams

Requirements

7-9 years of writing/editing experience (public relations, internal communications, social media, etc. journalism experience preferred)
Must be self-motivated, hard-working, well organized, and resilient to ever-changing timelines, requests, and deliverables
Must have a portfolio (share anything that conveys the way you think or approach assignments, even if it was never produced

Nice To Haves

Experience working in the automotive industry is preferred (not mandatory)

Responsibilities

Lead, integrate and collaborate across a matrixed organization to tell stories that change perceptions
Be part of and aligned with the company’s editorial leadership and strategy; you'll participate in development of story angles for multiple channels.
Flex editorial leadership muscle; keeping an understanding of all news and programs coming the automaker’s brand comms team; and help architect storytelling upstream.
Attend all editorial and bi-monthly brand meetings with brand comms leaders
Offer a deep understanding of what makes a story a story; storymining is critical for the role
Explore angles, people, technologies and capabilities in a way that resonate with consumers
Feel comfortable leading meetings with engineers, designers, manufacturing, and financial comms to enrich stories with context and anecdotes
Reimagine video storytelling by collaborating with editorial and content leadership on vehicle reveal content, episodic possibilities, and more
Work directly with content leadership and EIC to devise story choreography, medium, more
Editorialize the product launch
Focus language on messaging, formatting, content optimized for AI discoverability
Serve as a copyeditor for materials drafted by the brand bomms teams
Deliver smart brevity at scale
Develop fresh content for the internal eco-system
Create quick-turn internal launch kits
Partner with content and editorial leadership to codify a kit – visuals, short scripts, and talking points for every brand and product moment
Gauge narrative recall
Explore ways to measure internal retention and engagement
Stay connected