Publications Director

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Publications Director leads the editorial vision, strategy, and production of publications for the University of Washington Alumni Association (UWAA) and Alumni & Stakeholder Engagement (ASE), including the award-winning UW Magazine. As the senior editorial leader, the Director shapes stories about the University’s and its alumni’s impact while maintaining high standards across print and digital publications. The role leads editorial and creative professionals and oversees the Publications unit’s operations, budget, and strategic direction. In partnership with university leaders, communications partners, advancement colleagues, alumni, and freelance contributors, the Director combines editorial leadership, people management, and stakeholder engagement to strengthen connections across the UW community. The position oversees the development, reporting, writing, editing, and production of publication content; sets editorial direction and voice; plans content and production workflows; and monitors audience engagement to inform improvement. It also works with marketing and engagement leaders to extend editorial content through events, programs, and other audience experiences, including panels, speaker events, and thematic programming. This is a full-time, permanent regular position with a hybrid schedule: three days in the office and two days eligible for telework. The work takes place in a cubicle/open workspace that may have higher noise levels and visual distractions. Evening and weekend work may be required on short or limited notice, including quarterly staffing of UWAA and ASE events. Travel and attendance at evening, weekend, or off-campus events, meetings, and programs may also be required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or a related field and five years of experience in editorial fields, publications and marketing, or a related field; equivalent education and/or experience may substitute where permitted.
Ability to work evening and weekend hours as necessary, sometimes on short or limited notice.
Ability to travel and attend events, meetings, and programs scheduled on evenings and weekends or off campus.
Ability to lift 20 pounds regularly and up to 40 pounds occasionally for event setup and teardown.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading, managing, and developing professional staff, teams, and/or complex projects, preferably in an editorial, publishing, communications, or creative environment.
Experience in journalism, publishing, editorial leadership, reporting, writing, editing, or related content-focused roles.
Experience identifying, managing, and working with freelance writers, photographers, designers, and other external contributors.
Demonstrated experience building relationships and partnering with a variety of stakeholders to develop and deliver content, programs, or communications initiatives.
Experience managing budgets and operational resources.
Knowledge of alumni relations, advancement, fundraising, or engagement programs within higher education, nonprofit, or membership-based organizations.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

Oversee the operations, budget, and strategic direction of the Publications unit.
Supervise and develop editorial and creative professionals, set priorities, allocate resources, and foster professional growth.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, curiosity, and editorial excellence.
Develop and implement strategic plans for Publications initiatives and partner with the Assistant Vice President for Marketing & Communications to support the UWAA Board of Trustees UW Magazine Committee.
Lead the development, reporting, writing, and editing of feature stories, profiles, and long-form content for UW Magazine and other Publications initiatives.
Serve as lead editor for high-impact stories and ensure excellence in storytelling and editorial quality.
Build relationships across the University, alumni community, and advancement organization to identify and develop compelling stories.
Translate complex topics, research, and alumni impact into engaging, accessible content for a broad audience.
Serve as editor for publications, including UW Magazine and Viewpoint, setting editorial direction and maintaining high standards of quality.
Define and uphold publication editorial voice while balancing institutional priorities with editorial integrity.
Lead editorial planning and content strategy to ensure timely delivery of high-quality publications.
Oversee the end-to-end editorial process, including content planning, contributor workflows, production schedules, and publication delivery.
Establish clear processes and accountability across a collaborative, matrixed environment.
Monitor audience engagement and use insights to inform content strategy and continuous improvement.
Partner with marketing and engagement leaders to extend editorial content’s reach and impact through events, programs, and audience engagement opportunities.
Identify opportunities to translate stories into live and virtual experiences, including panels, speaker events, and thematic programming.
Contribute editorial perspective to campaigns, programming, and audience experiences to strengthen engagement with the UW community.
Perform other duties as assigned.