Senior Editor/Writer, NUQ

About the Role

Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) is looking for an experienced Senior Writer/Editor to strengthen and lead its storytelling, editorial standards, and content creation work. The position suits someone who thinks strategically, writes and edits with precision, works well across teams, and has a genuine interest in higher education, media, and perspectives from the Global South.

You will collaborate with the Communications and Public Affairs team, along with internal stakeholders and external partners, to produce content that highlights NU-Q’s academic quality, research achievements, core values, and strategic goals. The role also carries senior editorial responsibility to help maintain quality, coherence, and strong impact across all communication channels.

Department: NUQ Marketing
Salary/Grade: EXS/8

Key Responsibilities

• Create, research, and develop content for a range of channels, including the NU-Q website, newsletters, social media, and printed brochures.
• Write and edit feature articles, news updates, student and faculty profiles, speeches, institutional messaging, and high-visibility communications for internal and external audiences.
• Plan, direct, and oversee institutional publications, periodicals, and magazine-style content.
• Work with content owners in academic and administrative units to ensure messaging is accurate, strategic, and aligned with institutional goals.
• Adapt content for students, faculty, alumni, media, and the public across print, web, email, long-form, and social formats.
• Provide senior-level editing and proofreading to improve clarity, accuracy, consistency, and adherence to editorial standards.
• Support a consistent institutional voice by advising on editorial best practices and tone.
• Oversee publishing quality and assist with digital delivery using content management systems and social media tools.
• Help create and maintain editorial style guides, workflows, and review processes across teams and channels.
• Drive content creation for campaigns, events, and strategic initiatives, including messaging, talking points, web content, and feature stories.
• Lead editorial planning and contribute to the management of the editorial and content calendar.
• Partner with design, digital, and media colleagues to build integrated storytelling approaches for web, social, and other platforms.
• Manage multiple important projects, meet competing deadlines, and apply sound judgment in a fast-moving academic setting.
• Contribute to a collaborative team culture by mentoring colleagues, sharing expertise, and demonstrating strong editorial practices.
• Take part in team planning, editorial reviews, and cross-functional workshops to support communications priorities.
• Strengthen shared editorial assets and documentation to improve consistency, efficiency, and institutional knowledge retention.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Assistant Dean and senior leadership.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, English, Media Studies, or a closely related discipline.
• Seven to ten years of experience in writing, editing, content strategy, or editorial leadership.
• Excellent written English with strong storytelling ability, sharp editing skills, and high grammatical accuracy.
• Proven ability to create and refine content for clarity, engagement, consistent tone, and audience fit.
• Comfort using content management systems, digital publishing processes, and multi-channel distribution methods.
• Ability to balance priorities, work independently, and collaborate effectively with senior stakeholders in a busy environment.
• Experience gained in a university, newsroom, nonprofit, or strategic marketing/communications setting is preferred.
• Knowledge of SEO, audience-driven digital writing, social media copy strategy, and multimedia content development is preferred.
• Experience with institutional messaging, editorial systems, style guides, policies, and workflows is preferred.
• Interest in higher education, the Global South, or international academic communities, with the ability to turn complex ideas into compelling stories, is preferred.

Additional Information

This role is budgeted at an annual salary range of $70,020 to $90,260. Final compensation will depend on the selected candidate’s experience, education, and internal equity considerations at Northwestern University.

Northwestern University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. Applicants needing accommodations during the application or hiring process may contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance for support.

The position also includes any other responsibilities assigned by the Assistant Dean or senior leadership.