CO: Editorial Assistant (S9998C)

Summary, Scope, and Responsibilities

Editorial Assistants for Bates Communications and Marketing help support the creation of editorial content — news articles, feature stories, listicles, social media copy, and other written content that informs, educates, entertains, inspires, and engages Bates audiences.

Bates editorial content is published across the college’s major communications channels, including BatesNews, Bates Magazine, and social media, forBates alumni, parents, friends, faculty, staff, and prospective students.

Prior BCO Editorial Assistants have found this position to gain exposure to the everyday workings of the media and communications industries; absorb helpful experience in writing and editing; learn the workings of a professional office; and gather journalistic writing samples for a portfolio.

Depending on experience and interest, Editorial Assistants help with:

  • Doing research for stories for Bates Magazine and BatesNews
  • Fact-checking editorial content prior to publication
  • Formatting campus event information for publication
  • Conducting interviews with faculty and students
  • Writing journalistic stories for Bates News (if interested)

The professionals in the Bates Communications Office represent broad expertise in marketing, journalism, media relations, video production, photography, graphic design, social media, and website development.

The Basics


Department:Communications
Supervisor: Jay Burns
Office Location: Lane Hall 007
Email: jburns@bates.edu
Hours: 6-8
Workers: 2

Qualifications, Requirements, and Responsibilities

Responsibilities


This is primarily a workstation position in the Bates Communications Office, but can involve covering various events on campus as needed/if interested.

Requirements


Applicants should: Be fluent in English; be able to take direction and learn quickly; have a good eye for and understanding of grammar, spelling, and word usage. Welcome, but not required: Strong writing skills; curiosity about current events; understanding of the structure and style of news and feature articles; interest in trying to understand and explain how things work.

Reporting


Editorial Assistants report to Senior Editorial Director editor Jay Burns and, by virtue of the central location of the assistant's workstation in our Lane Hall office, are able to engage with Bates Communications professional staff in writing, social media, digital marketing, media relations, graphic design, sports information, and photography.

Working Conditions