About Salem Academy and College:

Salem Academy and College is the oldest continuously operating educational institution for girls and women in the country. Since 1772, the institution has engaged in transformational change to innovate women’s education. Founded with the mission of making education accessible to all, Salem has a rich 251-year-old history and a long-standing track record of educating students who are prepared to make a bold impact locally, nationally and globally through liberal arts education. Our graduates are committed to making the world a better, healthier and more equitable place. Salem College is the nation’s only liberal arts college exclusively dedicated to developing the next generation of health leaders.

Salem College has more than 40 full-time faculty and over 150 staff members who support approximately 500 students including full-time undergraduates, part-time students and graduate programs. Salem recently received the largest philanthropic gift in its history with a $5M anonymous donation focused on enabling our health leadership transformation as well as a $3.6M estate gift to support the College. Salem completed its 250th-anniversary campaign this year exceeding a $12.5M goal.

U.S. News & World Report 2022-2023 Rankings, ranked Salem College No. 1 among all National Liberal Arts Colleges in America as a Top Performer on Social Mobility. Our institution has rapidly moved up the national ranking for Social Mobility, from No. 10 in 2020 and No. 4 in 2021 to No. 1 in 2022. Salem College is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 2 National Liberal Arts College in North Carolina. Salem has been ranked among the top three National Liberal Arts Colleges in North Carolina for the past seven years. In addition, Salem College was ranked 6th in the nation for college affordability last year.

Salem College is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a vibrant college town known as the “City of Arts and Innovation”. Winston-Salem is a lively academic community, home to six institutions of higher education and more than 26,000 students. Winston Salem has a collaborative and engaged academic community with strong private and public schools, excellent healthcare systems, and affordable housing. The Winston-Salem area also offers a rich variety of cultural opportunities and has a vibrant art and restaurant scene. Within a few hours of campus are mountains for skiing, camping, or hiking; rivers for whitewater rafting; and the beautiful ports and beaches of North and South Carolina.

Position Summary:

Salem Academy and College is looking for a Communications Writer & Editor to develop compelling content through engaging messaging and storytelling techniques that connects with a vast, multicultural audience and influential stakeholder groups including prospective students, parents, alumni, and donors. The Communications Writer & Editor develops engaging content for marketing and communications materials, writes and edits reports, news releases and feature articles, website content, presentations, video scripts, and other forms of internal and external materials. The ideal candidate will have advanced written communication skills, extensive knowledge of Associated Press (AP) writing and editing, and experience writing editorial copy and providing support for public relations initiatives and objectives. The ideal candidate will have knowledge of multiple media formats and the ability to write for different communications platforms including executive level messaging. The Communications Writer & Editor will support new branding initiatives and help develop a unified voice among Salem’s various communications channels.

The Communications Writer & Editor must have strong interpersonal communication skills and enthusiasm to work with different internal groups, understand their communications and marketing needs, and translate messaging into audience friendly materials to meet marketing and communications goals and objectives. The Communications Writer & Editor will have a deep understanding of Salem’s various target audiences and stakeholders and how to adapt writing style based on audience preferences and the platforms used to communicate. The successful candidate reports to the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications and assists in developing comprehensive communications plans and multimedia campaigns.

The Communications Writer & Editor helps to position Salem as one of the most esteemed liberal arts colleges for women and as the nation’s only college dedicated to elevating and expanding women’s roles in health leadership. The writer and editor also supports communications and marketing efforts for Salem Academy, a boarding and day school exclusive for girls grades 9-12. Crucial to this role, the ideal candidate will develop, manage, and maintain the agency’s content calendar by using an online management tool.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary writer and editor for Salem Academy and College
• Proactively create, develop, and manage the institution’s content calendar using an online tool
• Write, create, design, distribute, and manage newsletters
• Oversee the production of various annual reports by writing content, collaborating with our photographer for quality images, and collaborating with a graphic designer for design
• Write copy, develop content, and help manage websites
• Develop strategic messaging for branding campaigns
• Write copy and messaging for email marketing campaigns
• Collaborate with the social media manager to synergize content calendars and to ensure a unified voice across platforms
• Collaborate with in-house videographer to write compelling scripts for short and long form videos
• Write and distribute news releases and assist with various media relations efforts
• Collaborate with enrollment marketing and other departments to update admissions materials for student recruitment and alumni outreach
• Help to develop various marketing and communications plans and campaigns
• Assist in executive leadership communications, reviewing presentations, and developing talking points for speeches

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, public relations, marketing, or related field
• Five years of experience in journalism, communications, public relations, marketing, or related field
• Thorough working knowledge of Associated Press (AP) writing and editing
• Employ near-perfect proofreading review of documents and materials
• Ability to apply discretion and judgment in evaluating implications of information release to internal and external audiences
• Superb writing, editing, content, and message development skills
• Strong interpersonal skills to collaborate with individuals in varying positions
• Collaborative mindset working on a team to achieve organizational goals
• Ability to take initiative to outline new processes and innovative tools to support marketing and communications goals
• Experience in publication and editorial processes and managing complex editorial and publication projects
• Experience working in higher education or in the educational field preferred
• Graphic design skills a plus

Physical Functions:

While performing the responsibilities of the Communications Writer and Editor, the employee is required to sit for varying lengths of time; bend, reach, lift, push, and pull up to 25 pounds; occasionally stand, walk, and kneel and regularly ascend/descend stairs; use hands and fingers to handle or feel and manipulate keys on a keyboard; perform extended periods of work at a computer workstation, view a computer monitor; perceive sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction, and receive detailed information through oral communication; express and exchange ideas by means of spoken word; and work in an office setting.

Application Process:

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume addressing your qualifications to hr@salem.edu. The cover letter may be addressed to the “Search Committee.”

Salem Academy and College is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, religion, disability status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law.