Senior Editor/Writer, NUQ

Department: NUQ Marketing Salary/Grade: EXS/8 Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) is seeking a seasoned and versatile Senior Writer/Editor to lead and elevate the university's storytelling, editorial, and content development efforts. This role is ideal for a strategic communicator with exceptional writing and editing skills, strong editorial judgment, a collaborative mindset, and a keen interest in higher education, media, and the Global South. The Senior Writer/Editor will work closely with colleagues across the Communications and Public Affairs team, as well as internal stakeholders and partners, to develop and refine content that reflects NU-Q's academic strengths, research excellence, institutional values, and strategic priorities. The role also provides senior-level editorial guidance to help ensure quality, consistency, and impact across communications channels. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Content Writing & Development Lead the research, writing, and development of content for multiple platforms including the NU-Q website, newsletters, social media, and brochures. Lead the drafting and editing of feature stories, news briefs, student and faculty profiles, speeches, institutional messaging, and high-visibility internal and external communications. Conceptualize, lead, and oversee the development of institutional publications, periodicals, and magazine-style content. Partner with content owners across academic and administrative units to shape accurate, strategic, and aligned messaging. Shape and adapt content for key audiences including students, faculty, alumni, media, and the public across long-form, print, web, email, and social channels. Editing & Quality Control Provide senior-level editing and proofreading to ensure clarity, consistency, accuracy, and alignment with NU-Q's editorial standards. Help maintain and strengthen tone and voice consistency across institutional communications by offering editorial guidance and best practices. Oversee content publishing quality and support digital execution using platforms such as content management systems and social media tools. Develop, refine, and help enforce editorial style guides, workflows, and review protocols to align content across multiple stakeholders and channels. Project & Campaign Support Lead content development for major communications campaigns, institutional events, and strategic initiatives by preparing messaging, talking points, web updates, and feature content. Lead editorial planning and contribute to the management of NU-Q's editorial and content calendar. Collaborate with design, digital, and media colleagues to shape integrated storytelling strategies for web, social, and other communications channels. Exercise sound judgment, prioritize competing deadlines, and manage multiple high-visibility projects in a dynamic academic environment. Team Collaboration Contribute to a collaborative and supportive team culture by sharing expertise, mentoring colleagues, and modeling strong editorial practices. Participate in team planning, editorial reviews, and cross-functional workshops to help advance communications priorities. Strengthen shared editorial resources and documentation to improve consistency, efficiency, and institutional knowledge retention. Other duties, as assigned by the Assistant Dean and senior leadership Minimum Qualifications (education, experience, certifications, skills) Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, English, Media Studies, or a related field. 7-10 years of relevant experience in writing, editing, content strategy, or editorial leadership. Excellent command of written English, with exceptional storytelling, editing, and grammatical precision. Demonstrated ability to write and edit for clarity, engagement, tone consistency, and strategic audience alignment. Strong familiarity with content management systems, digital publishing workflows, and multi-channel content distribution. Ability to manage competing priorities, work independently, and collaborate effectively with senior stakeholders in a fast-paced environment. Preferred Qualifications (Education, Experience, Certifications, Skills) Experience in a university, newsroom, nonprofit, or strategic marketing and communications environment. Strong knowledge of SEO, audience-focused digital writing, social media copy strategy, and multimedia content development. Strong grasp of institutional messaging, editorial workflows, and experience developing style guides, policies, systems, and protocols. Demonstrated interest in higher education, the Global South, or international academic communities, with the ability to translate complex topics into compelling stories. The target budgeted salary for this position is $70,020 to $90,260 annually. Offers will be based on candidate experience and education, as well as equity within Northwestern University. Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement . Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process . Northwestern University