Writer, Editor

Writer/Editor

Flexible/remote; preference for Washington, DC area • Communications

Job Type

Full-time

Description

  Title:    Writer/Editor

Supervisor:   Senior Writer/Editor

Location: Flexible/remote; preference for Washington, DC area 

Salary: Estimated at $54,450 – $60,500*; Based on experience

Position Summary:

This is a full-time position with American Bird Conservancy (ABC). American Bird Conservancy is a fast-growing, results-focused nonprofit seeking employees with an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to make a difference for birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. Inspired by the wonder of birds, ABC achieves lasting results for the bird species most in need while also benefiting human communities, biodiversity, and the planet’s fragile climate. 

American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is seeking a dynamic, skilled writer/editor to craft and refine engaging content about one of nature’s most threatened animal groups — wild birds — and ABC’s work to conserve them and their habitats across the Americas. The position will play a key role in expanding the reach and awareness of ABC and ABC’s conservation practices, while also motivating people to take actions that benefit birds and advance ABC's mission. We’re seeking a creative and news-focused person who can write accurate, persuasive prose and convey complex, technical information for a general audience, while innovating in the rapidly evolving digital content space. The position calls for someone with strong editorial planning skills who can write and edit content that reflects ABC’s brand values, voice, and tone for use in a variety of formats within an omnichannel communications ecosystem.

Well-qualified candidates will thrive in a fast-paced, high-productivity environment; enjoy working collaboratively with staff and external contacts; possess experience with and interest in habitat conservation; and have a background in environmental topics and a passion for nature, conservation, and birds. The position reports to the Senior Writer/Editor within the ABC Communications & Marketing team.

Primary Duties:

1. In coordination with the Senior Writer/Editor, identify storytelling opportunities that demonstrate American Bird Conservancy's mission, work, and impact, and mobilize audiences to take actions that help advance ABC's mission, including revenue generation.
2. Support and ensure adherence to editorial guidelines for web stories and other products, including guidelines for authorship credits, acknowledgment of partners, and protocols for updating content to improve brand voice and identity. Periodically audit web stories for updates to keep content fresh and reinforce ABC’s brand.
3. Report, research, and write digital content with an emphasis on habitat and conservation practices, including but not limited to news stories and blog posts, and produce and leverage content that can be used across ABC’s communications ecosystem. Report and write additional content as assigned.
4. Collaborate with Graphic Designer and Multimedia Producer to identify opportunities for compelling visuals, including videos, in web stories and other content; suggest visuals for use in ABC’s omnichannel approach.
5. Research, write, and edit content pertaining to ABC’s conservation practices for habitat management and stewardship; convey technical information in an accessible format for a variety of audiences, including landowners.
6. Participate in editorial planning across the division and evaluate opportunities to spotlight habitat conservation practices in a variety of products, including web stories, web content, and magazine articles.
7. Assist ABC's Media Relations Specialist with press releases as needed, including proofreading and fact checking; evaluate upcoming news and support press releases with related web content when appropriate. 
8. Assist ABC’s Magazine Editor with magazine stories, including proofing and fact-checking, writing content, and coordinating related web content. 
9. Support strategy for print-digital interplay through collaboration with Magazine Editor; identify opportunities to leverage web content (including web stories and videos) to enhance magazine storytelling and funnel readers to ABC’s digital content; produce new stories and identify additional storytelling opportunities to support magazine content.
10. Support ABC's Communications & Marketing team with writing, editing, fact-checking, and proofreading content used in a digital ecosystem, including web, email, social media, digital advertising, and more.
11. Contribute to the generation of unrestricted revenue through helping to advance an effective omnichannel marketing and fundraising strategy.
12. Work closely with ABC staff and partners to stay informed and aware of ABC's work and impact.
13. Contribute to the further development of and adherence to ABC’s brand standards, organization-wide content strategy, and style guides.
14. Collaborate with other writers on staff.
15. Other duties as assigned.

Benefits:

American Bird Conservancy fosters a mission-driven, collaborative, and supportive workplace where staff are respected, empowered, and connected by a shared purpose. ABC offers strong benefits, a 35-hour work week, generous leave policies, and flexible, remote-friendly work arrangements that support a healthy work-life balance.

• Excellent benefits package includes medical, dental, flexible spending accounts, and employer-matched retirement savings, flexible schedule, etc.
• Paid vacation days (starting at 15 days annually and increasing to 20 days after 1 year of employment), paid holidays (including both US holidays and additional ABC holidays) and sick leave. 
• Lodging, meals, and transportation covered for work-related travel away from home where applicable.
• Rental vehicle or personal mileage reimbursement where applicable

 

Position Requirements: 

1. Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills, including proven ability to transform technical information into engaging content for a lay audience in such forms as website content.
2. Strong project management skills and ability to work as a team player. Familiarity with project management systems a plus.
3. BA/BS or MA/MS in Journalism, English, or related field, ideally with ornithology/environmental/ecology coursework or background.
4. At least 1-2 years of working in content development (editing/writing/proofreading), preferably for an environmental, science, or policy organization.
5. Knowledge of birds along with bird biology resources (e.g. Birds of the World, IUCN Red List, field guides, etc.) required.
6. Familiarity with AP style strongly desired.
7. Experience working in an omnichannel communications and marketing environment a plus.
8. Experience with Microsoft Word, WordPress, Google Docs, Trello, Slack, and other communications-related software.
9. All remote and hybrid employees are required to have a stable and high-speed internet service provider in place prior to beginning work for ABC. Our distributed work force relies heavily on cloud technologies, Zoom, and other automations to successfully complete our day to day work. The ideal speeds are 30-40 Mbps for downloads and 10-15 Mbps for uploads.
10.  You may be required to use your personal cell phone to access ABC systems remotely.
11. Authorized to work in the US or Permanent Resident
12. Occasional air and car travel may be required with this position. 
13. Background screening required

Preferred Additional Skills:

1. Direct experience working in habitat conservation and/or bird conservation.
2. Spanish and/or Portuguese language skills.
3. Multicultural or cross-cultural experience.

Salary Description

$54,450 – $60,500*; Based on experience