Working/Functional Title

Digital Managing Editor

Position Summary

As Digital Managing Editor, you will play a key role in shaping how MSU advances its mission and brand through highly visible digital content products and channels, including the MSU homepage, MSUToday content hub and flagship email products. In this high-impact role, you will be responsible for planning and delivering timely, engaging and brand-aligned content and messaging through key channels and products to connect with core audiences – students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters. You are responsible for editorial quality and product integrity by using strong editorial judgment, overseeing targeted content production, planning across channels, setting KPIs targets and optimizing performance. You’ll manage a collaborative team, work across the department and the university, partner with other channel leaders and drive editorial strategy to fuel affinity, trust and reputation and spur action through tailored, data-informed and multichannel digital content experiences. This includes integrating tools like AI and adopting an upgraded web content management system (CMS), digital asset management (DAM) and content operations platform to improve internal efficiency and effectiveness. 

About University Communications and Marketing
University Communications and Marketing increases awareness of and appreciation for Michigan State University, its people and its impact as a leading global public research university, builds trust and inspires connection to cultivate support and make MSU a preferred choice.   

Duties and Responsibilities
Content Planning and Editorial Leadership

• Plan content and execute editorial strategies to deliver on goals; create, curate and manage content for owned digital products and channels ensuring content is engaging, relevant, accurate, timely and meets editorial and brand standards. Facilitate story/content collection from campus partners and sites to amplify where appropriate. Create content strategy and editorial plan for MSUToday email and website that aligns with annual strategic content strategy and audience needs.
• Provide editorial oversight for MSU digital properties – including MSU homepage, MSUToday content hub and emails, and potential new digital products identified through analysis or research. Maintain high standards of quality and integrity across the team and work with particular focus on editorial accuracy and content process excellence. Identify and share strategic content for other digital products across UCAM, such as institutional social channels and internal and presidential communications.
• Collaborate with others in UCAM and across campus, including channel and content strategists, creative leads and other unit communicators, to align content strategies and to plan and develop inspiring, brand-aligned content. Drive coordination across owned, earned, shared and paid channels for maximum reach and impact. Use editorial judgement and data insights to shape a content mix that connects core audiences to MSU’s strategic narrative in timely and compelling ways.
• Help drive reach for primary owned digital channels and projects; work with digital experience, analytics and marketing groups to identify reach drivers and support strategies for paid, SEO and cross-channel promotion to increase traffic to digital products.

Insights and Technology Accumen

• Leverage data and collaborate with analytics team to assess content and channel performance, inform strategy and optimize content for channels to drive performance. Help set annual KPI targets, identify strategies to achieve them and track KPI performance to determine if tactics need adjusting. Recommend and help test new formats and use A/B testing to adapt to evolving audience behaviors.
• Build expertise in key digital tools – web CMS, DAM, customer data platform and content operations platform to ensure solutions are aligned with audience needs and enhance content delivery, streamline workflows and improve team effectiveness. Help identify appropriate use of AI in content workflows and content products.
• Collaborate with UX and marketing teams to map audience journeys across key digital properties. Develop and implement content personalization strategies using available technologies and leveraging behavioral segmentation to deliver the right content to the right audience at the right time.
• Monitor cultural, industry and higher education trends to guide content and channel strategy. Lead benchmarking to identify best practices and evolve MSU’s digital presence.

Editorial and Content Production

• Oversee selection, editing and packaging of content for weekly and specialty emails as well as key websites to drive desired audience outcomes and strategic goals. Manage content through the production process, collaborating with creators to ensure it meets channel-specific needs.
• Develop unique content concepts and products that support organizational and UCAM strategies while leveraging strategic content calendar for timely, relevant storytelling across owned channels and playing to unique strengths of channel.
• Establish and maintain clear guidelines and procedures for content flow, editorial integrity, production and publication.
• Write and edit clear, engaging content that aligns with brand voice, style and SEO best practices. Support visual storytelling by cropping images and optimizing design elements for digital platforms.

Mentorship, Management and Campus Collaboration/Support 

• Lead, mentor and support the growth of two professional team members and student interns, fostering a high-performing, collaborative environment that encourages creativity, professional development and editorial excellence.
• Partner with editorial leadership to deliver training and content playbooks that support brand and storytelling consistency. Build strong relationships across UCAM and the broader campus to source and share high-quality content for web and email channels.
• Support the UCAM crisis team by posting emergency messages on msu.edu and using other owned channels as appropriate.

Minimum Requirements

Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in journalism, communications, public relations, advertising or related communication arts program; three to five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in planning, producing, editing and managing content in a deadline-driven environment for web, email, social media, media or public relations, including writing and editing for a variety of formats such as web pages, features articles and news releases; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired Qualifications

• Five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in leading the writing, content production or editorial management for a digital publication or news website; agency/client experience developing outcomes-oriented integrated content is a bonus
• Excellent editorial and visual content judgement; demonstrated strong sense of how to shape a story to fit an organization’s vision and brand voice and within an integrated multichannel environment (earned, paid, owned, shared)
• Experience leading and managing successful editorial projects, producing high-quality, accurate products on schedule and under deadline pressure
• Demonstrated excellent writing and visual storytelling skills, with proficient knowledge of Associated Press style as well as use of photo, video, infographics to tell a story
• Experience working in higher education or a complex environment like government or health care, developing quality content that stimulates interest and engagement
• Strong leadership and accountability; works independently under minimal supervision and on multiple projects at one time, ensuring seamless execution and quality control
• A proven “team player” mentality (being flexible, collaborative and positive) as needed for today’s fast-paced communications environment; experience developing and coaching others and working with peer subject matter leaders
• Demonstrated data literacy and experience using analytics and KPI performance to inform creative and content decisions
• Strong understanding of digital content ecosystems and how various traffic drivers—such as email, paid media, SEO and cross-channel promotion—influence audience engagement and performance across web properties. Experience applying this knowledge through strategic content delivery, audience journey mapping, personalization and use of tools such as CMS, DAM, customer data platforms and AI
• Experience working in web content management platforms and evidence of a learning mindset to stay abreast of new technologies and tools for creative content development, excellence in editorial management, UX and content publishing and distribution

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Application Materials

1. Cover Letter
2. Resume
3. Three Professional References
4. Writing Sample

Work Hours

STANDARD 8-5

Website

https://comms.msu.edu

Remote Work Statement

MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.

The Bidding Eligibility ends on 07/22/2025 at 11:55 PM