Senior Content Writer at University of Massachusetts Amherst Foundation – Hadley, Massachusetts
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About This Position
About University of Massachusetts Amherst Foundation
About the role
Reporting to the Senior Director, Content Development, the Senior Content Writer creates and contributes to the development of alumni and donor communications across a variety of channels in alignment with the UMAF’s strategic fundraising and engagement priorities. In collaboration with members of the Marketing Communications team (MarCom), the Senior Content Writer produces original content, including both digital and printed collateral for the university’s capital campaign, donor profiles, impact stories and reports, fundraising priority sell sheets, donor proposals, and website content. The writer also edits existing content for both development and alumni channels in collaboration with UMAF colleagues in annual giving, donor relations, and major gifts. The Senior Content Writer will play an important role in helping the Senior Director develop and maintain a library of messaging and talking points that can be adapted by fundraisers for donor conversations, presentations, and solicitations.
What you'll do
- Collaborate with the Senior Director, Content Development and other members of the Marketing and Communications team to implement communications strategies that raise awareness of campaign priorities, alumni engagement and volunteer opportunities, and overarching fundraising goals.
- Write and/or edit compelling digital and print communications that encourage alumni involvement and increased philanthropy by showcasing UMass Amherst’s academic and research strengths and its dynamic student experience.
- Develop ideas for impact stories and donor profiles to be featured in the UMAF Newsletter and campaign website; interview subjects and write copy; and collaborate with others in MarCom to share these stories across channels.
- Develop strong knowledge of the upcoming campaign’s three foundational commitments and the fundraising priorities of each school and college within this framework in order to create messaging, templates, and donor proposals for use by fundraisers.
- Research and develop suggested remarks for members of the administration and high-level volunteers, with a focus on fundraising and volunteer engagement.
- Support the MarCom team in ensuring that communications at all levels follow the correct branding, editorial style, and grammar conventions for the university, the foundation, the campaign, and the schools and colleges.
- UMAF is building and growing, and this position will support those efforts with other duties and projects as assigned from time to time.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required in journalism, English, communications, or related field.
- A minimum of five (5) years of writing experience in journalism, communications, marketing, or related field. Experience in higher education preferred.
- Exceptional written and oral communications skills; demonstrated persuasive writing skills.
- Experience with writing for diverse audiences across multiple communications channels.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate with stakeholders at varying levels of authority and communicate key messages in alignment with overarching communications strategy.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and to set and meet deadlines while maintaining high standards of accuracy and quality.
- Ability to problem solve and deal diplomatically with challenging issues and situations.
- Experience in writing proposals to donors or producing grant applications is desirable but not required.
- 20 vacation days, 12 holidays, 12 sick days, 5 personal days, and 2 office closure days.
- 4-day summer work week.
- 401(k) plan. You contribute 5% and receive a 10% match.
- Health insurance packages for medical, dental, and vision.
- 16 weeks of paid parental leave to use within 1 year of childbirth. An additional 6 weeks available for the birthing parent. Part-time work for full-time pay for the first 4 weeks post parental leave.
- Learn more about our benefits.
$84,000 - $91,000