Copy Editor/Writer 101 views0 applications

Back ground

World Vision Uganda is a Christian relief, development and advocacy non-government organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. We currently work in over 82 districts in Uganda implementing projects in health & nutrition, water, sanitation & hygiene (WASH), livelihoods & community resilience, education and child protection. World Vision (WV) is committed to the protection of children and adult beneficiaries from exploitation and abuse and will not employ people whose background is not suitable for working with the beneficiaries above. All employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of all applicable background checks, including criminal record checks where possible.

Due to expansion in scope of our programmes, we are now seeking for qualified and passionate individuals willing to share in our vision and join our team in the position below.

Position: Copy Editor/Writer

Report to:National Director

Location: Kampala – National Office

Purpose of the position:

You have a clear understanding of English grammar, spelling and punctuation, and the confidence to apply our house style naturally and consistently. You understand the necessity for accuracy but love to give good writing its zing. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in a collaborative environment and able to negotiate remotely with a network of colleagues providing for diverse global audiences.

This position offers a great opportunity for a creative professional writer who can shape various writing styles into messages that create impact and mobilise support for vulnerable children, their families and communities.

The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring that written text is concise, consistent, complete and credible, ensuring World Vision Uganda’s voice is clear and factually correct.

Key Outputs/Responsibilities.

Writing and editing publishable content which meets appropriate WVI brand guidelines and writing styles

• Impeccable writing and editing, employing a variety of styles for a range of mediums (print, online, TV, video)
• Liaising with technical leads to compile and edit engaging articles, speeches, scripts and presentations which meet organisational standards of brand, voice, tone and writing style
• Proofreading and correcting documents and written materials for accuracy and style, rewriting where necessary to improve clarity and readability
• Collaborating with others, in a problem-solving spirit, to ensure communications are legally appropriate, professional in quality and strategic in nature
• Writing persuasively and sometimes with short deadlines

Collaborate with the WV Uganda team to advise on consistent ways to tell our story, with an emphasis on continual improvement

• Work with other communicators and marketers, sector leads and subject matter experts, to ensure correctness of facts, figures, numbers, spelling of names of people and places and all details before material is published
• Check external written material, whether published already or about to be published, for style, readability, creativity and attention to detail, and advise when re-writing is recommended
• Raise queries on any potential risks (for example, relating to libel, copyright, data protection etc) with the communications manager
• Collaborate with WV Uganda’s third-party consultants to ensure all written elements of communications projects work together properly and all design specifications are met
• Collaborate with marketing team members to update communications as relevant

Collaborate with World Vision’s international communications teams to position Uganda’s material for the widest and best use

• Ensure all external communications are properly represented on the StoryHub digital asset management system
• Verify that appropriate materials are being placed on wvcentral, wvrelief, Bob, wvi.org and other sites, and work with their managers to adapt materials as necessary

Build the capacity of other communications staff to writing for various audiences

• Mentor and provide guidance to less experienced writers
• Take part in office devotions according to the set schedule
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications: Education/Knowledge/Technical Skills and Experience

• A Bachelors’ degree in the field of Journalism, Communications, English or Literature
• At least 5 years work experience in copy editing, sub-editing, proofreading or related field
• Demonstrable writing and grammar skills
• Proven ability to follow editorial guidelines, creativity, and attention to details under tight deadlines
• Demonstrated passion for writing, and the ability to retain the writer’s voice after editing
• Ability to identify and understand different audience and create appropriate content
• Demonstrated experience leading effective digital communications, including social media and an understanding of relevant tools and trends
• Strong communication skills and attention to detail
• Excellent organization skills to meet set target dates
• Ability to communicate with tact, encourage writers, listen to feedback, provide constructive criticism and sometimes work under stressful circumstances
• Proven writing experience
• Proven ability to provide authoritative input on key strategic documents
• Ability to maintain relationships with others during stressful situations
• Able to manage multiple requests and prioritize
• Solid/advanced work experience in the field of writing, subediting and proofreading.
• Working collaboratively with technical experts to produce written copy that is accurate and compelling
• The position is desk-based but depending on the person identified, a virtual role as editor may be viable.
• It frequently requires working for long hours under intense deadline pressure without compromising standards.

• The position also requires exclusive attention to detail and sometimes required to work late before a piece goes to production.