Digital Content Strategist

Department: MED-Office of Communications
Salary/Grade: ITS/77

Job Summary:

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine's Office of Communications seeks a verbal and visual communicator with a demonstrated vision for organizing interactive information systems. The Digital Content Strategist/Information Architect is instrumental in auditing, analyzing, writing, editing and organizing web content for the medical school's many digital properties. The position will manage all content-related work in the website design process and create deliverables such as site maps, wireframes, process flows, content inventories and strategies. This role will actively contribute to building a greater vision for the medical school's digital content strategy, prioritizing best user experience, search engine optimization and accessibility principles.

This position works closely with the Director of Digital Strategy and collaborates with a dynamic team of talented web specialists to create an interactive environment that enhances and promotes Northwestern's reputation, integrates a variety of institutional online properties seamlessly into highly effective online presence and supports the mission of Feinberg. This strategist will collaborate with Communications team members to enhance content quality, site architecture and presentation across various Feinberg websites.

This is a full-time role that requires a minimum of three days per week on the medical school's Streeterville campus in downtown Chicago. Candidates with editorial, journalism, or higher ed, science or medicine communications experience who are looking to build their skills in digital strategy are especially encouraged to apply.

Specific Responsibilities:

Content analysis and organization

• Translate both medical school and user needs, tasks and goals into content specifications. Recommend new content and content improvements.
• Assess existing content to identify strengths, weaknesses, gaps and inconsistencies, as well as opportunities.
• Recommend new content development and structure for individual websites based on medical school and user objectives.
• Lead discussions and reviews of content strategy deliverables with high-profile stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities for content testing and measurement/analytics.

Content development and management

• Lead content development efforts for specific Feinberg unit sites to fit target user/brand experience; optimize site experience and content production.
• Write, edit and design content that is structured and optimized for effective search and accessibility and that is readable and matches our style guidelines.
• Lead SEO, GEO and accessibility efforts.
• Educate client teams about why content strategy matters. Outline content maintenance processes and gain maintenance stakeholder buy in.

Information architecture (IA) and user experience (UX) design

• Contribute to developing sitemaps and wireframes to support usability and searchability of information.
• Create consistent information hierarchies for site navigation on both a site-wide level and a page-by-page or screen-by-screen level, while adhering to design uniformity within and across projects.
• Participate in usability testing and become a champion for data-driven interaction design.
• Contribute to the creation and implementation of usability standards and best practices. Take part in promoting user-centered design throughout the organization.
• Work collaboratively with designer and UX specialist to plan interface functionality, with developer to confirm technical considerations, and with web specialist to implement content changes.
• Contribute to building sites in Northwestern's CMS and assist with testing completed sites to ensure quality assurance.

Research

• Take part in usability research to understand user behaviors and preferences.
• Evaluate the competitive landscape and research content trends in mobile and community web properties.
• Use your findings to build informed user-interface solutions and provide content recommendations.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree, preferably in a multidisciplinary background such as English, Journalism, Information Strategy and Design, Digital Marketing or a related field.
• 3 + years' work experience in developing digital content and applying iterative, user-centered design principles.
• 2+ years' work experience in managing content and production for high-traffic websites.
• Experience using site metrics to inform content organization decisions or strategy.
• Fluency in the principles of digital best practices and ability to provide expert advice.
• Understanding of SEO and GEO strategy, especially as it applies to content.
• Familiarity with content management systems.
• Demonstrable ability to conduct research, understand and organize specialized web content, and provide client recommendations based on research.
• Portfolio presentation is expected, to include URLs of websites or samples of user interfaces or comparable projects that reflect candidate's work as well as documentation that led to the finished product, including writing samples, site maps, navigation flows, etc.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Excellent writing, editing, speaking, presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Strong project and time management, attention to detail, and organizational skills.
• Experience writing and editing copy for the web.
• Experience training others in job skills or best practices.
• Proven creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interact effectively in multi-disciplinary project teams.
• Ability to research, understand and organize specialized web content and provide client recommendations based on research.
• Strong client service experience.
• Ability to work independently and as a team member in a dynamic environment and on a variety of simultaneous projects.
• Proficiency in HTML.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Academic experience and certification or enrichment in content organization and strategy.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Proficiency in AP Style.
• Familiarity with general digital best practices and accessibility guidelines.
• Familiarity with SharePoint and/or intranet creation and maintenance.
• Basic knowledge of visual design and photo editing best practices.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

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.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $80,000 to $90,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

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