Location: Chanhassen,MN, USA
Position Summary
The primary responsibility of the Copy Editor/Fact Checker is to ensure all copy meets our standards for copy style, clarity, accuracy, and quality of Experience Life magazine and ExperienceLife.com. The Copy Editor will focus on copyediting and proofreading content in partnership with our Copy Chief; this person will also collaborate our lead Fact Checker to work with editors, writers, and sources to ensure that all facts and quotes in print and digital content are correct. This person will verify everything from the spelling of a source's name and age at publication to research noted in the article to confirm proper citation. Organizational and time-management skills are crucial to meeting tight deadlines in print and digital, which includes real-time research and response.
This position operates on a hybrid work model, in which some days are required in-office throughout each editorial cycle; it may require a limited amount of travel for meetings and industry events. The role is based at the Experience Life office in St. Paul, Minn.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
* Researches and stays current with language and style trends in publishing, providing helpful information to staff when needed.
* Works closely with copy chief, managing editor, and editorial team to make discerning editorial decisions based on source feedback.
* Works closely with editor in chief and edit team on strategic planning, as well as style and tone for all magazine-related needs, promotional material, digital, websites, etc., and other projects as needed.
* Works closely with editor in chief, copy chief, executive creative director, managing editor, and production director to ensure highest quality and accuracy of copy and design; works with editors to ensure clarity and success of their stories, providing ideas, guidance, and resources when needed.
* Reviews articles to outline facts to be verified and communicates with sources via email and phone to confirm information; copyedits for grammatical and style consistency; references research papers and information from studies cited in article against original study, and sources correct studies when not provided by the writer.
* High level of diplomacy and willingness to engage in thoughtful conversations with team of editors on style rules, language shifts, and edits.
* Works closely with lead fact-checker in editorial process for copyediting, proofreading, and providing copy to art director in a timely manner.
* Aids in real-time research to provide support to Experience Life's digital strategy. Question and research facts, statistics, and quotes that seem inconsistent with our philosophy or out of context with article topic.
* Grasp of journalistic ethics and understanding of libel, slander, and proper permissions for shared content.
* Generates story ideas for content planning; provides ideas and guidance to editors and other staff when needed.
* May help train, develop, mentor, and assess junior staff to ensure continuous growth through orientations, direction, or feedback.
* Assists in Web, digital, and multimedia projects as needed.
* Attends meetings and industry events as required.
Position Requirements
* Bachelor's Degree in Journalism, English, or Communications
* 5+ years of prior editorial or related experience
* Outstanding oral and written communication skills, excellent interpersonal skills.
* Strong knowledge of English grammar, spelling, style.
* Ability to write and edit copy for clarity, accuracy, and style.
* Ability to multitask and learn quickly, good memory, and strong attention to detail.
* Excellent organizational skills, including orderly storage of paper and electronic documents.
* Proactive, energetic personality; inquiring, investigative mind.
* Ability to operate a personal computer, plus strong computer skills and working knowledge of standard office software, including Microsoft Office. Emphasis on strong skills in Word, basic skills in Excel, Adobe Acrobat. InDesign skills a must.
* Knowledge of Chicago Manual of Style, AP style, citations, and proofreader notes.
* Familiarity with inclusive-language style guides and interest in exploring language trends; stays current on evolving language and copy-style rules.
* Understanding of digital copy-style rule and adaptations for social-media guidebooks.
* Ability to handle tight deadlines, reprioritize tasks on a daily and weekly basis.
* Ability to self-start and manage a complex, challenging, deadline-driven schedule.
* Knowledge of standard office procedures.
* Knowledge of health, wellness, fitness, quality-of-life content areas.
* Ability to effectively oversee, manage, and motivate contractors and freelancers.
* Ability to build constructive business and editorial relationships and to diplomatically resolve conflicts and conflicting interests.
* Ability to be accountable for maintaining high, reliable quality standards while working on overlapping assignments in a fast-paced team environment.
Life Time is a place for everyone. As an organization, we are committed to an inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace that respects and celebrates the unique contributions of each individual while ensuring we remain an equal opportunity employer that recruits, hires, trains and promotes based on merit and qualifications.