Job location: Law School

Employment Type: Part-time
Posted data: 2021-06-15
Req: JR00034283
University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Writer-Editor, International Affairs

Job Profile Title

Staff Writer A

Job Description Summary

Penn Law is one of the nation’s oldest and most distinguished law schools. The school offers a distinctive cross-disciplinary legal education, drawing on the depth and breadth of the University of Pennsylvania. The resulting intellectual opportunities and professional relationships bridge traditional boundaries and disciplines, making Penn Law an extraordinarily supportive academic community for its scholars and students alike.

Penn Law staff play a critical role in providing a world-class educational environment, supporting faculty, students, alumni, and fellow staff members in a collaborative and ambitious environment.

The Penn Law Office of International Affairs is seeking a writer who takes a journalistic approach to content marketing – to generate articles that appeal to internationally minded students, support our departmental strategy, bring attention to students’ accomplishments in the global space, and help differentiate international experiences at Penn Carey Law.

Reporting to the Director of International Affairs, the Writer/Editor will produce a steady flow of original articles of varying lengths and formats, including feature stories, press releases, and Q&A interviews. The primary focus will be on writing for web/digital platforms. Writing responsibilities will span story development: identifying leads, background research, interviews, writing drafts, and delivering final copy.

This is a part-time, benefits-eligible position (18 hours per week). The length of service will be for a 24-month term, with potential for renewal.

Job Description

Ideal candidates for this position will have excellent writing and editing skills; the ability to develop key messages; consummate judgment and discretion; and the genuine desire to engage stakeholders through narrative. The Writer/Editor, International Affairs plays a role in the Office of International Affairs’ wider communication efforts, including program publicity and follow-up, outreach to varied constituencies, and broader efforts to advance the global reputation of Penn Law in the U.S. and abroad.

Responsibilities Include:

• Create compelling, dynamic content, including press releases, blog articles, impact stories, website updates, and newsletter articles for the Office of International Affairs.

• Write and aggregate copy from across the spectrum of students’ global experiences, that will appeal to prospective/current students and support Penn Carey Law’s brand.

• Ensure a consistent look and tone for all department communications, including written content, website, and social media.

• Conduct interviews to gather information and vitalize content with first-hand perspectives.

• Participate in the creation and editing of multimedia content, including off-screen interviewing, and narrative arcs/scripts for videos and podcasts.

• Keep current with international projects by faculty/student to propose newsworthy leads.

• Identify opportunities to collaborate with other departments to develop and publicize stories.

• Carry out research to support story writing with minimal direction.

• Edit, fact-check, and proofread all content to ensure accuracy.

• Contribute to overall office communications and outreach, including event publicity and follow-up, managing digital media, and generally expanding Penn Law’s global impact.

• Provide additional content as needed (e.g. talking points, speeches, correspondence, etc.) and perform related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 1-2 years of experience in content writing, communications, public relations, journalism, or related field.

• Exceptional writing, editing and proofreading skills.

• Global outlook and intellectual curiosity

• The ability to understand, appreciate, and articulate the mission of the Office of International Affairs.

• Professional experience in writing for target audiences in digital environments.

• Detail oriented; willing to go the extra mile to ensure quality.

• Strong interpersonal communication skills, both oral and written.

• Comfortable interviewing and interacting with a wide range of constituents, including high-level figures.

• Ability to distill complex ideas and concepts in accessible terms.

• Eagerness to learn about a diverse range of topics; versatility when faced with unfamiliar subject matter.

• Excellent time management skills; ability to manage multiple projects and multitask.

• Adaptable to evolving needs; can quickly shift priorities when necessary.

• Proficient with Microsoft Office 365

Preferred qualifications:

• Prior writing experience for an academic institution, cultural organization, or news outlet.

• Familiarity with marketing trends in higher education and/or law firms and legal institutions.

• Understanding of audience-building strategies for the web including SEO writing practices.

• Firsthand international experience and/or personal interest in international law.

Application Requirements:

• cover letter;

• resume;

• representative samples of your published online writing.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Law School

Pay Range

$20.00 - $36.00

Affirmative Action Statement
Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.

Special Requirements
Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay