Job Description

Senior Director, Editorial

Communications

The Communications department supports leaders at all levels of the institution to promote project and campaign efforts, inform key audiences, and protect and advance Pew’s reputation. The department provides a comprehensive range of communications services for all programmatic and administrative units and Trusts-operated projects. Our in-house expertise includes strategy and message development; editorial; design and creative services; media event planning; digital and video production; and social media strategy and production. The department oversees all communications policies, guidelines, and processes to ensure production of the highest quality work and effectively steward Pew's resources. Within the Communications department, the creative team is an essential partner helping to shape Pew’s brand and articulate its mission. Through comprehensive visual storytelling, the team amplifies Pew’s message and crafts tailored materials that resonate with and engage our audiences.

Position Overview

The Senior Director, Editorial leads Pew’s editorial team and ensures that all written content meets the highest standards of clarity, accuracy, and institutional voice. This role is responsible for overseeing the editorial process across reports, op-eds, analysis pieces, public statements, and other print and digital materials. The senior director will work closely with Pew’s management team, program communications, and the digital, creative, and multimedia teams to ensure that editorial content is integrated into Pew’s broader storytelling strategy and aligned with the organization’s messaging and communication goals.

Reporting to the Vice President, Creative, Editorial, Digital and Multimedia, the Senior Director, Editorial supervises a team of writers and editors, providing strategic direction and guidance. This position requires a strong understanding of editorial workflows, content strategy, and cross-platform storytelling. The role will focus on leading a team that produces high-quality, engaging content while refining internal processes to improve efficiency and collaboration, acting as a key liaison between editorial and other departments, ensuring cross-functional collaboration.

This position, based in Pew’s Washington, DC office, will participate in Pew’s core in-office days on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and will have flexibility to work from home the remainder of the week.

Responsibilities

• Lead Pew’s editorial strategy, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and a proactive production approach to content development.
• Oversee a division responsible for writing projects and editing of all written public facing materials.
• Manage and mentor a team of editors and writers in collaboration with their managers to maintain high standards of editorial quality across all written content. Ensure professional development opportunities for the editorial team and provide performance management feedback and support.
• Oversee the production of Trust and Trend magazines, ensuring consistent quality and editorial integrity.
• Develop, maintain, and regularly update editorial guidelines and best practices that foster clarity, accuracy, and consistency across Pew’s written materials.
• Collaborate closely with program communications and the digital, creative, and multimedia teams to integrate editorial efforts into Pew’s overall content strategy.
• Guide the editorial team in shaping complex research and policy findings into accessible, compelling narratives for public and policymaker audiences.
• Oversee and establish training programs that enhance writing skills across the institution, including programs tailored for researchers, program staff, and communications professionals. Create and maintain up-to-date resources and reference materials that reinforce best practices and support continued learning.
• Work with program teams to ensure their content aligns with Pew’s broader storytelling objectives and institutional messaging.
• Identify opportunities to streamline editorial workflows, improving efficiency while maintaining high editorial standards.
• Lead efforts to modernize editorial workflows, integrating digital tools and technologies that enhance efficiency and quality. Support the creation of templates and structured content formats that allow for consistency and faster production timelines.
• Partner with the digital strategy team to ensure editorial content is optimized for online engagement and distribution while keeping the primary focus on content quality and storytelling.
• Provide strategic counsel to leadership on editorial matters, helping shape thought leadership content and high-profile written materials.
• Explore and implement new editorial formats such as interactive reports, modular storytelling approaches, and AI-assisted editing tools.
• Guide the development of op-eds, commentary, and niche publications to extend Pew’s reach and impact.
• Edit, or oversee the editing of, the twice-monthly Communications in-house newsletter. Include recruiting and training the writers for the same.
• Develop practical content toolkits that equip program teams and leadership with the guidance, templates, and assets they need to communicate their work effectively and consistently across web, social media, email, and presentations—to help reduce hands-on support needs.
• Equip staff to serve as effective ambassadors of Pew’s work by collaborating with Digital Strategy to provide tools, messaging, and guidance that support consistent, high-impact communication across platforms.
• Help ensure program-level content feeds into a larger institutional storytelling strategy, creating coherence across Pew’s research areas.
• Act as a bridge between embedded program communicators and digital and creative storytelling efforts, ensuring alignment and avoiding siloed content.
• Move beyond pure editing functions to actively help shape how Pew’s research and policy work translates into public engagement and impact.
• Ensure that editorial grows from a service function into more of a core driver of how Pew tells its overarching story across platforms.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; advanced degree preferred.
• Generally, a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible editorial experience, including experience in a newsroom, research institution, nonprofit, or mission-driven organization.
• Previous staff, project, and/or consultant management experience. Direct supervisory experience, including team leadership, staff development, and performance management preferred.
• Strong understanding of editorial processes, content strategy, and the role of written content in a broader communications ecosystem.
• Experience managing the editorial production of long-form reports, op-eds, analysis pieces, and digital content.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex policy and research topics into compelling, accessible narratives.
• Strong leadership skills with a proven ability to mentor and manage editorial teams in a collaborative, high-volume environment.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, with the ability to set priorities, manage multiple deadlines, and drive projects forward.
• Proven ability to work effectively across teams, fostering collaboration between editorial, digital, creative, and research teams.
• Experience guiding editorial transformation efforts, whether in workflow optimization, content strategy shifts, or digital adaptation.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to provide editorial feedback and strategic guidance to senior leadership.

Travel

Some travel within the U.S. and internationally may be required.

Work Authorization

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the country for which they are seeking employment without visa sponsorship.

Salary Range

$195,500 USD - $218,500 USD

The salary range represents a reasonable estimate of the annual salary based on Pew’s commitment to provide equitable and market-competitive pay. The actual salary offered will take into consideration many factors including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills and experience, internal pay equity, and business need.

Total Rewards

We offer a competitive salary and benefit program, including: comprehensive, affordable health care through medical, dental, and vision coverage; financial security with life and disability insurance; opportunities to save using health savings and flexible spending accounts; retirement benefits to help prepare for the future; and work/life benefits to maintain a good balance.

The Pew Charitable Trusts is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. Pew considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to age, race, color, sex (including pregnancy), nation of origin, ethnicity, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, military/veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

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