Staff Writer, School of Arts and Sciences Office of Advancement

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. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

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

Staff Writer, School of Arts and Sciences Office of Advancement

Job Profile Title

Staff Writer B

Job Description Summary

The Staff Writer is a critical member of the School of Arts and Sciences Office of Advancement (SASOA) communications team. Reporting to the Director of News and Publications, the Staff Writer is responsible for creating copy that successfully conveys the School’s excellence and the relevance of its mission. The Staff Writer will be a creative storyteller, with an ability to translate the scholarly activities of the SAS faculty in ways that engage internal and external audiences. The Staff Writer will work closely with faculty, students, and administrators, as well as fundraising staff.

The Staff Writer must develop a strong appreciation of the School’s goals, priorities, and key messages and understand how to use every assignment as an opportunity to promote them. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated ability to create content in a wide range of formats including news stories, features, and copy for video and podcast productions, as well as promotional copy, and will have a portfolio that demonstrates sensitivity to the differences in tone and style required by different contexts. The Staff Writer will also be responsible for quality control of all materials produced within SASOA communications, screening for errors and consistent application of house style.

Job Description

Penn’s School of Arts and Sciences’ Office of Advancement is committed to the advancement, promotion, and support of the strategic agenda of the School through fundraising and public relations efforts.

The Advancement office strives to enhance the quality, reputation, and financial strength of the School by securing critical resources to support existing and new initiatives and by building a full appreciation of SAS faculty, students, and initiatives through a broad range of media and programs.

Position Responsibilities

• Serve as a member of the editorial team for the School magazine, Omnia, which publishes in print twice a year and digitally weekly. Contribute story ideas, write features and other short articles, copyedit articles, work with Digital and Design teams to source images, and upload content to content management system.
• Manage communications program for SASOA Alumni Engagement Team, including meeting with that team regularly, identifying and pitching story candidates, and writing articles for print and online.
• Draft promotional copy for events including web copy, invitations, posters, advertisements, and flyers.
• Contribute to managing/updating web content.
• Write and upload news announcements for School website and campus publications, and share pertinent content with the Almanac.
• Track new faculty books and obtain physical copies for office library.
• Contribute to social media coverage, including scheduling one day of social posts per week.
• Develop a deep understanding of the School’s activities and priorities, including faculty experts, special initiatives and programs, and fundraising needs.

Qualifications and Attributes

• BA/BS and a minimum of three to five years of experience is required.
• Superb writing and proofreading skills, excellent research and organizational skills, attention to details and deadlines, and the ability to find and pitch strong, fully formed story ideas.
• Ability to understand faculty research and describe it in a compelling and effective way to a general audience.
• Strong professional judgment and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a goal-oriented team.
• Fully proficient with Microsoft Word and Excel. Experience with updating websites using content management systems such as WordPress or Drupal.
• Initiative and the ability to work on multiple projects under deadline pressure.
• Intellectual curiosity and commitment to the goals of liberal education.
• For consideration, please submit 1-2 writing samples along with a cover letter and resume in the CV section of your application. You can upload multiple documents to the “Resume/CV” section.

Job Location – City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

School of Arts and Sciences

Pay Range

$43,919.00 – $65,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.

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 

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