Publications Officer

New America is seeking a highly organized, self-motivated individual to join its Events, Production, Editorial, and Communications (EPEC) team as Publications Officer.

Working closely with and reporting to the Digital Content Manager, the Publications Officer will play a key role in stewarding publications—briefs, reports, and toolkits—from submission to final publication on New America’s website. They will serve as a critical partner for in-house authors in setting publications timelines, ensuring projects are on track for a timely delivery, and advising on style and formatting requirements.

The ideal candidate is a strong writer and editor with excellent project management skills and a sharp eye for detail. The Publications Officer will play a critical role in strengthening New America’s growing pipeline of research and communications products.

This position is full-time based in our Washington, DC, office on a hybrid basis.

Responsibilities:

Project Management

• Serve as point of contact for incoming publications and research projects—hosting “kick-off” meetings with authors and relevant EPEC staff and assigning each project a timeline;
• Oversee production schedules for all of New America’s publications—ensuring established deadlines are met and content is delivered on time;
• Assist with maintenance and tracking of New America’s publications calendar;
• Work closely with EPEC leadership to identify potential timeline conflicts and flag time- and resource-intensive projects;
• Become a superuser of Asana, EPEC’s project management system, train others on how to use it, and encourage adoption on the team; and
• Support on publications-related administrative functions to increase visibility of upcoming projects across the organization.

Proofreading and Layout

• Provide proofreading support (checking for grammar, spelling, and style) for New America’s reports and toolkits;
• Assist in layout and design of publications, formatting New America’s research publications for the website;
• Support the design and data visualization team with chart and graphic creation, as needed; and
• Track use of resources on projects and help conceive projects to improve publications operations.

Qualifications:

• 3+ years of experience in communications, publishing, or a related field;
• Knowledge of Chicago Manual of Style;
• Excellent writer with strong proofreading skills;
• Experience managing multiple project timelines simultaneously;
• Ability to communicate with diverse teams and manage relationships with individuals at varying levels of seniority;
• Detail-oriented, with ability to demonstrate how you’ve used a strategy or system to manage time, projects, or tasks;
• Proactive and self-motivated; and
• Problem-solving mindset and flexibility.

Bonus Skills:

• Interest or experience in policy issues;
• Experience with project management tools like Asana, Trello, or others;

• Experience using Acrobat Pro, Illustrator, Photoshop, or other Adobe Creative Suite platforms; and
• Experience making infographics or data visualizations.

Location: This position is based in New America’s Washington, DC, office on a flexible, hybrid basis. 

Compensation and Benefits: This position is a full-time role with benefits. New America offers a highly competitive benefits package that includes health care, dental, and vision coverage; a generous retirement plan; 20 days of paid time off in your first year of employment and 30 days of paid time off in subsequent years; 10 paid federal holidays; and an office-wide closure between Christmas and New Year’s Day. The annual salary will be between $60,000 – $75,000, depending on experience.

Operating Status and Vaccine Policy:  New America has made the safety of our staff and our surrounding community a top priority. As part of that commitment, New America staff are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. New America will require all staff to submit proof of complete vaccination against COVID-19 to be in the DC office.

Application Process:

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so early submissions are recommended.

Please, no phone calls or emails.

New America is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce at all levels of the organization thereby creating a culture that allows us to better serve our clientele, our employees, and our communities. We value and encourage the contributions of our employees and strive to create an environment where everyone can reach their full potential and drive outstanding results. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law. This policy applies with regard to all aspects of one’s employment, including hiring, transfer, promotion, compensation, eligibility for benefits, and termination. This is a bargaining unit position.