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Position Summary:

Rice University seeks an accomplished, creative, and strategic Senior Director of Publications and Podcast to lead the university’s editorial storytelling across its flagship publications and emerging media platforms.

Reporting to the Office of Public Affairs, the Senior Director of Publications and Podcast will oversee the editorial vision, strategy, and production of Rice Magazine, Rice Research Review, and a new university podcast, creating compelling content that advances Rice’s reputation as a leading research university and communicates the people, ideas, discoveries, and impact that define the institution.

This is a senior editorial position for an exceptional storyteller and editorial strategist who understands how to translate complex ideas and institutional priorities into engaging journalism for sophisticated audiences. The Senior Director will manage staff and work across the university to identify and develop stories that showcase Rice’s distinctive strengths in research, education, innovation, student achievement, faculty excellence, entrepreneurship, community impact, and global engagement.

Rice is at an important moment in its evolution as a leading research university. The Senior Director of Publications and Podcast will have an opportunity to define how the university tells that story across disciplines, platforms, and audiences.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Applicants are required to submit three writing samples. Please save the cover letter and resume as one PDF file and the two writing samples as one PDF file, and attach both PDF files in the Supporting Documents section of the application. You may also submit links to the writing samples.

Ideal Candidate Statement:

The ideal candidate views editorial content as a key way to shape conversations, illuminate discovery, elevate voices, and demonstrate Rice’s impact in Houston, across the United States, and around the world. The successful candidate will bring strong editorial judgment, a sophisticated understanding of audience and voice, and the ability to lead both people and projects from concept through publication and distribution. The Senior Director will also help Rice evolve its editorial content strategy as audiences increasingly engage with journalism through digital, audio, social, and other emerging platforms.

Workplace Requirements:

Hybrid position: This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

This position is based at Rice University in Houston, Texas, and requires regular collaboration with colleagues across campus. Occasional evening or weekend work may be required for major university events, interviews, recordings, or publication deadlines.

Hiring Range: Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. 

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime. 

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communications, English, Writing, or a related field

  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience above and beyond what is required may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.

• 5+ years of progressively responsible editorial, journalism, or communications experience, including experience leading a publication, editorial operation, or major content portfolio

• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with demonstrated ability to produce and refine sophisticated narrative journalism

• Proven experience developing and executing editorial strategy

• Demonstrated ability to translate complex subjects into compelling stories for broad audiences

• Experience managing multiple projects, deadlines, and contributors simultaneously

• Strong editorial judgment and a commitment to accuracy, fairness, clarity, and high-quality storytelling

• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with senior leaders, subject-matter experts, and creative professionals

Preferences:

• Six or more years of progressively responsible editorial, journalism, or communications experience

• Experience working in higher education, research, science, technology, or another complex institutional environment

• Experience leading a magazine or other high-quality editorial publication

• Experience with podcast development, production, and/or audio storytelling

• Experience managing staff writers, editors, freelancers, and creative vendors

• Experience using audience analytics and digital publishing tools to inform editorial strategy

• Familiarity with emerging approaches to multimedia and AI-assisted content development

• Experience building editorial brands and growing audiences across multiple platforms

Essential Functions:

Editorial Strategy and Leadership

• Develops and leads a cohesive editorial strategy for Rice’s flagship editorial platforms, ensuring content reflects the university’s priorities, distinctive identity, and institutional voice while connecting individual stories to broader institutional goals and narratives

• Serves as the senior editorial leader for Rice Magazine, Rice Research Review, and the university podcast, maintaining high standards for journalism, storytelling, accuracy, creativity, and production quality

• Establishes an editorial vision that connects individual stories and issues to larger narratives about Rice’s role in higher education, research, and society

• Demonstrates genuine curiosity and interest in people, ideas, discovery, and the world of higher education and research

• Identifies emerging topics, voices, trends, and opportunities that can strengthen Rice’s reputation and distinguish its storytelling from peer institutions

• Develops annual and long-term editorial calendars in collaboration with Public Affairs colleagues and university leadership

• Ensures content reaches audiences effectively across print, web, email, audio, social media, and other appropriate channels

Rice Magazine

• Provides overall editorial direction for Rice Magazine, Rice’s flagship publication for alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends of the university

• Shapes issue themes, story packages, and editorial priorities

• Assigns, edits, and develops major feature stories, profiles, essays, news features, and other content

• Demonstrates exceptional editorial judgment, writing, editing, and storytelling ability

• Works closely with writers, photographers, designers, and other creative partners to produce a distinctive, high-quality publication

• Ensures Rice Magazine reflects the breadth of the university while maintaining a clear and compelling editorial identity

Rice Research Review

• Leads the editorial strategy and content development for Rice Research Review, highlighting the university’s research enterprise and its impact on Houston, the nation, and the world

• Translates complex scientific, technological, and scholarly work into compelling stories accessible to broad audiences without sacrificing accuracy or intellectual rigor

• Develops strong relationships with faculty, researchers, students, and research leaders to identify breakthrough discoveries, emerging areas of scholarship, and compelling human stories

• Collaborates with Rice’s research communications team and other Public Affairs colleagues to identify opportunities for coordinated storytelling and build productive relationships across a complex organization

• Maintains a clear understanding of audience needs and demonstrates the ability to create content that is intellectually substantive and genuinely engaging

Podcast Leadership

• Develops and launches a new Rice University podcast, establishing its editorial concept, voice, format, and audience strategy

• Identifies compelling topics and guests and oversees episode development from concept and research through scripting, recording, editing, and distribution

• Develops an editorial approach that leverages the unique strengths of audio storytelling rather than simply repurposing written content

• Works with internal and external production partners, as appropriate, to ensure a polished and distinctive listening experience

• Develops strategies to grow the podcast audience and integrate podcast storytelling with Rice’s broader editorial and communications efforts

Content Development and Editing

• Writes, edits, and develops high-level editorial content, including feature stories, profiles, essays, editorials, interviews, scripts, and other storytelling formats

• Assigns work to staff and freelance writers and editors and provides clear, constructive editorial direction

• Edits for accuracy, clarity, narrative structure, tone, voice, and audience engagement

• Maintains rigorous journalistic and editorial standards

• Coaches writers and other contributors to strengthen storytelling and develop editorial skills

• Ensures stories represent the diversity of perspectives, disciplines, experiences, and communities that comprise Rice

Collaboration and Institutional Storytelling

• Builds strong working relationships with university leaders, faculty, researchers, staff, students, and alumni to uncover stories and develop sources

• Partners closely with colleagues throughout the Office of Public Affairs, including Marketing and Brand Strategy, News and Media Relations, Research Communications, Digital Communications, Social Media, and Creative Services

• Collaborates with Advancement, Alumni Relations, Admissions, academic schools, and other university partners when appropriate

• Serves as a trusted editorial adviser to university leadership and communications colleagues

• Helps identify opportunities to coordinate editorial storytelling with major university initiatives, milestones, research discoveries, and institutional priorities

Innovation and Audience Growth

• Monitors changes in journalism, publishing, digital media, podcasting, and audience behavior and incorporates relevant innovations into Rice’s editorial strategy

• Uses audience insights and analytics to understand content performance and inform future editorial decisions

• Explores new storytelling formats, including multimedia, video, interactive features, newsletters, social storytelling, and other emerging platforms

• Develops strategies for extending the reach and lifespan of major stories across multiple channels

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits 
Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University 

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please get in touch with Rice University’s Human Resources Office via email at facstaffada@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.