Senior Content Editor

Are you a true language virtuoso who enjoys working on the content and quality of (online) communication? Do you enjoy providing editorial advice and collaborating effectively with colleagues from a wide range of disciplines? If so, we’d love to have you join the SURF Online, Content & Events team as an editor-in-chief!

Where you will work

SURF is the ICT cooperative for Dutch educational and research institutions. Together with them, we work on digital services and complex innovation challenges to enhance the quality of education and research.

Working at SURF means working for a unique and open organization. This is evident in everything: the structure of the organization, the setup of the project teams, the culture in our offices, and the atmosphere among colleagues. SURF offers excellent terms of employment and a flexible approach to work/life balance. Employees enjoy working independently. In addition, everyone is given the space and freedom to use and develop their talents as effectively and broadly as possible.

The team you will join

As an editor-in-chief, you’ll be part of the Online, Content & Events team. You’ll work closely with the creators of various written content, the Communications & Marketing team, and other colleagues at SURF. To best reach our target audiences and ensure maximum impact, you’ll adapt the tone and content of our communications in accordance with the SURF style guide and base your decisions on the data analyses and recommendations provided by our online marketers.

What you will do

As an editor-in-chief at SURF, you’ll edit and write a wide variety of texts (interviews, news articles, reports, blogs) for various channels, such as our website (surf.nl), social media, newsletters, and brochures. We’ll also occasionally ask for your advice on corporate communications (including annual reports and plans), and you’ll provide SURF-wide language tips and training, both when asked and on your own initiative.

You’ll work closely with all communications colleagues and guide them on the content and quality of their texts. In doing so, you’ll focus on elements such as readability, tone, completeness, an outside-in perspective, conversion opportunities, originality, and accessibility. You’ll be able to navigate an environment where colleagues sometimes have strong opinions, while always keeping the communication strategy and the needs of the target audience in mind.

Key Responsibilities:

• Editing various texts and translations (English), such as news articles, conversion-focused service pages, interviews, reports, and corporate reports. This includes providing recommendations for content improvements.
• Editing the weekly newsletter.
• Writing articles (interviews, case studies, blogs) for surf.nl, communities.surf.nl, and the intranet about ICT applications and developments in education and research.
• Providing language advice, including managing and expanding the SURF Style Guide, as well as conducting writing workshops.
• Contributing ideas and advising on improvements and changes that enhance the reach and impact of our communications.
• For content planning, we collaborate using a Kanban board (Jira); you will track the schedule and progress of production projects there.

Your skills and experience

• A precise, meticulous, and impeccable feel for language.
• At least 3 years of experience writing and editing online and offline content.
• Experience working with CMS platforms (preferably Drupal).
• Strong communication skills and a team player. You enjoy sharing knowledge and offering advice.
• You’re a good planner and manage deadlines effectively.
• You are able to handle stress and work under time pressure.
• A strong command of the English language.

With this vacancy an assessment can be part of the selection procedure.

SURF takes pleasure in doing its recruitment itself; acquisition is therefore not appreciated.