Communication Specialist/Senior Managing Editor

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research seeks to improve the health of individuals, families, and populations by understanding the problems, issues, and alternatives in the design and delivery of health care services. This is accomplished through an interdisciplinary program of research, consultation, technical assistance, and training that focuses on timely and policy-relevant questions concerning the accessibility, adequacy, organization, cost, and effectiveness of health care services, and the dissemination of this information to policymakers and the general public.

North Carolina Institute of Medicine
The North Carolina Institute of Medicine ( NCIOM) Is an Independent, quasi-state agency that was chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly In 1983 to provide balanced, nonpartisan information on Issues of relevance to the health of North Carolina's population. The NCIOM convenes task forces, or working groups, of knowledgeable and interested individuals to study complex health issues facing the state in order to develop workable solutions to address these issues. Through an arrangement with the North Carolina Medical Society, the NCIOM co-publishes (with The Duke Endowment) the North Carolina Medical Journal.

The mission of the NCIOM Is two-fold:
To seek constructive solutions to statewide problems that impede the improvement of health and efficient and effective delivery of healthcare for all North Carolina citizens, and to serve an advisory function at the request of the Governor, the General Assembly, and/or agencies of state government, and to assist in the formation of public policy on complex and interrelate issues concerning health and healthcare for the people of North Carolina.

The NCIOM addresses this two-part mission through coordination and sponsorship of research, collection of information on major issues, the analysis of viable options, and the development of consensus within the membership of the NCIOM and the various stakeholders with respect to particular issues on a range of solutions which are in the best interests of the public.

The North Carolina Institute of Medicine's communications specialist/senior managing editor will be responsible for all facets of producing and disseminating health policy research information through the development and production of the North Carolina Medical Journal ( NCMJ), a scholarly journal of health policy published by the North Carolina Institute of Medicine ( NCIOM), and to provide research and general staff support. The position is the equivalent of a chief operating officer for a major journal (circulation of 150,000 electronic); annual budget, about $400,000), and requires substantial capacity to independently plan, manage and coordinate the timely production and distribution of four NCMJ issues annually. This includes working with in-house and freelance staff, the journal's editor in chief, and the NCMJ editorial board to develop the editorial calendar, determine content, plan production timelines, oversee individual workflows (writing, editing, layout, printing, etc.), enforce deadlines, edit and copy edit all journal content, and proofread the final layout of each issue.

In addition, the communications specialist/senior managing editor will provide communications expertise for the organization as a whole. In this role, the communications specialist will help develop and implement a communications plan that integrates the work of the NCMJ and NCIOM. The communications specialist will serve as a communications advisor to all NCIOM projects. The communications specialist will also coordinate the NCIOM's social media and maintain NCIOM and NCMJ websites (www.nciom.org, www.ncmedicaljournal.com), including coordinating content creation with NCIOM staff and website vendors.

The communications specialist/senior managing editor will also manage strategic planning for media outreach about NCIOM and NCMJ projects and publications, and will maintain records of media coverage, mentions, and other communications analytics.

The communications specialist/senior managing editor will work under the direction of Michelle Ries, MPH, President and CEO of the NCIOM and Co-Publisher of the NCMJ; the Associate Director of the NCIOM; and the Editor-in-Chief of the NCMJ. The communication specialist/senior managing editor will maintain good working relationships with policy makers, health care professionals, and the public, as well as with NCMJ stakeholders, including authors, advertisers, production partners, and funders. The selected candidate will be able to work as part of a close-knit interdisciplinary team and to represent the NCIOM and the NCMJ in a professional manner. The position is hybrid, with on-site work in Chapel Hill, other Triangle sites, and occasional additional travel around the state. Funding for the position relies heavily on a three-year grant, with grant renewal expected in January 2026.

Bachelor's degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

The candidate must be organized, detail-oriented, able to work independently, and able to create, manage, and adhere to deadlines. Candidate must be skilled and experienced in developing and delivering written and verbal communications for a variety of audiences, including academic audiences, legislators, readers, and health care professionals, as well as in developing overall strategic communications plans for specific projects and across the organization.

The candidate must have editorial experience. Candidates should also have a clear understanding of and experience in journal production. The candidate must be proficient in citation and reference management, MS Word, MS Excel, Adobe Acrobat Professional, WordPress, and must have competence in current web technologies, digital publishing tools, and social media tools.

Candidates must also understand and have experience with multiple media approaches in communication with the lay public, health care professionals, business leaders, and state policy makers. Strong administrative, leadership, project management, and writing/editing skills are required.

The candidate must demonstrate strong collaboration skills, with the ability to effectively work with colleagues across projects to achieve shared goals.

Preferred candidates will have at least 5 years total relevant experience with scientific publishing, manuscript editing, journal production, social media tools, and/or web site design and maintenance. Preferred candidate will have experience in state health policy, public policy, or public health, and will be proficient in InDesign, Canva, and website management tools, including HTML editing.

Preferred Education: Completion of a Master's degree in journalism, communications, public health, social behavioral sciences, or related degree. However, a person with substantial experience as a managing editor or in an equivalent position whose training is equivalent to Master's preparation would be considered.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.