Associate Director, Editorial

About Central Park and the Central Park Conservancy:

Central Park is one of the world's most famous and beloved urban public spaces. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1858, the 843-acre Park was the country's first purpose-built public park and is a National Historic Landmark and a New York Scenic Landmark. The Central Park Conservancy, a private, not-for-profit organization, was founded in 1980 to rescue the Park which had fallen into serious disrepair. Since then, the Conservancy has overseen the investment of close to $2 billion in the restoration and management of the Park which now hosts over 40 million visitors a year.

The Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and celebrate Central Park as a sanctuary from urban life. The City of New York has formally entrusted the care of the Park to the Conservancy which is responsible for every aspect of its care, including landscape maintenance, capital improvements, and the visitor experience. The Conservancy employs roughly 400 people and has an annual operating budget of $120 million.

The Position

The Associate Director of Editorial anchors the Conservancy’s storytelling strategy and voice across multiple platforms and products including the website, newsletters, in-Park collateral, and other diverse materials. Serving as both a strategist and a practitioner, the Associate Director helps shape the organizational narrative while directly writing and editing content that brings it to life.

This is a highly collaborative position that interfaces with multiple departments to source, organize, and convey the mission-driven work we do to manage Central Park, and the benefits it confers to New Yorkers and the city at large. Working closely with the Senior Marketing Writer and Editor, the Associate Director will manage the editorial calendar, and subsequently direct and oversee the editorial and approvals process for all written content produced within the organization. They will act as chief copyeditor and custodian of the Conservancy’s house style guide, ensuring consistency, quality, and brand integrity across all published copy. A high standard of writing and editing excellence is essential, as is an understanding of the role the Conservancy plays in the civic life of New York City, and of the emotional connections people have with the Park.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Senior Vice President for Communications and Marketing, and other department colleagues, to develop and administer the editorial calendar

• Assign, write, and edit editorial content including magazine articles, guides, newsletters, event promotions, in-Park signage, and collateral pieces

• Manage content flow, updates, and editing on the Conservancy homepage and other key landing pages across the website

• Mentor and guide the Senior Marketing Writer and Editor, define success, manage their workflow processes, and provide regular feedback

• Partner with Social Media, Communications, Photo & Video, and Digital Experience teams on original projects grounded in content strategy and audience insights

• Project manage key initiatives (e.g. Annual Report, Capital Projects updates, marketing campaigns, etc.), including research, writing, editing, and internal approvals

• Cultivate and manage, as necessary, freelance copyeditors to ensure a consistent brand voice and strict deadlines are met

• Maintain house style guide and ensure compliance across all organizational platforms and departments

• Other special editorial projects as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience

• 5-7 years of commensurate experience in editorial management or content strategy

• Experience digesting complex information into compelling long-and short-form copy for print and digital products (e.g. website, email, project reports), plus proofreading and copyediting skills

• Project management experience, including the ability to set and execute clear priorities, deliver complex projects with diverse stakeholders, and draw insights from digital analytics

• People management experience, including strong interpersonal skills and mentorship of junior staff

Knowledge of SEO best practices for website copy, plus fluency in CMS platforms, accessibility standards, and modern web publishing practices

• Ability to work in fast-paced, flexible setting

• Excellent follow-up and follow-through skills

Salary range: $89K - $115,400 (based on experience)

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

The Central Park Conservancy’s work is guided by the belief that Central Park, and all public parks, must be managed and actively protected as an inclusive and democratic space for all.

Working closely with our New York City partners, we will always strive towards creating and sustaining a sense of belonging for all visitors and advocating for equitable and accessible public use of the Park.

In service of this belief, we are committed to fostering a workforce and organizational culture that is as diverse as Central Park itself and the dynamic city it serves.

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS: 

Establishment and maintenance of a safe work environment is the shared responsibility of this organization and employees at every level. The Conservancy will make every effort to assure a safe environment and follow federal, state, and local safety regulations. Employees are expected to obey safety rules and to exercise caution in all their work activities. Accordingly, employees should be aware of any hazards which could cause an injury or accident (e.g., spills, obstacles in walkways, etc.). If an employee discovers a potentially dangerous condition, he/she/they should alert other employees and notify his/her/their supervisor immediately.

DISCLAIMER: 

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.