The American Chemical Society (ACS) is the world’s largest scientific membership association, with a mission to “advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people”.

 

ACS Publications is a Division of the ACS and has all the characteristics of a medium-large scientific and technical publishing organization. It is one of two Divisions charged with serving the dual function of generating a reliable annual surplus to support the Society’s programmatic activities, while also fulfilling a core goal of the Society in advancing knowledge in the field of chemistry and the chemical enterprise. The Division publishes 80+ high-quality peer-reviewed journals covering the breadth of chemistry and allied fields, as well as numerous other high-quality products and services of benefit to the global community.

 

Within the Publications Division, C&EN (Chemical & Engineering News) produces authoritative, award-winning journalism from around the world of chemistry. C&EN’s website receives more than 13 million page views per year.

 

C&EN is looking for an Editorial Projects Coordinator to join our team and play a crucial role in supporting our executive leadership and ensuring our editorial projects run smoothly.

 

Reporting to the Director & Publisher, C&EN, the Editorial Projects Coordinator will be responsible for providing a wide range of operational support to the C&EN leadership team. This role is integral to keeping our newsroom organized, efficient, and focused on producing top-quality content. The successful candidate will work closely with senior leaders, assisting in the coordination of key editorial projects, managing schedules, tracking project progress, and ensuring deadlines are met.

 

Key Responsibilities:

Project Coordination & Management

Oversee the planning, execution, and tracking of editorial projects and escalate issues that create risk for meeting timelines and objectives. Facilitate communication and collaboration between editorial teams, freelancers, and external partners. Monitor and report on project progress, identify any potential issues, and proactively suggest and implement solutions.

Content & Workflow Management

Create and maintain up-to-date editorial calendars and coordinate multiple workflows to ensure all team members are aligned on project and production timelines. Track and manage incoming project ideas and stories to support seamless production. Prepare project and business analysis plans in collaboration with editorial leads.

Research & Reporting

In collaboration with the data analytics manager, conduct research to support editorial projects, gathering data and insights on audience needs, trends, and competitive landscapes. Use data and insights to inform project proposal and execution. Produce and disseminate regular reports on project progress and performance. Recommend changes as needed to ensure project goals are met.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Collaborate with other departments (such as marketing, audience development, and product teams) to support integrated projects. Assist leadership team in developing new initiatives that expand our reach and engage a global audience.

Operational Support

Assist C&EN leaders with scheduling, travel planning, and day-to-day operations and logistics needs. Prepare, organize, and disseminate documents, financial reports, meeting minutes, and presentations for leadership meetings. Manage communications on behalf of editorial leaders, including drafting and responding to emails and coordinating follow-ups as needed.

 

Required Education and Experience:

High School Diploma required. Additional education is preferred but not required. 3+ years of experience in project coordination, preferably in a newsroom, publishing, or media organization. Experience in utilizing data from disparate sources to inform project goals and execution. Experience supporting and interacting with senior leaders. Excellent written and verbal communication with both technical and nontechnical audiences. Ability to make well-reasoned decisions and lead cross-functional teams. Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities. Exceptional organizational skills with attention to detail. Strong communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to handle multiple projects in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., Asana, Adobe Workfront) and familiarity with content management systems (e.g., Adobe Experience Manager, Sharepoint). Demonstrated ability to work independently and proactively, and as part of a team. Awareness of and sensitivity to global audiences and media landscapes. Understanding of and aptitude for collecting and analyzing audience engagement and digital publication metrics.

 

This role is based in our Washington, D.C. office. A reasonable rate of compensation for this position is between $34.50- $36.00 per hour. 

ACS currently provides the following benefits for this position: paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, paid holidays, health insurance, flexible spending account or health care savings account, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, retirement benefits, short- and long-term disability, and 4-week work from anywhere; each benefit is subject to the terms of the applicable program. Additional benefits may apply based on skills, experience, and location. 

Any actual offer of employment, reflecting the total compensation package and benefits, will be made in the sole discretion of ACS. ACS reserves the right to amend or modify its employment benefits and compensation structure at any time.