Senior Storyteller / Writer

Are you a seasoned storyteller and editorial professional who thrives on creating meaningful storytelling with broad reach? The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA), the private fundraising and alumni relations organization for UW–Madison, is seeking a Senior Storyteller / Writer to help shape some of our signature publications. This position, contributing to our WFAA communications team, will serve as coeditor of On Wisconsin, the university’s award-winning quarterly alumni magazine that, though its print and digital forms, reaches more than 500,000 alumni worldwide.

The position also serves as editor of WFAA’s awards publication, among other storytelling work. In this role, you’ll collaborate with colleagues and freelancers to produce compelling stories that celebrate the people, ideas, and impact of UW–Madison. This hybrid position is based in Madison, Wisconsin, with at least two days per week in the office.

Who is WFAA?
The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is a private, nonprofit corporation that encourages individuals and organizations to make gifts to the university and to connect with the UW. In 2014, the UW Foundation merged with the Wisconsin Alumni Association® to better serve a growing population of UW alumni and donors. We believe that private support grows out of good relationships between campus leaders, faculty and program staff who need support, and the alumni and friends who want to invest in UW–Madison. We provide important engagement opportunities to link UW–Madison alumni to each other and to their alma mater, building a strong community of Badgers.

Diversity and Inclusion:

Just as the university community benefits from differing viewpoints, perspectives, and experiences, inclusion and diversity are imperative for the success of our mission. WFAA values people and the differences that they bring to the organization, and creates an environment in which all staff members and constituents feel respected and have opportunities to thrive.  

On Wisconsin

• Collaborate with staff at WFAA and the Office of Strategic Communications (OSC) to produce On Wisconsin, UW–Madison’s quarterly alumni magazine.
• Partner closely with the OSC coeditor and design team to plan and execute each issue.
• Hire and manage freelance writers and secure photography and other visuals.
• Lead strategy for On Wisconsin’s digital channels.
• Consider storytelling from concept to completion as a multimedia effort, working with social media and video storytellers to create compelling, break-out content
• Collaborate on and develop digital content distribution strategies with broader WFAA communications and OSC
• Use SEO and GEO principles to maximize On Wisconsin’s readership online.
• Serve as key point of contact with magazine printer to ensure high-quality production and timely mailing.
• Ensure the magazine is produced on time and within budget.
• Share story ideas and success metrics with leadership at WFAA and OSC.

WFAA Awards Publication

• Work closely with the alumni awards team to develop stories about award recipients.
• Coordinate with freelance writers and photographers.
• Lead production of a publication highlighting award recipients.
• Support marketing efforts related to the awards program, as needed.

Additional Responsibilities

• Write for On Wisconsin and other WFAA publications.
• Maintain 4WARD records for people featured in On Wisconsin and constituents who write to the magazine.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, English, communications arts, or of a similar field.  
• 7 + years of experience in journalism, writing, publishing, communications, or a similar field
• Knowledge of magazine publishing
• Knowledge and experience in multimedia and digital publishing and social media content development
• Experience working with writers and designers
• Expertise with Word, Teams, Zoom, or similar conferencing software
• Familiarity with InDesign and Adobe Creative Suite, WordPress, Salesforce Marketing Cloud
• Familiarity with MS Office software and Mac operating systems.

Other Qualifications:

• Experience working in Higher education.
• Experience with hiring and managing freelancers.
• Strong interviewing skills, strong sense of initiative.
• Understanding of marketing and journalistic concepts, experience creating content about diverse constituencies, and a passion for UW–Madison.

At WFAA, we are dedicated to creating an inspiring, creative, and respectful work environment for our employees. We offer competitive pay and an outstanding benefits program, including a generous 10% 401k contribution after just one year of service! Join us and be part of a team that values your growth and well-being. Click here to learn more about our employee benefits!