Counseling Today is the premier source of news and information about professional counseling. The award-winning, bimonthly magazine has been published by ACA since 1958. The Editor-in-Chief will oversee the content strategy, content recruitment, and all areas of day-to-day editorial production for the print version of Counseling Today, its online content hub on the ACA website, and the Counseling Today member blog. This position supervises the magazine’s staff writers and consultants, including a freelance managing editor and designer.
The ideal candidate is an innovative editorial leader, possessing an inquisitive spirit, a keen eye for great content, an interest in developing strong relationships with members, and the ability to exhibit grace under pressure in the pursuit of editorial excellence while meeting deadlines on time. In addition to the below list of responsibilities, the Editor-in-Chief will carry out assigned tasks that are consistent with the general responsibilities of the position.
Editorial
- Track and generate feature article and department ideas for the magazine drawn from conversations with ACA members, leaders, and staff and information related to ACA programs and initiatives. Keep abreast of what’s in the news related to mental health and counseling.
- Issue planning: Convene staff team for an issue kick-off meeting; refine issue concept, gather appropriate sources and develop article assignments; direct the work of the designer, including photography assignments and art purchases; approve final layouts before upload to printer.
- Coordinate online exclusives and special features such as annual elections and the association’s annual conference.
- Oversee editing of all Counseling Today features, news articles, departments, and proofs. Write and edit articles, captions, and other content as needed. ACA follows Associated Press style with some exceptions outlined in an internal style guide.
- Select titles for the Recent Book Releases section and compile brief descriptions for each book.
- Monitor Counseling Today email box, including fielding incoming submissions and story ideas from ACA members.
- Maintain a consistent perspective, tone, look, and feel for the publication.
- Set an editorial schedule for the Counseling Today blog and recruit contributors.
- Review all unsolicited submissions for possible publication in the magazine, website, and blog.
Procedural
- Develop and manage the budget for Counseling Today, oversee monthly departmental budget and handle the invoicing process.
- Develop and maintain department policies and procedures.
- Assist members with inquiries and requests for back issues/archives.
- Track topics and sources to ensure diversity in topics and sources.
- Analyze all key business metrics and other data to ensure growth in readership. Support efforts to grow advertising/sponsorship revenue.
Member Relations
- Attend ACA Conference & Expo (annually) and component meetings (as budget allows), attending sessions for coverage in Counseling Today, gathering new story ideas and identifying sources and contributors.
- Represent the association and maintain positive relationships with leadership, members, potential interviewee sources, and external community.
- Solicit member feedback, through readers’ surveys and other methods, to help shape the magazine’s editorial.
- Contribute to the ongoing development of ACA’s database that tracks members’ expertise and specialty areas.
Other related duties as assigned.
2-3 Direct Reports.
Hybrid. Candidate must reside within the Washington, DC metro area.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in English, journalism, or related field.
- 10+ years of experience as an Editor or Senior Editor/Journalist.
- Ability to consistently manage and meet personal and team deadlines efficiently and effectively.
- At least five years of copyediting experience. Demonstrated skill in editorial project management.
- Advanced knowledge of Associated Press style.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Expert listening skills and ability to interact with people effectively.
- Effective judgment and decision-making skills.
- Expert knowledge about communication and mass media.
- Knowledgeable about publishing laws, postal policies, and other factors that may affect the publication.
- Excellent leadership and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to work successfully in a team-based environment and manage employees.
- Proficient in MS Office Suite. Basic knowledge of Adobe Suite (including InDesign and Acrobat).
- Knowledge of or interest in the mental health field a plus.
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