Web Writer (Hybrid Opportunity) Job at UMass Amherst in Amherst

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We aspire to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives.

Job Summary

The Marketing & Communications (Marcom) group leads and coordinates strategic marketing efforts for UMass Amherst to raise the institution’s global visibility and deepen its reputation as a great public research university. It tells the university’s stories across platforms and builds strong relationships with audiences through traditional and new marketing tactics. The Marcom group provides leadership, consultation, partnership, and coordination for marketers and communicators across campus, collaborating with all colleges, schools, and units.

The university is bringing all main forward-facing website properties onto a unified technical platform supported by a robust content management system (Drupal) and clear web governance. We are looking for several key positions to round out our existing team. UMass Amherst is seeking an experienced content writer to join the digital team. In this role, you’ll help drive search traffic and awareness through editorial content and website copy. You’ll create engaging content based on university goals and high search volume topics. The ideal candidate has some technical proficiency, digital marketing experience, web writing, an understanding of SEO, and an appreciation for results measurement. You’ll write for the main institutional sites and work directly with university partners to write and edit content for their sites. UMass is a fast-paced environment that values excellence and efficiency while allowing autonomy, innovation, and creativity.

Essential Functions

• Work with university partners (schools, colleges, and units) to revise existing pages and create new web content, ensuring information is accurate and conforms to university editorial standards and brand guidelines.
• Write or edit long- and short-form content with on-brand voice and tone in collaboration with university partners and Marcom team members.
• Produce engaging content titles, meta descriptions, and content structure ideas with SEO best practices in mind.
• Translate print and electronic documents into formats suitable for web-based presentation.
• Edit existing evergreen website copy with new keywords or topics following the brand messaging strategy and UMass voice.
• Ensure overall consistency of voice and identity aligned with the university’s brand guidelines.
• Ensure all content is grammatically correct and reflects the appropriate tone and objectives for the university.
• Stay up-to-date on web content best practices and trends to bring new ideas that position UMass as a leader in web content.
• Demonstrate multicultural awareness and contribute to cultivating an inclusive, diverse, and respectful university community.

Other Functions

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, English, communications, or other relevant field.
• 3+ years’ experience in content writing.
• Experience with entering content into content management systems (Drupal, WordPress, etc.).
• Ability to handle multiple tasks with adherence to deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work independently or in a group setting.
• Ability to collaborate with others, including incorporating constructive feedback.
• Outstanding creative ability and a positive problem-solving approach.
• Experience with modern collaborative tools such as MS Teams, SharePoint, Wrike, or Basecamp.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in public/private industry, higher education, or nonprofit sectors.
• Exceptional editing and proofreading skills.
• Strong commitment to working collaboratively with campus colleagues and external constituencies to advance the university’s strategic goals.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical office environment.

Work Schedule

• Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5 PM.
• This position offers a hybrid work schedule, defined by the University as an arrangement where work is regularly performed at a location other than campus for part of the week. As this position falls within the Professional Staff Union, it is subject to the terms and conditions of the Professional Staff Union collective bargaining agreement.

Salary Information

Level 26. PSU Hiring Ranges.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume and cover letter. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three professional references.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.