At Houston Methodist, the Senior Editor position is responsible for working collaboratively with other team members, analyzing HM current communication products, offering insight into content direction, troubleshooting issues and problem-solving when necessary, and working proactively to ensure both the team and stakeholders achieve goals and meet objectives. This position may be responsible for executive communication, digital, web, and/or internal communications material or nursing communications as appropriate. The Sr. Editor position may also translate scientific/medical information into language that can be understood by broad audiences.

The Senior Editor for Research Media Relations plays a leading role in translating complex scientific and medical research into accessible, newsworthy content for mainstream media. This unique position involves close collaboration with the PR team to shape content strategy, guide media outreach, and ensure alignment with institutional goals. Acting as the team’s “Research Desk Editor,” the Senior Editor for Research Media Relations monitors national medical news trends, identifies opportunities to feature Houston Methodist’s Centers of Excellence, and helps elevate the institution’s national reputation through strategic media placements. 

In addition to the responsibilities outlined in the job description below, expectations for this role include producing and pitching Leading Medicine news releases, supporting PR colleagues in developing research-focused media content, and identifying compelling research stories across the organization. The role also involves reviewing high-level manuscripts for media potential, tracking major grants, and maintaining relationships with internal and external communication partners.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Acts as a liaison between Editing team and other marketing department teams (Service Line, Brand, Creative Services, Web/Digital, SPG, PCG, IT, Global, nursing communications or assigned HM department) to accept projects, assess scope and bandwidth, assign tasks and push a project though, from inception to completion. Identifies when the goals of different teams do not align and suggests solutions that satisfy all parties.

• Provides guidance for all audiences needing communications, including nursing, executives, digital or web as appropriate.

• Develops relationships with all audience, including nursing, executives, digital or web as appropriate. Asks questions, inspires others to think through requests and push back in a positive, productive manner.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Works to ensure timely and effective content deployment at all times; meets deployment deadlines and ensures quick turnarounds in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment.

• Participates in the creation and streamlining of editorial processes, as well as developing and executing assigned marketing strategies. Coordinates with marketing leadership to ensure proper alignment on strategy priorities.

• Reviews updates to production copy - publishing/revising changes and escalating others to appropriate authority for consideration. May review material produced by more junior staff.

• Coordinates and facilitates content authorship and reviews with marketing team and outside stakeholders.

• Creates and delivers presentations to the team as well as to the broader marketing department.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assists content producers across the organization to develop strong copy that consistently maintains high standards and an accessible tone.

• Compiles biweekly project reports and distributes to entire marketing department team.

• Collaborates with setting standards and creating best practice guidelines for internal users, and ensures content conforms to established standards.

• Acts as a brand steward, ensuring all messaging, copy and other content is within brand voice and editorial guidelines.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assesses when projects should be kept in-house, both from a cost and resource perspective as well as a quality perspective.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies problems as well as new opportunities in assigned production area, mentoring others on the team to achieve new goals and objectives.

• Stays abreast with the latest trends that impact audiences including nursing, executives, digital or web. Continuously applies learnings and best practices to improve efficiency of content development and deployment process.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree in Communication, English, Journalism, or related field

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Seven years in writing and/or editing

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• N/A

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• A thorough knowledge of contemporary editorial and web practices

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment

• Strong organizational, communication and customer service

• Proficiency with Microsoft office applications and Adobe Creative Suite and other desktop publishing apps

• Ability to identify opportunities and propose solutions to make a project successful and satisfy stakeholders' needs

• Detail-oriented expert in copy editing and copy writing, with an unerring ability to make writing better through meaningful revisions and fastidious corrections

• Professional writing experience in the area of web copywriting (if assigned to web-based products) and demonstrated proficiency in proofreading and copy editing skills, as well as strong editorial judgment

• Proficiency in Sitecore and HTML preferred

• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills

• Ability to work both independently of and cooperatively with team members

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs No
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Houston Methodist (HM) is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers.  HM consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, and seven community hospitals throughout the greater Houston metropolitan area.  HM also includes an academic institute, a comprehensive residency program, a global business division, numerous physician practices and several free-standing emergency rooms and outpatient facilities.  Overall, HM employs over 25,000 employees.   Houston Methodist is supported by a wide variety of business functions that operate at the system level to help enable clinical departments to provide the best patient care and service in a spiritual environment.

In 2019 Houston Methodist and its physicians treat more than 6,333 international patients from more than 76 countries. Houston Methodist Global Health Care Services’ consulting and education divisions also provide advisory services and training and development to health care organizations around the world.