Web Design Manager

EdSource is seeking a digital manager with design skills, technical ability and an interest in journalism to join an award-winning team and lead the daily operations of EdSource.org. The Web Design Manager will support reporters and collaborate with EdSource editors to ensure web content and graphics are published across multiple platforms with integrity and precision.

The Web Design Manager role is interdisciplinary and collaborative, encompassing website management and content administration along with visual design and software production. It will involve close partnership with editors and reporters, as well as data, photo, video and audience engagement specialists. The position will provide ample opportunities for a visual storyteller who knows how to marry new media skills with important journalism.

Attention to detail in all things production and distribution is a must. The successful candidate will be driven to hone technical skills, stay abreast of best practices in online news and be passionate about advancing EdSource’s digital presence across all platforms. Experience with web development, interactive graphics and data journalism is preferred.

While this role involves working in partnership with editorial staff to tell amazing digital stories, a core responsibility of the position is to ensure that EdSource’s online presence is stable, robust and uninterrupted. The Web Design Manager must be comfortable working on deadline, responding rapidly to web requests, managing vendors and being proactive in offering support to colleagues.

Founded in 1977, EdSource is a highly respected independent, nonprofit organization with a long track record of reporting on important education issues. While its primary focus is on California, EdSource covers issues within a national context.

The Web Design Manager will join an influential and growing organization recognized as one of the most authoritative sources of education reporting in a state with the nation’s largest system of public education.

General Responsibilities

Collaborate with editors, reporters and contractors to create and support the creation of web projects, including interactive data visualizations, comprehensive databases and full-fledged news apps.
Ensure EdSource.org is regularly updated and content feels fresh, including reviewing the home page on a daily basis and ensuring the site’s taxonomy (e.g., topics and tags) is optimal.
Develop and experiment with new and different ways to tell stories online, including multimedia and mixed-media.
Help manage media library and ensure fresh, high-quality images to illustrate stories.
Directly assist in the production, editing and layout of content, ensuring all HTML is standards compliant.
Ensure the integrity of design across platforms and device formats through publication and distribution, troubleshooting CSS display issues.
Manage EdSource’s WordPress CMS, including user administration, ensuring system is up-to-date, and offering proactive and rapid-response website maintenance, as needed.
Be the primary resource for EdSource’s large and custom WordPress setup, administering and assisting with templates, dashboards, custom fields and scripts while fixing bugs.
Oversee vendor accounts, including web hosting, digital products, and procurement of electronics and technology.
Create professional-quality graphics for marketing purposes, as well as mockups for new site features or templates.
Provide support and training to staff, as needed and ensure that website functionality and tools are well documented.
Collect data and provide reports and analysis related to traffic, website trends, web server analytics, Google analytics and social networking media usage.
Troubleshoot display problems and server issues.

Required skills and experience

Strong design fundamentals in page layout, typography, and graphics; must be able to create visuals that have a clean and professional aesthetic using the Adobe suite.
Proficient with WordPress administration, including content authoring, user roles, taxonomies, plugins, templating systems and media management.
Experience with HTML / CSS, and CMS architecture. At minimum, basic competence in at least one programming language, ideally JavaScript or PHP, and a willingness to learn more.
Strong written communication skills, with excellent spelling and grammar. Ability to make technical or design topics clear to non-technical colleagues and create documentation.
Self-starter and self-motivated leader with excellent time management skills.

Preferred skills and experience

Experience working in a newsroom.
Experience customizing WordPress using PHP/MySQL.
Ability to work with data for investigative journalism, using SQL, R or other programming languages and/or dataviz tools and platforms.
Some experience with web server administration, back-end architecture and Unix.

While the Web Design Manager will collaborate with many staff based in California, this role’s location is flexible and can be remote. To apply, send a resume, a cover letter that includes links to past projects and your online portfolio, GitHub and social media account profiles to [email protected]. Please include the job title in subject line.

EdSource is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. People from all diverse backgrounds, all races, colors, origins, ancestries, creeds, religions, genders, ages, disabilities, veteran statuses, sexual orientations, and marital statuses are strongly encouraged to apply.

Web Design Manager