Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Written Works Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Written Works Coordinator is a mid-level editorial specialist responsible for managing the end-to-end lifecycle of written content across channels — including commissioning, editing, quality control, metadata tagging, publication, and post-publication performance tracking. This role balances strong copyediting and proofreading expertise with project coordination, stakeholder management, and systems-driven content workflows, ensuring accuracy, brand voice consistency, accessibility, and on-time delivery of publications, reports, and digital assets.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Editorial Assistant or Editorial Intern with hands-on proofreading experience
Copyeditor or Content Coordinator with demonstrated project tracking
Communications Assistant or Marketing Coordinator with writing/editing duties

Advancement To:

Senior Editor or Managing Editor overseeing multiple content streams
Content Manager or Publications Manager responsible for strategy and team leadership
Editorial Project Lead or Program Manager for larger publication programs

Lateral Moves:

Content Strategy Specialist
Communications Specialist or Corporate Communications Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Own and manage the editorial calendar for assigned publications and content programs, coordinating timelines, milestones, contributor assignments, and publication dates to ensure consistent delivery and alignment with marketing and communications objectives.
Commission, brief, and liaise with internal subject-matter experts, freelance writers, and contributors; prepare clear briefs that define audience, objective, tone, format, length, and deadline expectations.
Perform substantive copyediting to improve clarity, structure, flow, tone, and factual accuracy while preserving author voice; apply established style guides (e.g., AP, Chicago, in-house) consistently across all outputs.
Conduct meticulous proofreading of final proofs, page layouts, and pre-publication files to catch typos, grammatical errors, punctuation inconsistencies, and formatting issues prior to print or digital release.
Enforce brand voice, legal and regulatory compliance, and editorial standards by reviewing content for claims, citations, trademarks, and required disclaimers; coordinate legal or subject-matter review where appropriate.
Maintain and evolve the publication’s style guide and editorial checklists, documenting decisions and exceptions to streamline onboarding and ensure consistent editorial decisions across contributors.
Manage version control and content governance using content management systems (CMS), cloud collaboration platforms, and editorial workflow tools; ensure accurate metadata, taxonomy tagging, and archiving for discoverability.
Coordinate layout and design handoffs with creative teams and production vendors; provide editorial input on typography, image captions, alt text for accessibility, and visual treatments to support readability and engagement.
Lead content QA for multi-channel distribution (web, email, print, social), verifying links, metadata, SEO elements (titles, descriptions, H1s), and rendering across devices and email clients.
Measure and report on content performance by tracking key metrics (engagement, reads, downloads, conversion or lead indicators), synthesizing insights to inform editorial prioritization and continuous improvement.
Facilitate cross-functional editorial meetings with marketing, product, legal, and events teams to align messaging, timelines, and resource allocation for major campaigns and publications.
Build and maintain contributor relationships by providing clear editorial feedback, deadlines, and style guidance, and by managing compensation, contracts, and onboarding for freelancers as needed.
Plan and execute special editorial projects such as annual reports, white papers, case study collections, or themed series, including budget forecasting, vendor selection, and milestone management.
Implement accessibility and inclusive-language best practices across content, ensuring alt text, readable formatting, clear plain-language summaries, and adherence to organizational accessibility standards.
Coordinate translations and localized content production by preparing source files, liaising with translators, and verifying cultural appropriateness and consistency in translated assets.
Oversee the final proofing and sign-off process for print runs and digital publications, coordinating pre-press checks, print quotes, and production schedules to meet distribution deadlines.
Establish and maintain a centralized content repository and publishing cadence, creating templates, checklists, and archives to reduce redundant work and speed up future production cycles.
Train, mentor, and provide performance feedback to junior editorial staff, interns, and contributors to grow in-house capacity and strengthen editorial quality.
Troubleshoot post-publication issues such as content errors, takedown requests, or version rollbacks; coordinate corrections, errata notices, or content updates across channels.
Drive SEO copy best practices across written works by optimizing headlines, subheads, on-page SEO elements, structured data where applicable, and internal linking to improve organic discoverability.
Manage permissions, rights, and attribution for reused content, syndicated pieces, photography, and third-party materials, ensuring contractual compliance and correct crediting.
Create and maintain editorial KPIs and dashboards, delivering monthly/quarterly reports with clear recommendations for improving quality, efficiency, and audience reach.
Participate in recruitment and vendor evaluations for freelance networks, copyediting agencies, and typesetting or printing partners, providing editorial criteria and sample evaluations.
Lead continuous process improvement initiatives for editorial workflows, including automation of repetitive tasks, adoption of editorial productivity tools, and streamlined approval pathways.

Secondary Functions

Respond to ad-hoc editorial and content requests from leadership and partner teams, prioritizing urgent needs while maintaining publication standards.
Contribute to the organization’s content strategy by recommending topics, formats, and distribution tactics based on audience insights and competitive analysis.
Translate stakeholder messaging goals into clear editorial requirements, aligning content production with campaign objectives and performance targets.
Participate in sprint planning and cross-functional standups when working within agile marketing or product development teams to surface risks and remove editorial blockers.
Support training sessions and documentation for non-editorial staff on writing for the organization, brand voice, and content submission best practices.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Professional-level copyediting and proofreading skills with deep familiarity with mainstream style guides (AP, Chicago, Oxford) and the ability to create and enforce a customized in-house style.
Proficiency using content management systems (CMS) such as WordPress, Drupal, or enterprise CMS platforms for publishing, metadata entry, and content versioning.
Strong SEO fundamentals for editorial content: keyword optimization, on-page SEO elements, meta descriptions, title tags, and internal linking strategies.
Experience with editorial workflow and collaboration tools (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, editorial calendars, Airtable, Trello, Asana, Monday.com).
Familiarity with design and layout tools and handoff processes (Adobe InDesign, Acrobat, Figma, or similar) to coordinate print and digital assets.
Basic HTML/CSS literacy to troubleshoot formatting issues, style content for the web, and ensure clean copy imports into CMS.
Competence in accessibility best practices (WCAG basics, alt text, semantic headings) to ensure compliant and inclusive written works.
Knowledge of metadata, taxonomy, and tagging conventions to improve content discoverability and archive integrity.
Experience managing freelance writers, contributors, or external vendors, including drafting scopes of work, managing deliverables, and processing invoices.
Ability to create and interpret content performance analytics using tools such as Google Analytics, content dashboards, or native CMS analytics.

Soft Skills

Exceptional attention to detail and a near‑obsessive commitment to accuracy, consistency, and editorial quality.
Strong written and verbal communication skills for providing clear editorial feedback and coordinating cross-functional stakeholders.
Project management and organizational abilities to track multiple simultaneous publication schedules and meet tight deadlines.
Sound judgment and editorial independence; ability to identify factual issues, conflicts of interest, and potential legal or reputational risks.
Collaborative mindset and stakeholder diplomacy to balance competing priorities across marketing, product, legal, and external partners.
Time management and prioritization skills in fast-paced environments with shifting deadlines.
Problem-solving orientation with the initiative to design process improvements and resolve publication bottlenecks.
Adaptability and learning agility to adopt new tools, style updates, or publishing formats quickly.
Mentoring and coaching skills to develop junior editorial talent and maintain a high-performing team culture.
Customer- and audience-centric thinking to craft clear, engaging content that meets reader needs and supports organizational goals.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Publishing, Marketing, or a closely related field.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s with a concentration in Editing/Publishing or a Master’s degree in Journalism, Publishing, or Communications preferred for senior roles.
Certifications in copyediting, SEO content, accessibility, or project management are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

English, Literature, or Creative Writing
Journalism or Reporting
Communications or Public Relations
Publishing, Editorial Studies, or Professional Writing
Marketing or Content Strategy

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–5 years of professional editorial, content coordination, or publishing experience for mid-level roles.

Preferred:

4–7+ years of editorial and publication management experience, including demonstrated competency in CMS platforms, freelance management, and cross-functional project delivery.
Prior experience in a sector-relevant environment (corporate communications, academic publishing, nonprofit publishing, B2B marketing, or trade magazines) is often preferred.