Lead Editor

Description

A Lead Editor at NCCER supports the Editorial team in ensuring editorial quality, consistency, and timely delivery of NCCER’s learning products. This role helps shape editorial standards, improve workflows, and guide content from manuscript through final proofs. Working with technical writers, layout specialists, project managers, technical illustrators, and more, the Lead Editor serves as a key communicator to maintain accuracy, clarity, and visual cohesion across all materials.

Responsibilities include performing detailed copyediting, reviewing Editors’ markup and changes for accuracy, reviewing and approving page proofs, and contributing to process and workflow documentation. The role also manages at least one editor and assists in onboarding and training activities for new team members.

NCCER is seeking a dedicated, detail-oriented, and creative Lead Editor with experience in educational content and people management. As a Lead Editor at NCCER, you will work closely with the editorial team and the Senior Manager of Content Development to help us develop materials used around the world to train construction craft professionals at high schools, vocational schools, colleges, and construction training centers.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead editorial processes and decisions — You will work with the Senior Manager of Content Development and other stakeholders to lead efforts to enhance editorial processes and create style guides. You will be thought partners in this space, defining the parameters of complex concepts so they can be easily understood and standardized by editors and other teams.

2. Maintain efficient workflows and meet deadlines — In collaboration with departmental leadership, you will be responsible for upholding editorial details while not losing sight of the bigger picture. You will help set, track, and maintain team deadlines to ensure completion and delivery of files within the project scope. 

3. Communicate and collaborate with cross-functional teams — In this role, you will serve as a key editorial point of contact and decision-maker for specific projects. You will communicate for the editorial team, working closely with technical writers, designers, project managers, artists, and other editors to ensure quality and efficiency of all external-facing materials. With so many key players and moving parts, maintaining healthy relationships with these teams through open and functional channels of communication is essential to project success. 

4. Review and approve page proofs and digital releases —You will ensure the look, feel, accuracy, and function of these products meets NCCER's standards. This includes quality checks on PDF proofs, copyediting storyboards, performing QA on classroom-facing PowerPoint presentations, and reviewing digital courses before they go live.

5. Perform and review copyediting — You will be responsible for copyediting a variety of learning materials. Alongside other editors, you will ensure all copy is clear and concise, meets an eighth to tenth grade reading level, and adheres to all in-house editorial standards and specifications. You will also ensure that the appropriate NCCER Word styles are applied accurately to the manuscript. 

6. Organize and deliver files — You will help organize project files and ensure they are correctly located when the editorial team finishes their work. This allows for efficient delivery of the files to other teams downstream in the project workflow. 

7. Manage and train editors — You will manage at least one editor within the editorial team, overseeing their development. You will manage their daily priorities, coach them professionally and personally, maintain their performance, and promote their growth. You will also assist with onboarding and training new editor hires, even those who do not report directly to you. 

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• 2 years of work experience in an editorial capacity, preferably with educational materials for high school, adult learning, or workforce training
• Computer proficiency (Familiarity with Mac OS preferred)
• Strong copyediting skills, including grammar, punctuation, proofreading, and page proofing
• Strong understanding of editorial best practices, readability standards, and instructional content quality.
• Excellent communication, reading comprehension and retention, organizational, and time-management skills
• Ability to work: Both independently and under the direction of a manager, well with others, well under press in deadline-driven, collaborative environments with multiple stakeholders.
• Handle shifting departmental priorities and deadline

Software Skills:

• Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word and PowerPoint
• Microsoft Teams and SharePoint
• Experience with Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) 
• Experience using Adobe Acrobat and markup tools
• Knowledge of desktop publishing software (i.e. Adobe Creative Suite) 
• Proficiency with basic XML tags a plus
• Knowledge of PerfectIt a plus
• Knowledge of Smartsheet a plus
• Knowledge of Confluence a plus

NCCER is an equal opportunity employer. No one shall be denied employment or opportunity based on race or color, sex, age, national origin, religion, physical or mental disability, veteran’s status, marital status, gender identity or sexual orientation. NCCER also provides reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities and bona fide religious beliefs, provided that such accommodation does not constitute an undue hardship on the Company.