Volunteer Role: Website Editor

You MUST be a paid up member of InQuire to run for this position.

Purpose:

As an executive position, the Website Editor guides the website section editors with their sections, to maintain the website regularly and proofread articles that go up on the site. Also developing and advancing the newspaper in new and exciting ways as mentioned in the InQuire handbook and through committee agreement.

In your role, you will:

• Approve comments and monitor activity on the website.

• Proofread the website and assist with any issues that your team encounter.

• Liaise with IT / Social Media related committee members to discuss constant updating and structuring of the website

• Attend and chair committee meetings when required

• Reply to all emails (Approx ½ hr per day)

• Lead and support InQuire’s big events (including elections, Varsity coverage and charity events)

• Help develop new ideas and challenges for the website to ensure continuous development

• Maintain and build positive relationships with all funding partners, staff & community bodies, as well as maintaining links with CSR FM and KTV, InQuire’s student media partners

• Attend proofing sessions every two weeks for the newspaper

To help you in your role, InQuire will provide the following training and support:

• InQuire committee induction

• WordPress training

• InDesign training (at your request)

• Handover and shadowing from the outgoing Website Editor

• Support from the Student Media Manager as well as other Committee members

What will I get out of this role?

• Meeting new people and networking with industry/ Union professionals

• Enhance CV and gaining valuable skillset

• Improve training, communication and motivational skills

• Experience of working within a team as well as leading

• Learning valuable journalism skills such as InDesign, WordPress, and social media experience

Skills required:

• Organisation – you will receive a lot of emails and have to manage several projects at once

• Adequate experience of InQuire and the journalism/newspaper/online journalism industry

• Leadership – Must have the confidence and ability to lead and work within a team

• Willingness to learn and adapt as well as teach others

• Motivation – the Website Editor, with no set deadlines or times, needs to be absolutely motivated and dedicated to the job as the website can date easily in the space of a few days to a week.

Expected hours and commitment: Approximately 10-15 hours a week set aside for emailing, proofreading and meeting editors.

To do this volunteering role, above all you need to be dedicated to the work. This role is especially flexible in terms of dates and times of deadlines, unlike the Newspaper positions, but as such is more difficult as you have to be self-motivated and disciplined and make sure that you keep the website updated; it is very easily to slip into bad habits with no set deadlines. It takes a lot of time and energy but the rewards are monumental, as you will have gained a real insight into how the media works and what it takes to pursue a career in print journalism.

If you would like more information about this role please contact:

Nina Collins website.editor@inquiremedia.co.uk – OR –

Mel Lewis (Student Media Manager) m.e.lewis@kent.ac.uk / 01227 823005