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An Opportunity For Content + Creativity With SWIMMER

Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. Photo before the start of the ice kilometer at the 2017 Ice Swimming Aqua Sphere World Championships in Burghausen, Germany.

Imagine combining two of the loves of your life…one on dryland and one in the open water.

Imagine swimming for a living; imagine traveling and working; imagine thinking about your job while swimming – essentially doing two things at once.

This is the opportunity that awaits the next individual who becomes the Manager, Publications for U.S. Masters Swimming publications, website, and electronic newsletters.

Elaine Howley served in this position as the Associate Editor for U.S. Masters Swimming. As a marathon swimmer (English Channel + Catalina Channel + Manhattan Island Marathon Swim + Loch Ness), pioneer swimmer (Lake Pend Oreille), ice swimmer (Ice Mile + Ice Swimming World Championship participant), open water event director (Boston Light Swim + Memphremagog Winter Swimming Festival, and administrator (Marathon Swimming Federation), Howley wrote nearly 160 feature articles in SWIMMER Magazine, the official periodical of U.S. Masters Swimming, in addition to numerous contributions of online content that featured open water swimmers, historical events in the sport, selfless volunteers, and events of all sorts and distances from 2009 to this month.

But the tireless contributor is shifting gears and starting her new role as the Brand Manager with the Boston-based start-up beer company Mighty Squirrel.

Her departure leaves a huge gap within the U.S. Masters Swimming organization headquartered in Sarasota, Florida* for a creative writer with editorial skills and swimming experience and knowledge.

Laura Hamel explains the position and opportunity. “The Manager, Publications will be responsible for writing and editing assigned content, coordinating contracts, content assignment, deliverables, and accounts payable for numerous freelance contributors; and facilitating internal messaging, marketing, and sponsorship deliverables related to USMS publications, website, and electronic newsletters. The Manager, Publications will be accountable for managing the content creation and delivery process and meeting publications deadlines for USMS’s flagship publication, SWIMMER, a bimonthly print magazine with accompanying digital version; articles on the USMS website and the STREAMLINES eNewsletter series, which delivers relevant swimming content to members, coaches, and volunteers in its 40 issues per year.”

The responsibilities of the position include the following roles and duties:

* Research, write, and edit articles on a variety of swimming and fitness topics.
* Work with the USMS network of freelance contributors to obtain, format, and edit articles and source images and artwork.
* Work closely with Director, Publications and Communications in the development and maintenance of USMS editorial calendars.
* Serve as a liaison between editors, writers, photographers, designers, volunteers, and others who collaborate to create USMS publications.
* Build strong relationships with contributors through training and support on USMS processes and to ensure timely delivery of content.
* Develop content recommendations that are relevant to the various segments of USMS membership.
* Take part in planning for all publications, including ongoing collection, organization, and discussion of submitted content recommendations, as well as actively selecting content for publications.
* Work with volunteer committee chairs and/or publications liaisons to generate fresh content ideas.
* Source, catalog, and keyword images for the USMS stock library as they are obtained from contributors.
* Work closely with relevant department staff to coordinate unified membership, marketing, events, and programs messaging integrated with USMS publications.
* Respond to media inquiries and coordinate internal responses as needed.
* Draft organizational press releases.
* Recognize and recommend opportunities to work with other organizations and the mainstream media to promote Masters Swimming.

In order to be considered for the position, the individual must have the following experiences and talents:

* Professional writing and editing experience. Writing samples will be required.
* Bachelor’s degree in journalism or English, or other bachelor’s degree with demonstrated commensurate experience.
* Prior swimming experience and/or knowledge of the sport of swimming is preferred.
* Nonprofit, National Governing Body and/or fitness related experience a plus.
* Superb written and oral communication skills.
* Excellent organizational skills.
* Ability to bring multiple projects to completion congruently in a fast-paced environment and meet deadlines.
* Demonstrated ability to collaborate and work in a team environment.
* Excellent computer proficiency, including experience with Office 365 Suite and Adobe Creative Cloud, combined with the ability quickly learn new and relevant software.
* Photography, graphic design, or other creative background or training a plus.
* Must be able to occasionally work evenings and weekends and travel as required. Limited travel may be necessary.

* Willingness to participate in conference calls outside of traditional business hours.

To learn more about the opportunity, visit here. To apply for the position, visit here.

* USMS is the premier resource for adult aquatic fitness in the United States. The non-profit organization endeavors to make fitness through swimming available for as many adults as possible. Founded in 1970, USMS is a membership-operated national governing body that promotes health, wellness, fitness, and competition for adults through swimming. It does so by partnering with more than 1,500 adult swim programs across the country that offer a USMS licensed Masters Swimming program to its 65,000+ registered members; educating and certifying coaches and instructors that are teaching adults; promoting information via the bimonthly member magazine, SWIMMER, monthly e-newsletters, STREAMLINES, and website, usms.org; and by sanctioning and promoting pool, open water, and virtual events and competitions.

Copyright © 2016 by World Open Water Swimming Association

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