Associate Editor Jobs in Waukee, IA (NOW HIRING)

The Associate Content Copy and Production Editor plays a vital role in upholding the editorial quality and production integrity of the Garden Group's entire portfolio, spanning three respected national brands: Fine Gardening, Garden Gate, and Horticulture. This role is the final line of defense for accuracy, clarity, and brand voice across every touchpoint our audience encounters, from the printed page to the inbox to the screen.

Operating at the intersection of print and digital, this role is central to how the Garden Group delivers a consistent, polished reader experience across a wide print subscriber base and a fast-growing digital audience. The Associate Content Copy and Production Editor partners closely with editors, designers, and producers across all three brands to keep complex, multi-platform production schedules on track, from managing issue deadlines and packaging print content for press, to reviewing digital articles, newsletters, and video for accuracy and consistency, to supporting SEO best practices that extend the reach of our content.

Beyond copyediting, this role is a builder: constructing and publishing web content, assembling newsletters for multiple brands, and keeping evergreen content fresh and discoverable. The Associate Content Copy and Production Editor is also a trusted partner for special editorial initiatives, stepping in on high-priority projects that demand additional attention and a sharp editorial eye.

Key Responsibilities

Print Editorial & Production

• Serve as a key copyeditor for Fine Gardening, Garden Gate, and Horticulture print publications, ensuring every issue meets the highest standards of accuracy, clarity, grammar, and style.
• Review and package print content for production for selected brands, coordinating closely with editors and designers to ensure a smooth, on-time handoff to press.
• Manage and/or attend production meetings and content production platforms as needed, providing regular deadline reminders and clear, organized status summaries that keep the entire team aligned and on schedule.
• Act as a quality-control checkpoint throughout the print production cycle, catching inconsistencies before they reach the page.

Digital Editorial

• Copyedit all Fine Gardening, Garden Gate, and Horticulture newsletters, ensuring polished, on-brand content reaches subscribers' inboxes error-free.
• Copyedit new and previously published website articles, including regular features such as GPOD, print issue uploads, and additional web-only content, maintaining editorial consistency across a high volume of content.
• Review video content (YouTube and reels) for errors and consistency of formatting, safeguarding brand quality across every content format.
• Support SEO optimization for online content, helping extend the reach and discoverability of Garden Group articles.
• Attend and contribute to various digital editorial meetings, offering an editorial perspective on content planning and strategy.
• Take on the bulk of WordPress builds, including large, complex issue builds for Fine Gardening, ensuring digital content is published accurately and on time.
• Construct newsletters for various brands as needed, from content selection through final send.
• Maintain continuous content refresh for Fine Gardening, Garden Gate, and Horticulture, keeping the Garden Group's evergreen library accurate, current, and optimized for search.
• Support special projects, such as Advon/similar affiliate content, that require additional editorial attention, serving as a flexible, reliable resource wherever the brands need it most.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with editors, art and production teams, and digital producers across all three brands to ensure seamless handoffs between print and digital workflows.
• Build strong working relationships across the editorial organization, serving as a go-to resource for questions of style, accuracy, and brand consistency.
• Contribute editorial insight and quality-assurance expertise to ongoing improvements in production processes and content workflows.

What Success Looks Like

• Print and digital content across all three brands is consistently accurate, polished, and delivered on schedule.
• Production timelines run smoothly, with clear communication and proactive deadline management across teams.
• The Garden Group's editorial voice remains distinct, trustworthy, and consistent across every platform and format.
• Editorial and production colleagues view this role as an essential, dependable partner in delivering high-quality content.

Required

• Strong copyediting and proofreading skills, with a keen eye for accuracy, consistency, and brand voice.
• Proven ability to manage multiple deadline-driven tasks across print and digital platforms with minimal supervision.
• Experience with production workflows and project management tools such as Trello.
• Working knowledge of content management systems such as WordPress, and familiarity with SEO best practices.
• Comfort collaborating cross-functionally with print and digital editorial teams.
• Excellent written communication skills with a strong command of brand voice across multiple properties.
• Ability to organize and track competing deadlines across multiple brands and formats.
• Sound editorial judgment and the confidence to flag issues, ask questions, and uphold quality standards under deadline pressure.
• Bachelor's degree in journalism, English, communications, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Preferred

• Experience copyediting or producing print magazines or publications.
• Familiarity with newsletter construction and platforms.
• Background in lifestyle, home, garden, food, or enthusiast media.
• Genuine interest in or knowledge of gardening, horticulture, or outdoor living.
• Familiarity with video content review and formatting standards for social and streaming platforms.
• Experience working across multiple brands or publications simultaneously.

Why This Role Matters

This is a rare opportunity to shape the editorial quality of three respected, long-standing brands at once. The Associate Content Copy and Production Editor sits at the heart of the Garden Group's content operation, with visibility into every stage of the editorial process and the chance to make a direct, daily impact on what a wide readership sees in print and online.

Active Interest Media values diversity in the workplace and is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.