Content Planner Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Discover Durham is Durham, North Carolina’s marketing and sales agency, generating economic impact by drawing 13 million leisure, business, and sports visitors to our vibrant community. Discover Durham also operates the Durham Sports Commission (DSC), a 501(c)3 whose mission is to create economic and social impact by leading the community’s efforts to attract, support, and promote sporting events at every level. And Durham Next, another nonprofit organization serving as a visionary community partnership for the sustainable advancement of Durham as the best place to live, work and visit. 

We’re looking for an Editorial Content Coordinator to join our Marketing team –someone who is as comfortable using project management tools as they are sharpening a sentence. This role is the production hub of the content team: you’ll own the editorial calendar, keep projects moving across multiple channels and collaborators and do meaningful writing and content work of your own, all under the direct guidance of the Director of Content & Public Relations. 

Day-to-day, that means drafting and updating web content, writing, formatting and sending email newsletters, drafting ad copy, coordinating with our content contractor and freelance writers and working closely with the social media and partnerships teams to make sure everyone’s running in the same direction. You’ll also take on a growing focus on search: using our keyword strategy and performance data to find gaps in our content coverage and help fill them. If you’re energized by the idea of helping tell Durham’s story with precision and care, and you know how to keep a complex workflow on track, we’d love to meet you. 

Primary Responsibilities 

Editorial Calendar & Project Management 

• Own day-to-day management of the editorial calendar, tracking deliverables across web, email, paid and social-facing content and keeping the team on schedule. 

• Coordinate workflow between the Director, content contractor(s), freelance writers, social media team and design: routing assignments, tracking progress and flagging anything at risk before it becomes a problem. 

• Maintain project documentation in shared tools, keeping the full team aligned on priorities, timelines and what’s still outstanding. 

• Support quarterly and seasonal content planning by mapping content needs to key moments in the editorial year. 

• Complete additional admin tasks related to the work in a timely and accurate manner.  

Content Creation & Updates 

• Write and update web content in our CMS platform, applying Discover Durham’s brand voice, AP Style and SEO best practices under the Director’s editorial direction. 

• Draft email newsletters, ad copy, print publications and other marketing copy as assigned. 

• Translate website copy to mobile app maps, challenges and itineraries.  

• Assign and direct web content updates to our content contractor(s), providing clear direction and reviewing work for brand voice and accuracy before they go to the Director for final approval. 

• Identify, recruit and maintain relationships with freelance writers who bring authentic, experienced local voices to our editorial coverage, with an emphasis on diverse and niche perspectives. 

• Support the Associate Director of Digital Marketing and Analytics with ongoing metrics reporting related to content-related work.  

• Contribute to content updates and collaborative strategic thought for projects across departments as assigned. 

• Help maintain accuracy on our database, specifically supporting management of business listings and visitor-facing event calendar.  

SEO & GEO 

• Use Discover Durham’s keyword strategy and content performance dashboards to identify gaps in our coverage and surface opportunities for new or updated content. 

• Apply on-page SEO fundamentals: headings, metadata, cross-linking, keyword integration to all web content produced or reviewed. 

• Stay curious about developments in generative engine optimization (GEO) and how AI-assisted search is changing what good content looks like. 

• Track content performance and share relevant insights that inform future editorial decisions. 

Collaboration & Brand Standards 

• Work closely with the social media team to align editorial content with social-first strategy and extend web content across channels where it makes sense. 

• Partner with Visitor Experience team to surface key events for publication across channels.  

• Partner with design on content pieces that require visual support, providing clear direction on needs and timelines. 

• Participate in content planning meetings and contribute ideas that reflect Durham’s communities, culture and current moment. 

• Learn and apply Discover Durham’s brand voice, style guide and editorial standards to all content produced and help maintain that documentation over time. 

• Help ensure content across channels reflects the organization’s commitment to showcasing Durham’s diverse communities and authentic character. 

Experience Requirements and Expectations 

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, journalism, public relations or a related field, or equivalent professional experience. 

•  1–3 years of experience in content production, editorial coordination, digital marketing or a related role; applicable internship experience also applies. 

• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment. 

• Strong writing and copyediting skills, with a working knowledge of AP Style. 

• Clear communicator who can route assignments, set expectations with contractors and collaborators and keep stakeholders informed on progress. 

• Familiarity with SEO fundamentals and a genuine interest in deepening that knowledge on the job. 

• Comfortable working in a CMS platform, CRM database and a project management tool; quick to learn new systems. 

• An eagerness to learn about destination marketing and about Durham. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Durham, NC residency or familiarity with Durham as a visitor destination. 

• Experience with email service providers. 

• Experience working with Asana or similar project management software. 

• Basic understanding of Google Analytics or other content performance dashboards. 

• Interest in working in a mission-driven organization. 

Discover Durham offers exceptional benefits, including employer-paid insurance premiums for staff and employer contributions to an HSA, generous retirement contributions to the NC pension program, a flexible hybrid work schedule, an enviable vacation and holiday allowance, paid parental leave, a wellness stipend, a monthly mobile device stipend, paid downtown parking, and a great team of coworkers. This is a hybrid role, with employees expected to be in the office at least three days per week at our Main Street location in the heart of downtown Durham.

Salary for the Content Coordinator role is $52,000.

Discover Durham is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.

PLEASE, NO PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, OR WALK-INS REGARDING THIS POSITION.