Editorial Writer Jobs in Florida (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $52,543.10 - $66,754.05 Annually
Location : Winter Haven
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 202600176
Org: Communication and Public Affairs
Opening Date: 08/18/2026
Closing Date: 9/1/2026 8:00 AM Eastern
Please label all uploaded documents with your full name (for example: Jane_Doe_Resume). This helps ensure your materials are properly matched to your application.
If you are a currently active Polk State College employee, please create an account using your polk.edu staff email address. Our HR system will not recognize you as an active employee.
Description
Reporting directly to the Associate Vice President for Communications, the Editorial Specialist is primarily responsible for proofreading and fact-checking all print and multimedia communications, ensuring that materials produced and distributed are grammatically correct, clear and accurate, and aligned with the College's brand guidelines.
The role involves daily assignments and long-term projects, proofreading materials including but not limited to web content, press releases, emails, letters, social media content, newsletters, brochures, and annual reports. Additionally, the Editorial Specialist will support the Office of Communications & Public Affairs with other writing and editorial tasks as needed, providing flexibility in workload management.
Essential Functions/Duties

• Reviews and revises content to ensure clarity, grammar, punctuation, and style consistency, following the College's branding and style guidelines.
• Corrects errors in spelling, punctuation, syntax, and format, and ensures that materials are polished and error-free before publication or distribution.
• Drafts, edits, and finalizes content for a variety of marketing materials, including press releases, social media, web content, email, and promotional brochures.
• Adapts written content for different audiences (prospective students, alumni, faculty, and the public) while maintaining a consistent voice for the institution.
• Ensures accuracy of facts, figures, and references in marketing materials such as press releases, web content, social media, emails, brochures, newsletters, and flyers.
• Supports ad-hoc writing assignments as needed, including event descriptions, donor communications, or internal newsletters.
• Provides editorial support for grant applications, partnership proposals, or other institutional documents that require precise language and professional presentation.
• Collaborates with designers and multimedia specialists to ensure that editorial content aligns seamlessly with visual elements.
• Ensures adherence to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) best practices when writing or editing web content to optimize the College's online presence.
• Performs other appropriate duties as may be assigned by the supervisor and/or other divisional staff members.

Consulting Tasks:

• Requires ability to communicate effectively with a wide variety of individuals from within and outside of the College.
• Consultation on problems requires clarity, judgment, and tact, to obtain cooperation or approval of action to be taken.
• Serves with other personnel on committees.

Supervises the Following Staff:

• Consultants, interns, and indirect support staff.

Typical Qualifications
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Personal Qualifications:

• In-depth understanding of grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and language mechanics, including knowledge of style guides (e.g., AP Style, Chicago Manual of Style) to ensure consistency across various materials.
• Familiarity with the college's branding guidelines, tone, and messaging strategies to ensure consistency across all marketing content, exercising expertise in editing content for clarity, tone, and flow, while ensuring it aligns with institutional branding.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a fast-paced environment with strong organizational skills to handle various editorial projects simultaneously while maintaining quality.
• Competency in using word processing and editorial tools (e.g., Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Track Changes, etc.).
• Understanding of SEO principles, including keyword optimization and meta descriptions, to ensure web content ranks well in search engines.
• Ability to assess and solve content-related challenges, whether it's maintaining tone consistency, improving readability, or finding creative solutions to gaps in the material.
• Strong capacity for working both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced and rapidly changing environment. Writing and editing content with a marketing voice for a variety of audiences with the ability to adhere to writing styles and rules (such as AP Style), with a proven ability to identify and correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, and syntax errors quickly and accurately.
• Practical experience proofreading a wide range of marketing materials (brochures, flyers, email campaigns, social media posts, press releases, etc.), ensuring consistency and adherence to brand voice.
• Advanced experience using tools such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs (with trackable changes and comments), and other proofreading/editing software for both print and digital content.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and collaborate with writers, graphic designers, photographers, and videographers to develop and produce content, assets, artwork, and deliverables.
• Ability to manage successful completion of multiple marketing and communications-related projects and competing deadlines with accuracy and urgency.
• Familiarity with social media platforms and their content requirements.
• Understanding of design and photo software operations.

Working Conditions:

• Normal office working conditions are expected, which may include occasional evening and weekend work.
• Also, may require periodic attendance at program-related or State/National Workshops/Conferences.

Salary and Benefits Information

• This position is level P15.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage; short-term disability; paid holidays and sick leave; vacation (excluding faculty positions); retirement benefits for eligible employees; and college fee waivers.
Required Education:

• A bachelor's degree in Communications, Media Studies, Marketing, Journalism, English, or other relevant field from an accredited college or university.

Required Experience:

• Five years of experience in writing, producing, and editing content, proofreading print and digital marketing materials, and managing social media.

Supplemental Information
Submissions that do not include all parts of the following required information will not be considered:

• an electronic job application (all sections MUST be completed).
• a resume

Important Information

• If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended, or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement.
• Polk State College participates in E-Verify. Candidates must provide documentation of eligibility to work in the United States. Polk State College does not provide visa sponsorship.
• To request Veteran's Preference, please be sure to upload all necessary documents (DD-214, etc.) to your application.
• Polk State College is a drug-free workplace.
• Polk State College is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants and employees with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation is considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Employment visa sponsorship is unavailable for this position. Applicants requiring employment visa sponsorship now or in the future (e.g., F-1 STEM OPT, H-1B, TN, J1, etc.) will not be considered.
• Reference checks, successful completion of a background check, and third-party Education Verification for all stated degrees will be required prior to employment.
• Polk State College does NOT provide relocation assistance for this position.

Equal Opportunity Statement
Polk State College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs, activities, or employment. For information about the College's equal access and equal opportunity policies and procedures, or to file a complaint, please contact:
Title IX Coordinator
3425 Winter Lake Road
Lakeland, FL 33803
863.669.2903
For additional information, visit
We encourage applicants to provide feedback on their experience or request help at Careers@polk.edu
We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage; short-term disability; paid holidays and sick leave; vacation (excluding faculty positions); retirement benefits for eligible employees; and college fee waivers.
To learn more details, visit our benefits page.
01
Are you over the age of 18?

• Yes
• No

02
Are you currently authorized to work in the United States for any U.S. employer?

• Yes
• No

03
Will you now or in the future require any type of employer sponsorship or immigration-related support to legally work for Polk State College? (This includes but is not limited to the following: H-1B, H-1B1, J-1, TN, E-3, O-1, F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT.)

• Yes
• No

04
Are you currently in a period of F-1 CPT or OPT or seeking employment under one of these programs?

• Yes
• No

05
Are you a United States Veteran or a qualifying family member seeking to use Veterans' Preference? (Please upload your DD-214 documents to your profile/application.)

• Yes
• No

06
Are you a current employee at Polk State College?

• Yes
• No

07
Are you bilingual?

• Yes
• No

08
I am able to work 100% on campus and I do not require a remote or hybrid schedule.

• Yes
• No

09
Which statement below best describes the highest level of education you have completed?

• High School Diploma/GED
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Master's Degree + 18 graduate hours
• Doctorate Degree

10
Do you have a Bachelor's Degree or higher in Communications, Media Studies, Marketing, Journalism, English, or a related field from a regionally accredited college or university?

• Yes
• No

11
How many years of professional experience in writing, producing, and editing content, proofreading print and digital marketing materials, and managing social media do you have?

• No experience
• Less than 1 year of experience
• 1 year but less than 2 years of experience
• 2 years but less than 3 years of experience
• 3 years but less than 5 years of experience
• 5 years but less than 7 years of experience
• More than 7 years of experience

12
How many years of managing or supervising staff experience do you have?

• No Experience
• Less than 1 year of experience
• 1 year but less than 2 years of experience
• 2 years but less than 3 years of experience
• 3 years but less than 4 years of experience
• 4 years but less than 5 years of experience
• More than 5 years of experience

13
The information provided in your application must support your selected answers in the supplemental questions. The information you provide will be verified and documentation may be required. Please be honest and accurate as possible. You may be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and skills in a work sample or during the interview. By completing this supplemental questionnaire, you are attesting that the information you have provided is accurate. Any misstatements, omissions, or falsification of information may eliminate you from consideration or result in dismissal.

• Yes, I understand and agree
• No, I do not agree

Required Question