Content & Editorial Director - Print Publication (Municipal Audience)

Content & Editorial Director — Print Publication (Municipal Audience)Industry: GovTech / Local Government SoftwareEngagement Type: Contract (with potential for ongoing issues)Timeline: Q1–Q2 2026OverviewEveryone says newspapers are dead. Maybe for the mass market. But for a specific audience with real problems and not enough time—print still works when it’s done with care.We’re creating a printed newspaper for town and city clerks across the U.S, a publication that feels useful, readable, and worth keeping. Not a promo piece. Not a mailer. Not a “content marketing asset.” A real editorial product: reported, written, edited, designed, and produced with intention.This paper will serve small municipal offices the way trade publications used to: practical, grounded, and respectful of the reader’s intelligence. It should feel like it belongs on a clerk’s desk, not in the recycling bin.You’ll lead the editorial vision and write the core content, while also coordinating with design and print production to ensure the final piece is cohesive and professionally executed.Who We’re Looking For (This Matters More Than Your Resume)You’re probably a fit if you:Think in themes, story structure, and editorial arc (not “content calendar”)Can generate strong story ideas grounded in the real workflows of municipal staffWrite in a plainspoken, confident voice that doesn’t sound like marketing copyKnow how to balance substance with readability (busy readers, real constraints)Can write features, columns, service pieces, and short recurring sectionsUnderstand how print layout changes writing (heads, decks, sidebars, pacing)Can collaborate well with designers and printers to ship something real and beautifulCare about getting the details right: accuracy, credibility, clarityLearn more abut the role and watch this video!Scope of WorkEditorial DevelopmentCreate the overarching concept/theme for the inaugural issueBuild a complete table of contents (features + departments + recurring columns)Establish voice/tone guidelines and editorial standards (what we do / don’t do)Identify interview opportunities: clerks, administrators, election staff, records, etc.Shape the “editorial spine” so the issue reads with momentum and cohesionWriting & Content CreationWrite original feature-length stories (reported or interview-based)Draft opinion/perspective pieces rooted in real municipal operations (not hot takes)Create lighter recurring elements (e.g., field notes, checklists, desk-reference tips)Conduct or support interviews; synthesize them into clean, compelling narrativesWork with stakeholders to ensure accuracy without losing editorial independence/voiceProduction & Print CoordinationPartner with a designer to align story structure with layout (pagination, flow, hierarchy)Edit and refine copy in layout (tightening, reordering, making it scan-friendly)Coordinate with print vendor: specs, paper options, schedules, file deliveryManage proofing rounds and final sign-off prior to printEnsure the publication lands as a polished, readable object—something people keepWhat Success Looks LikeA clerk opens it and thinks: “This is for me.”The tone is credible, useful, and grounded—never salesyThe issue has a clear editorial arc: it feels curated, not assembledThe print execution is clean: strong readability, smart pacing, professional finishThe publication becomes a foundation for future issues (repeatable sections + identity)Why This Is InterestingSmall municipal offices are underserved. Clerks manage compliance, records, elections, meetings, public notices, FOIA/public requests, and legacy systems—often with limited staff, aging tools, and no margin for error.This publication is a bet that respect + craft still wins: real reporting, real utility, and a print format that doesn’t ask busy people to open another tab.

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