Brand Editorial Director

📌 Core Information

🔹 Job Title: Brand Editorial Director

🔹 Company: LPA, Inc.

🔹 Location: Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento

🔹 Job Type: Full-time

🔹 Category: Architecture and Planning

🔹 Date Posted: June 9, 2025

🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years

🔹 Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Job Overview

Key aspects of this role include:

• Steering the brand voice and narrative throughlines of LPA's communications
• Ensuring the firm's stories resonate inside and outside the design industry
• Refining the national voice, growing thought leadership footprint, and scaling content
• Collaborating with leadership, subject matter experts, and various teams

ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic thinker with a strong editorial background who can evolve LPA's brand voice and manage high-volume content production.

📋 Key Responsibilities

✅ Lead and evolve the firm’s editorial voice and tone, ensuring consistency across platforms and audiences

✅ Partner with leadership and subject matter experts to bring their ideas to life with clarity, insight, and polish

✅ Own and manage the editorial calendar in alignment with business goals, brand campaigns, and marketing priorities

✅ Assign, guide, and edit work from a team of in-house and freelance writers

✅ Collaborate closely with graphic design, marketing, media relations, and video to develop integrated storytelling packages

✅ Oversee the editorial direction of LPA's award-winning quarterly publication

✅ Translate complex ideas from design, sustainability, innovation, and culture into accessible, compelling content

✅ Identify and pursue storylines that elevate the firm’s national reputation

✅ Contribute to positioning work for pursuits, proposals, and firmwide campaigns

✅ Manage timelines, assignments, and workflows to keep projects on track

✅ Maintain an active roster of trusted freelance writers, editors, and contributors

✅ Coordinate with marketing leadership to measure impact and optimize reach

ASSUMPTION: This role involves strategic planning, content creation, and cross-functional collaboration to drive LPA's brand narrative and thought leadership.

🎯 Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Journalism, English, Communications, or a related field

Experience: 10+ years of experience in editorial, journalism, content strategy, or communications, preferably in design, architecture, creative services, or a mission-driven organization

Required Skills:

• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with a portfolio that demonstrates strategic storytelling, voice consistency, and message clarity
• Experience managing editorial teams, freelancers, and content calendars
• Ability to collaborate across disciplines and with senior leadership
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-volume environment with shifting priorities

Preferred Skills:

• Background in journalism, long-form writing, or magazine publishing
• Understanding of SEO, UX writing, and content performance metrics
• Experience supporting brand campaigns or high-stakes pursuits

ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have a strong editorial background, proven content management skills, and experience working in a creative or mission-driven environment.

💰 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $120,000 - $145,000 per year

Benefits:

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Retirement Plans
• Wellness Programs
• Work/Life Balance Plans

Working Hours: Full-time, typically Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

ASSUMPTION: The salary range is based on industry standards for a senior editorial role in the architecture and planning field, with consideration for the candidate's experience and location.

📌 Applicant Insights

🔍 Company Context

Industry: Architecture and Planning

Company Size: 501-1,000 employees

Founded: 1965

Company Description:

• LPA is an integrated design firm specializing in creating innovative, sustainable environments that work better, do more with less, and improve people's lives
• The company provides a vibrant and rewarding work environment that values creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, community engagement, and ongoing career development and growth
• LPA is committed to diversity, wellness, and work-life balance

Company Specialties:

• Architecture
• Landscape Architecture
• Interior Design
• MEP Engineering
• Structural Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Master Planning
• Adaptive Reuse
• Signage and Graphics
• Sustainability
• Lighting Design
• Technology
• Integrated Design
• and Sustainable Design

Company Website: http://www.lpadesignstudios.com

ASSUMPTION: LPA is a well-established, mid-sized company with a strong focus on sustainability and innovative design. The company offers a comprehensive benefits package and values a positive work-life balance.

📊 Role Analysis

Career Level: Senior

Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Chief Marketing Officer and oversees a team of in-house and freelance writers

Work Arrangement: On-site, full-time position with the possibility of occasional remote work

Growth Opportunities:

• Potential to grow the editorial team and expand the content strategy
• Opportunities to collaborate with various teams and contribute to firmwide campaigns
• Possibility to advance to a leadership role within the marketing department

ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, with opportunities to shape LPA's brand narrative and expand the editorial team.

🌍 Location & Work Environment

Office Type: Modern, collaborative office spaces with a focus on sustainability and employee well-being

Office Location(s): Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento

Geographic Context:

• Irvine: A suburban city in Orange County, California, with a mix of urban and natural environments
• Los Angeles: A major metropolitan city with diverse neighborhoods and a vibrant cultural scene
• San Diego: A coastal city in Southern California known for its mild climate and beach culture
• San Jose: The third-largest city in California, located in the heart of Silicon Valley
• Sacramento: The capital of California, offering a mix of urban and suburban living

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, with the possibility of occasional evening or weekend work for events or deadlines

ASSUMPTION: LPA's offices provide a modern, collaborative work environment with a focus on employee well-being and sustainability. The geographic context of each office location offers unique opportunities for work-life balance and cultural engagement.

💼 Interview & Application Insights

Typical Process:

• Phone or video screening
• In-person or virtual interview with the hiring manager
• In-person or virtual interview with the editorial team
• Final interview with the Chief Marketing Officer

Key Assessment Areas:

• Writing and editing skills
• Content strategy and planning
• Collaboration and communication skills
• Cultural fit and alignment with LPA's mission and values

Application Tips:

• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your editorial experience and skills relevant to this role
• Include a portfolio or writing samples that demonstrate your strategic storytelling, voice consistency, and message clarity
• Prepare for interview questions that assess your content strategy, collaboration, and cultural fit

ATS Keywords: Editorial Strategy, Content Strategy, Storytelling, Editing, Collaboration, Project Management, Thought Leadership, Communication, Journalism, SEO, UX Writing, Content Performance, Brand Campaigns, Editorial Operations

ASSUMPTION: LPA's application process is designed to assess the candidate's editorial skills, content strategy, collaboration, and cultural fit. The company uses an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to manage and organize job applications.

🛠️ Tools & Technologies

• Content Management Systems (CMS): WordPress, Drupal, or similar
• Design Software: Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, or similar
• Project Management Tools: Asana, Trello, or similar
• SEO Tools: Google Search Console, SEMrush, or similar
• Analytics Tools: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar

ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have experience with industry-standard content management systems, design software, project management tools, SEO tools, and analytics tools.

👔 Cultural Fit Considerations

Company Values:

• Innovation: Pursuing creative solutions and continuous learning
• Collaboration: Working together to achieve common goals
• Sustainability: Committing to environmental stewardship and social responsibility
• Excellence: Striving for the highest standards in all aspects of our work
• Integrity: Acting with honesty, fairness, and respect in all our interactions

Work Style:

• Collaborative: Working closely with various teams to develop integrated storytelling packages
• Strategic: Planning and executing content strategies that align with business goals and brand campaigns
• Adaptable: Responding to shifting priorities and tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment

Self-Assessment Questions:

• How do you align with LPA's mission to create innovative, sustainable environments that improve people's lives?
• How do you approach collaborating with various teams to develop integrated storytelling packages?
• How do you adapt to shifting priorities and tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment?

ASSUMPTION: LPA values innovation, collaboration, sustainability, excellence, and integrity. The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate alignment with these values and thrive in a collaborative, strategic, and adaptable work environment.

⚠️ Potential Challenges

• Managing a high-volume editorial calendar with tight deadlines
• Balancing the needs of various teams and stakeholders
• Evolving LPA's brand voice while maintaining consistency across platforms and audiences
• Working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting priorities

ASSUMPTION: This role presents unique challenges related to managing high-volume content production, balancing stakeholder needs, evolving brand voice, and adapting to a fast-paced work environment.

📈 Similar Roles Comparison

• Unlike traditional editorial roles, this position requires a strong understanding of the architecture, engineering, and design industries
• Compared to journalism or magazine publishing roles, this role places a greater emphasis on strategic content planning and collaboration with various teams
• Career progression in this role may involve advancing to a leadership position within the marketing department or transitioning to a similar role at another architecture or design firm

ASSUMPTION: This role offers a unique blend of editorial, strategic content planning, and cross-functional collaboration, with potential career growth opportunities within the marketing department or the broader architecture and design industry.

📝 Sample Projects

• Developing a comprehensive content strategy for LPA's quarterly publication
• Collaborating with the graphic design team to create visually engaging storytelling packages
• Managing the editorial calendar for a major brand campaign, ensuring alignment with business goals and marketing priorities

ASSUMPTION: These sample projects demonstrate the strategic, collaborative, and adaptable nature of the Brand Editorial Director role at LPA.

❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview

• How does this role contribute to LPA's overall brand strategy and thought leadership initiatives?
• What are the key priorities for this role in the first 30, 60, and 90 days?
• How does LPA support the professional growth and development of its editorial team members?
• What are the most challenging aspects of this role, and how can I best prepare to succeed in them?
• How does LPA foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and sustainability within its editorial team?

ASSUMPTION: These interview questions are designed to assess the candidate's understanding of the role, LPA's brand strategy, and the company's culture, as well as their ability to prepare for the unique challenges of this position.

📌 Next Steps for Applicants

To apply for this position:

• Submit your application through this link
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your editorial experience and skills relevant to this role
• Prepare a portfolio or writing samples that demonstrate your strategic storytelling, voice consistency, and message clarity
• Prepare for interview questions that assess your content strategy, collaboration, and cultural fit
• Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to express your interest and reiterate your qualifications

⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.