Work Remotely from anywhere in the World as the Editor in Chief at Onewater: Apply Today!!

Onewater is a young, ambitious and dynamic project that is entirely created by young professionals and volunteer-led.

Application Deadline: 28 February 2024

Remuneration: EURO 450/Month

The myth: There is a modern myth in the environmental, economic, and political world that if you simply expose people to data, this will change their perception of a topic and therefore their behaviour. But no one has ever had their core perceptions or behaviour changed by a pie chart. As human beings, there is one innate and ancient thread woven throughout our history that has consistently led to real transformation: storytelling. We are changed by stories.

The gap: One of the stories we are not telling very well in the English speaking world, and even more so globally, is how universal access to safely managed water and sanitation services is fundamental for people’s well being and the sustainable development agenda. We also need to amplify the discussions on the importance of climate justice and integrated water resources management to our modern societies so that they are more inclusive and involve all stakeholders.

The solution: Onewater works towards a world where water resources are managed sustainably in harmony with nature and the economy and where everyone has access to safely managed water and sanitation services. We use engaging and accessible communication to rekindle our shared connection to water. Our work educates through stories and helps place water as a central element in decision-making, budgets, and public discourse.

Origins: Onewater is a young, ambitious and dynamic project that is entirely created by young professionals and volunteer-led.

Initially called Water Science Policy, Onewater was founded by a graduate cohort of the University of Oxford’s School of Geography and the Environment in 2020. As of 2021, Onewater is registered as a social enterprise in Germany. It was a lockdown baby conceived by former students who wanted to create an engaging and accessible platform for water-related content to bridge the many science-policy gaps. The initial WordPress blog featured contributions from students, professors, artists, and development professionals. But it quickly grew from there and over our heads. While the bread and butter of publishing weekly articles and photostories remains a central element of our work, a diverse ecosystem across the full realm of content creation, research and engagement has emerged alongside it.

We changed our name to emphasize the fact that previously distant sectors must work together, countries must collaborate, and science and policy must unite. ‘Onewater’ also embodies the unity of all people and forms of water along with its interconnections with every part of life, particularly health, energy, food, a thriving environment, and peace and security.

About the position

We place great importance on communicating water, sanitation and ocean stories at the intersections of science, policy, solutions, opinions and testimonies. We use engaging and accessible communication to rekindle the connection to water. Central elements to this work include:

• No pay walls
• Many languages, usually 5-10 per article
• No technical language
• Personal stories
• Attractive visuals
• Covering all sectors

Currently, the editorial and writing team consists of around 10 actively engaged volunteer copy-editors and writers. They all hold post-graduate degrees in water and environmental sciences and are primarily native English speakers. Thanks to their amazing work we’re able to publish at least 1 story per week.

The editor-in-chief is a new position we’re creating for the first time. This is because the project is growing, and we want to maintain a high-quality and integrity of our content. We see substantial potential for this position to grow further in the future.

As our first editor-in-chief you will oversee and lead the copy-editing of all submissions, including articles, policy briefs and photo stories. You are also encouraged to steer the overall content strategy, align the publication schedule to major themes and/or events, and take an active role in networking with universities and other organisations for content partnerships. For example, we’ve been co-producing a series of articles with Eawag, and see potential to replicate this with other academic, international, and private sector institutions.

The Editor-in-Chief Role Overview

• Lead the copy-editing process for all submissions, including articles, policy briefs, and photo stories.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of the overall content strategy.
• Ensure the publication schedule aligns with major themes and/or significant events.
• Plan and organize the publication calendar to ensure a consistent release of at least 1 story per week.
• Coordinate with the team of around 10 volunteer copy-editors and writers, leveraging their expertise in water and environmental sciences.
• Actively network with universities, international organizations, and private sector institutions for content partnerships.
• Expand upon existing partnerships, like the ongoing collaboration with Eawag, to co-produce a series of articles.
• Uphold the high quality and integrity of the content as the project grows.
• Explore and facilitate the growth potential of the Editor-in-Chief position within the organization’s expanding project scope.
• Explore and facilitate the development of new formats, e.g. impact stories, book reviews etc.

Requirements [fundamentals]:

• Experience with professional copy-editing and writing. Ideally across a range of formats, styles and topics in the environmental, water or SDG space.
• Excellent written and spoken command of the English language.
• Ability to lead by defining a vision and targets and inspire and motivate other editors & writers.
• Ability to share constructive feedback and grow as a team.
• Ability to engage and coordinate with people across all time-zones.
• Ability to work independently and flexibly.
• High organizational skills with a reasonable attention to detail.
• Ability to network and maintain relationships with authors and partner organisations.
• Ability to respond creatively to new challenges.
• Proficient use of MS software (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and Google Drive equivalents.
• A fundamental interest in and knowledge of water-related problems and communicating water science to a global, interdisciplinary and multilingual audience.

Work Schedule: Whenever, wherever you work best, 10-12 hours per week.

Location: This is a remote, part-time position; applicants must have access to a personal computer.

Benefits:

• Involvement in a growing and dynamic network in the international water community.
• Expanding expertise in areas such as writing, editing, fact-checking, project management, and content strategy
• Opportunity for autonomy and creativity
• Valuable leadership experience, allowing individuals to hone their skills in team management, decision-making, and strategic planning
• Free Microsoft business premium account
• Access to training opportunities
• Possibility for further involvement in the organisation in the future
• 450€/month baseline remuneration, and with opportunities to contribute to other paid projects

How to Apply

To apply as an Editor-in-Chief, please send us your CV (max 3 pages), a writing sample (max 1 page), and a cover letter (max 1/2 page) to [email protected]. If you are seeing this advertisement on LinkedIn, do not apply via LinkedIn directly. Thank you. If you have any other questions about the position, contact us via the same email address.

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