Overview

The University of Minnesota Alumni Association (UMAA) seeks a skilled, independent contract editor to lead the editorial planning, content development, and production management of the Minnesota Alumni® magazine, published quarterly. The magazine serves as a vital storytelling and engagement tool for alumni across the globe and aligns with the UMAA’s mission to connect alumni with the University and each other. Founded in 1901 as a weekly journal, The Minnesota Alumni Weekly, the magazine is older than the UMAA itself.

We seek a contractor with deep editorial experience in magazine production, demonstrated ability to manage freelance contributors — who the UMAA will pay directly — and familiarity with higher education or complex institutions. This will be a renewable annual contract with an estimated year-round time commitment that scales with the magazine production cycle.

Budget

Available budget for this magazine editor contract is between $60,000 and $65,000 annually ($15,000 to $16,250 per issue/quarter).

Scope of Work

Concepting and creation of quarterly themes for each magazine issue
Selection and development of story ideas that fit within those themes
Production of a quarterly story-sharing document prior to each issue outlining story selection and theme that will be submitted to the CEO, communications team lead (Carter Collins), marketing lead, and other U of M designated stakeholders
Selection and ongoing management/assignment of freelancers (writers and designers) to produce each issue within a defined budget set by the UMAA Board of Directors
Management of freelancer invoices/W-9s to allow the UMAA to pay those freelancers directly
Editing and refinement of all outside freelance articles contracted for each issue.
Oversight of art direction and layout of each issue
Interaction with printing vendor to produce each issue of the magazine
Ongoing interaction with internal UMAA employees to ensure UMAA content is included in each issue (as with the Stay
Connected section) and to secure the mailing list files for each issue
Approval of final or near-final proofs by the CEO prior to delivery to the printer, with communications team lead included in this delivery

Qualifications

Proven track record in magazine editing, preferably as lead or managing editor
Strong portfolio of published feature writing and/or editorial leadership
Experience managing freelance contributors and production workflows
Familiarity with higher education, alumni relations, or nonprofit institutions
Excellent communication and organizational skills
Ability to work independently while maintaining alignment with a collaborative team
Lives in Minnesota
Connection to the University of Minnesota preferred

Proposal Requirements

Cover letter summarizing interest, relevant experience, and approach to the editorial process
Resume or CV
Portfolio of 3–5 relevant magazine samples
Proposed fee structure (per-issue)
Availability and proposed start date
Three references (clients or collaborators familiar with editorial/project work)

Timeline

RFP Issued: May 27, 2025
Proposal Deadline: June 17, 2025
Interviews: June 20-30
Suggested Contract Start Date: July 7, 2025

Submission Instructions

Submit proposals electronically in one PDF to: Carter Collins, carterc@umn.edu

Subject line: UMAA Magazine Editor Proposal – [Your Name]

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

Years of relevant experience and portfolio quality
Editorial vision and proposed workflow
Familiarity with higher ed/institutional storytelling
Availability and long-term interest
Fee structure and overall value

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