Specialist, Copy Editor

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g., literature, language, journalism) or equivalent certification/on‑the‑job training.
• Minimum of three years’ editorial experience and two years’ experience in educational assessment.
   

Comprehensive Editorial Expertise

• Demonstrates strong end‑to‑end copyediting proficiency: spelling (interpreting dictionary entries, compounding/hyphenation), grammar and terminology, punctuation, syntax, diction, and usage.
• Interprets and applies major style and usage references with confidence (e.g., Chicago Manual of Style, Gregg Reference Manual, Garner’s Modern English Usage, and other industry standards).
   

Technical & Software Skills

• Proficient with Adobe Acrobat and various Microsoft Office 365 apps: Word, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and Excel.
• Understands the basics of HTML/XML for web publishing and adapts to evolving software and requirements.

Communication & Collaboration

• Communicates clearly and respectfully; listens, synthesizes, and applies information effectively.
• Gives and receives feedback constructively; accepts direction and acts on it.

Professional Behaviors & Judgment

• Reliable and organized: meets deadlines with appropriate quality; manages time effectively.
• Exercises sound judgment and analytical decision‑making; advocates/persuades when necessary and knows when restraint/negotiation is more productive.
• Self‑managed, resilient, and adaptable to process and duration modifications; works independently when required.
• Accountable for editorial proficiency and quality; uses systems correctly; owns errors and identifies root causes.
• Demonstrates decency and professionalism: mentors or accepts mentoring; maintains confidentiality, openness, and truthfulness.
• Displays curiosity about rules, processes, tools, perspectives, and the broader business context.
   

RESPONSIBILITIES

Core Editorial Responsibilities

• Implements grammar, spelling, usage, punctuation, syntax, and style per department, client, and industry standards; applies rules consistently.
• Ensures uniformity and consistency across assessment components; sustains focus and reliably identifies errors throughout the workday while minimizing mistakes.  
• Exercises good judgment when applying client style guidelines; queries when deviations from style would be appropriate for best outcomes; may create/modify client style guidelines.
• Understands the copyeditor’s scope of responsibility, knows what to do when requested to go beyond scope, and flags concerns when needed.
• Proactively seeks learning opportunities to strengthen editorial expertise by refining skills, expanding knowledge of style guides, and integrating emerging best practices.

Quality Assurance & Risk Awareness

• Adheres to quality assurance and quality control steps and review guidelines; recognizes the impact of editorial errors on item/test validity and broader reputational and program risks.
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of the application of copyright law in assessment and knows when to escalate concerns.

Assessment & Content Understanding

• Understands educational assessment foundations (content standards, alignment, validity, item‑level statistics).
• Considers assessment design interactions (passage–item relationships, item types, metadata, accommodations) and the impact of editing cross‑components.
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of assessment best practices (universal design, plain English, accessibility design).

Technical Platforms & Publishing

• Uses Pearson‑preferred applications and platforms (e.g., ABBI, eStyle, Oracle) and demonstrates strong understanding of related publishing workflows (e.g., ABBI interactions with XPRT/TN8, XML issues, MathML); suggests necessary enhancements.
• Identifies appropriate digital job aids and documentation and knows when and whom to ask for help or training; may develop job aids and create training for colleagues.

Collaboration & Community

• Assists with staff training, including mentoring, seminars, and one‑on‑one support; engages proactively in Editorial and Assessment Trends channels.
• Works collegially across Editorial, Asset Services, Content, CDS, and Pearson; shares essential information across projects and understands the editor’s span of influence.
• Works interdepartmentally, contributing to checklists, process documents, fact‑checking, item writing, scoring checks, and cross‑functional initiatives.

Leadership & Project Coordination  

• Serves as lead editor when assigned: ensures Editorial obligations are met; coordinates with Content, Program Teams, and other departments and influences program decisions.
• Creates effective training/process documents and work logs; reviews/approves schedules (e.g., in Smartsheet).
• Coordinates editors’ work, monitors schedules, tracks assets through all phases; communicates status, scope changes, risks, issues, defects, deadlines, resources, and overtime needs to manager.
• As a lead editor, makes final editorial decisions on behalf of Editorial and escalates issues to manager in a timely manner and takes responsibility for editorial quality.
• Provides lead editor guidance and support to other lead editors.  

AI‑Enabled Editorial Use

• Leverages AI tools to develop, review, and enhance assessment content that meets quality and accessibility standards; integrates AI‑generated assets with appropriate editorial oversight.
• Demonstrates proficiency in AI‑supported content development; prompts, refines, and evaluates AI outputs; iterates with sound editorial judgment; stays current with emerging AI technologies and adapts as they evolve.

Professional Responsibilities & Operational Excellence

• Understands role across CDS and Pearson; aligns with Asset Services, CDS, and Pearson goals and contributes to their fulfillment.
• Attends team/town‑hall meetings and acts on disseminated information; completes administrative tasks on time (timesheets, goals, surveys, training modules).
• Supports efficiency initiatives (standardization, resource sharing, time management and appropriate pace, productivity metrics, hours tracking) and provides training to vendors/contractors when appropriate.
• Identifies problems and escalates as appropriate; balances cost, efficiency, schedule impact, and quality to set priorities; champions new technology, tools, and processes to improve efficiency and efficacy.
• Maintains appropriate business behaviors (responsive communications, scheduling time‑off per protocol, arranging backup coverage); collaborates effectively as a partner or team member.