Print & Digital Sub-Editor

Job description

The Print & Digital Sub-Editor plays a pivotal role in shaping and managing the creative, editorial, and production processes across all TieMedia brands, including AWSUM News, LoveLocal, and other titles. This is a deadline-driven leadership position that combines the creative vision of a Creative Editor with the editorial precision of a Sub-Editor.

About AWSUM News

AWSUM News, a division of TieMedia Group, is South Africa’s leading school-news platform, dedicated to celebrating the achievements of learners and schools nationwide. Schools across the country submit their news directly to us, allowing AWSUM to publish daily stories that highlight school activities, academic excellence, sports achievements, cultural events, and community initiatives — giving schools the exposure they deserve beyond their own social media platforms.

A key highlight of our portfolio is our Interschools Derby Publications, produced for iconic sporting rivalries such as Paarl Interschools and other regional derbies across South Africa. These special editions capture the excitement, heritage, and unity of South Africa’s school sports culture, combining vibrant storytelling, professional photography, and high-quality design. Through AWSUM News, we aim to strengthen relationships between schools, sponsors, and their communities while inspiring pride in local education and youth excellence.

The role requires a detail-oriented professional with excellent command of Afrikaans and English, strong Adobe Suite and WordPress knowledge, and the ability to lead and inspire a creative team while maintaining the highest standards in visual and written communication.

To start: January 2026

Key Responsibilities

Creative Direction and Brand Management

• Oversee and guide the creative direction of all publications within TieMedia Group.
• Ensure design and editorial output aligns with the brand’s tone, vision, and identity.
• Maintain consistency across print, digital, and social media platforms.
• Develop and implement creative strategies for new publications
• Monitor design and publishing trends, introducing fresh, competitive ideas.
• Approve final layouts, ensuring professional, brand-aligned presentation before print or upload.

Editorial Management

• Manage the full editorial workflow for both print and digital publications.
• Sub-edit and proofread bilingual content (Afrikaans and English) for accuracy, clarity, tone, and grammar.
• Ensure SEO-friendly headlines and proper formatting for digital content on WordPress.
• Review final layouts to ensure no errors were introduced during design.
• Enforce adherence to house style guides, editorial standards, and brand voice.
• Oversee content scheduling to ensure publications are delivered on time and within deadline.

Team Leadership and Studio Operations

• Lead and mentor designers, and editorial staff, fostering creativity, accountability, and collaboration.
• Oversee the design studio’s daily functioning and resource management.
• Delegate tasks effectively and balance workloads between editorial and design teams.
• Manage and motivate the team to meet production and publishing deadlines.
• Conduct quality checks on all creative work to ensure excellence and consistency.
• Identify and resolve bottlenecks or workflow challenges proactively and diplomatically.

Production and Project Oversight

• Plan publication pages, layouts, and schedules in coordination with editorial and advertising teams.
• Liaise with printers, suppliers, and marketing to ensure seamless production cycles.
• Track project milestones and provide regular progress reports to management.
• Implement process improvements to enhance studio efficiency and output quality.
• Maintain oversight of all production timelines, ensuring strict deadline compliance.

Collaboration and Cross-Functional Support

• Collaborate with advertising and marketing departments to align creative direction with sales and campaign goals.
• Ensure design and editorial teams work cohesively with operations, digital, and management divisions.
• Support the Marketing Department in improving creative efficiency and reducing production costs.

Requirements

• Exceptional written and verbal communication in English and Afrikaans.
• Prior experience in covering school sports events, writing sports features, or coordinating sports-related publications will be considered a strong advantage.
• Strong leadership and people-management skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator).
• Experience with WordPress CMS, SEO, and digital publishing workflows.
• Excellent art direction and brand management ability.
• Deep understanding of layout, typography, and visual storytelling.
• Highly deadline-driven, organised, and capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills across departments.
• Knowledge of print production processes and pre-press standards.
• Creative problem-solver with a passion for innovation and continuous improvement.

Company Description

AWSUM News, a division of TieMedia Group, is South Africa’s leading school-news platform, dedicated to celebrating the achievements of learners and schools nationwide. Schools across the country submit their news directly to us, allowing AWSUM to publish daily stories that highlight school activities, academic excellence, sports achievements, cultural events, and community initiatives — giving schools the exposure they deserve beyond their own social media platforms.

Posted on 27 Oct 09:16, Closing date 27 Nov