About the IIHS Word Lab
The IIHS Word Lab delivers editorial and publication support to IIHS and beyond, enabling the IIHS community to write more effectively and systematising a regular flow of publications and written knowledge outputs. It is responsible for communicating IIHS’ diverse forms of writing to specialised communities and a wide public readership. The Lab also strengthens IIHS’ public engagement through IIHS City Scripts, the annual urban writings festival, and its monthly City Scripts events.
Job Description
The IIHS Word Lab is looking for an Editorial Consultant who can bring together rigorous editing, narrative thinking, and media sensibility. The applicant will work closely with researchers and practitioners, cutting across all IIHS’ research and practice projects, to translate complex ideas into compelling, accessible, and publication-ready outputs, while also helping shape how IIHS engages with public discourse.
The ideal candidate is someone who can move fluidly between long-form institutional writing and sharp, externally facing media pieces, and who understands how to position ideas for relevance, clarity, and impact.
This will be a contractual position for an initial term of 11 months, renewable on mutual consent.
Activities and Tasks
Responsibilities would include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Editorial development and review:
Editing and refining a wide range of outputs, including research reports and practice documents, technical reports, policy and practice briefs, essays and long-form explainers, institutional op-eds for national and international media, as well as photo essays and data stories; This involves going beyond line editing to strengthen structure, argument, narrative flow, and clarity. Working closely with authors, the consultant will ensure that all writing is accessible, coherent, and tailored to its intended audience without diluting analytical depth, while identifying gaps in logic, framing, and positioning, and guiding revisions accordingly;
- Journal editing, page setting, and journal management;
- Experience with journal editing, page layout, and journal management is desired. Strong editing skills, along with familiarity with journal management processes and tools, are essential;
- Media-facing outputs:
Shaping and co-developing op-eds and opinion pieces for external publication, working to position IIHS’s work within ongoing public and policy conversations. This involves demonstrating a strong understanding of what makes a piece publishable, including timeliness, relevance, clarity of argument, and distinctiveness;
- City scripts – curation and planning:
Supporting the curation and planning of City Scripts, IIHS’s annual Urban Writings festival, by helping shape its overall programme and thematic direction. The role includes mapping and engaging potential speakers, contributors, and moderators, ensuring that the programme reflects a balance of perspectives across the urban domain;
- Language Lab – teaching and facilitation:
Contributing to the Language lab, a multilingual language support service for students;
- Providing support to other IIHS initiatives and activities including academics, research, training, practice, operations, and others, as needed;
- Participating in all activities of Institution-Building at IIHS; carrying out tasks as assigned by IIHS; and travelling on IIHS work within or outside the country as and when needed.
Structure and Reporting
The incumbent will be an External Consultant coordinating with the Lead – Word Lab at IIHS and will be required to collaborate effectively with a diverse group of internal teams and external individuals/ organisations, and students.
Person Specification
The ideal candidate should have:
- A Master’s degree in Journalism, Mass Communication, Cultural Studies or related fields;
- 3–5 years of experience in editing, journalism, publishing, or related fields with prior experience as a journalist, editor, or working closely with media;
- Strong editorial experience across multiple formats, especially reports and policy documents, opinion and commentary writing, narrative-led formats (essays, features, etc.);
- Demonstrated ability to work with complex, research-heavy content;
- Ability to engage critically with content and provide constructive editorial direction;
- Experience working on urban, climate, development, or public policy themes;
- Strong editing skills with familiarity with journal management processes and tools;
- Excellent command of language; preferably with the ability to speak and write in multiple languages; and with strong skills in structure, and argumentation;
- Familiarity with the media landscape and editorial processes; existing relationships with editors/ publications are an advantage;
This is a contractual engagement for an initial term of 11 months, renewable on mutual consent. This offer is on an exclusive basis, which implies that other professional assignments (whether compensated or not) that bear a potential conflict of interest with IIHS cannot be undertaken.
The search will remain open until the position is filled.
Location
This position is based in Bengaluru and may entail travel to other locations in India.
Review and Assessment
The role and performance of the incumbent shall be subject to normal review and assessment systems at IIHS.
Diversity Policy
IIHS is an equal opportunity employer that encourages women, people with disabilities and those from economically and socially excluded communities with the requisite skills and qualifications to apply for positions.
