Taxonomy Coordinator

The Poetry Foundation is seeking a taxonomy coordinator. The taxonomy coordinator is responsible for ensuring effective content search and retrieval for users of PoetryFoundation.org by defining, implementing, and managing user-friendly content categorization, taxonomy, and metadata standards. PoetryFoundation.org contains over 48,000 poems freely available to the public, as well as author biographies, articles, collections, and the archive of Poetry magazine. 

The Poetry Foundation is a hybrid workplace. This position will be in-person at our Chicago offices three days per week, with the requirement to work in the office every Wednesday and the option to work from home two days per week. This role reports to the vice president of information technology.The position is open until filled, with priority consideration given to applications received by February 3, 2025. 

Salary:

The salary range for this role is $58,000-$65,000.

The Objectives You Will Meet

• Create, maintain, and update CMS taxonomies and style guides in collaboration with other teams; 
• Ensure that all new and existing content is accurately described and credited according to established taxonomy standards, including categories, themes, and audiences;
• Assign related content between works, including poems, essays, collections, audio, videos, and more; 
• Develop and maintain documentation of the taxonomy, including guidelines, standards, and processes;
• Train and guide staff on the appropriate use of taxonomy;
• Assist with building website content in the CMS; 
• Assist with website usability and feature testing.

Who You Are

A well-matched candidate will bring the following skills to the role:

• 1 - 3 years experience with standards for taxonomy and metadata content, structure, and management; 

• General knowledge of poetry terms, forms, schools, and educational audiences;

• Strong project management skills and experience with project management tools;

• Understanding of the web publishing processes, with experience working in a content management system;

• Understanding of user experience (UX), information architecture, and web accessibility principles;

• Ability to work under deadlines and complete administrative tasks meticulously;

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Studies have shown that marginalized communities—such as women, LGBTQIA+ , people who have disabilities, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), and ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian Arab, Native American) people—are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. The Poetry Foundation is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application. You may be just the right candidate for this role or a future position!

If you are a qualified candidate with a disability, please contact us at [email protected] if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Remaining in a stationary position, often sitting for prolonged periods in an indoor office environment.

• Ability to navigate throughout the building.

• Communicating with others to exchange information and perform duties.

• Ability to read materials on a computer screen.

• Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.

• Comfort with a moderate noise level consistent with an office environment.

Benefits:

Please note that t_he provisions of the benefit plan are subject to change._

• Health Insurance: Medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug insurance are available to full-time employees. The Foundation pays 100% of employee premiums. The Foundation also offers employer-paid short- and long-term disability, as well as life insurance.

• Retirement Plan: After six months of service, the Foundation will contribute 10% of the employee’s regular salary to the employee’s retirement plan account and the employee must contribute 5% of their regular salary. All employees may contribute non-matched pre-tax earnings at any time.

• Paid Time Off: All full-time employees are eligible for vacation days, sick days, floating holidays, and  personal days. The Foundation is closed for 11 holidays per calendar year.

• FSA Benefits: Full-time employees have the opportunity to set aside pre-tax dollars for a Healthcare FSA, dependent care, transit expenses, and parking expenses.

Vaccination Expectation The Poetry Foundation requires all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to ensure the safety of our guests, partners, and staff. All employees must provide proof of their vaccination status or request a reasonable accommodation for religious or medical reasons within the first week of employment.