Website Engineer, Designer, and Editor

We are looking for volunteers with WordPress experience to help maintain the Society’s website.

Website Designer – The Website Designer creates and maintains the visual look and content of the website. In WordPress, basic posts and event publishing can be delegated to non-technical users. However, a designer is needed for static page updates, setting up the forms for special membership votes, creating icons and maps for events, etc. The designer should be fluent in WordPress/HTML/CSS and the Adobe suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign). In addition to the website, the Designer might also help support the production of the annual mailing, maintain the stationery and logos for the Society, and assist with advanced MailChimp emails. The time commitment is about 10-40 hours/year, depending on how much redesign is needed for the site.

1. Design, Page Map and Menus – The look and feel of the website is managed by the Website Designer, which includes the overall visual design, page map and menus.
2. Page Updates – While posts and events can be delegated, changes to static pages should be done by the designer.
3. Sets Post and Events styles – While these can be delegated, the designer should make sure post and events maintain the visual style of the web design.
4. Maps, Icon Updates – The basic library of icons and trip maps need to be kept up to date.
5. MailChimp – While the basic mailings are the responsibility of the secretary, the website designer needs to create templates and enforce a consistent visual style.
6. PayPal Integration – Electronic payments are made through PayPal and this must be kept up-to-date as PayPal makes changes to their APIs. If the Board decides to allow online application for membership, the membership portion of the site will need to be redesigned.
7. Stationary and Annual Mailing – Updates to the logo or Society’s stationary should be handled by the designer. The designer may also need to be involved in the annual mailing, setting up templates for the publications.

Website Editor – The Website Editor is responsible for the content of the website, which includes keeping the site content up to date, encouraging officer, committees, and members to contribute content. There should be at least two new articles a month. The time commitment is about 40-80 hours/year.

1. Monthly MailChimp Calendar – This calendar requires some technical expertise, which is a bit too complicated for the Secretary. This should be handled by the Website Editor. When the Website Editor is up to speed with getting members to contribute content, the editor should expand the calendar into a monthly newsletter.
2. Mentor the Programs and Field Trip editors and act as a “gate keeper” when needed, to ensure content is being published correctly and in a timely fashion.
3. Manage the pCloud archive accounts, directories and make backups to SSD drives monthly.
4. Supervise the Website Designer and Website Engineer. The plug-ins and WordPress should be updated on a quarterly basis, with backups going to pCloud once a month.
5. Organize and coordinate the yearly update of content for field trips and programs.
6. Update the contacts page in March after the new officers and board members are elected.
7. Annual Content Review – The static copy about the website should get an annual review by the appropriate officers and committees, supervised by the Website Editor. In addition, the Website Editor should make recommendations to the board about making changes to the website, such as adding online applications or removing outdated sections.