About the Opportunity

Summary

As stewards of the brand, university Marketing defines and oversees the Northeastern brand to ensure a cohesive message and experience across our global enterprise. That includes 10 colleges and schools; 9 interdisciplinary research institutes; and 13 campuses in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. We set the brand standards, oversee the experience across all digital properties, and collaborate with our marketing partners across the university on the translation of brand strategy, brand messaging, and signature brand content in market across audiences.
 

The role:

We seek an experienced, versatile, creative content writer to manage a growing team charged with creating sharp, sophisticated marketing and brand content across a variety of audiences and platforms with a significant focus on websites. This role reports to the Director of Creative Operations in Marketing, who also oversees the design team.
 

You will:

• Direct a team of writers in delivering high-quality content on time and to spec.
• Write and edit web content outlines and web content, some ad copy and campaign toolkits, event collateral for signature university events—and the occasional “outside-the-box” project.
• Provide direction for SEO in web content and ensure content meets the standards appropriately, contributing audience research and SEO insights to optimize content.
• Be a steward for voice and tone across audiences, with an eye toward trends and best practices both within and outside the higher ed sector.
• Provide clear, actionable feedback to the team and ensure accountability for delivery.
• Help identify new freelance talent as needed.
• Inspire creative translations of the brand across all audiences and platforms.
   

The vast majority of your work will be in the digital space, with a primary focus on leading content development for a multi-phase website redesign. As mentioned above, you’ll also need to be able to pivot to quick-turn projects where needed, including print, collateral for signature university events, and some ad copy.

The position is based on the Boston campus with the option of one remote day per week.

Qualifications

There’s no one background that makes you the perfect candidate. This position is a fit for someone who thrives thinking creatively about how to bring brand messages to life in a way that resonates, but also loves the craft of writing and editing itself. It goes without saying that attention to detail is essential.

We’re a growing team, so you’ll need to roll up your sleeves and dive into the work, as well as oversee and elevate the work of your team.

You should have 7 to 10 years of experience writing creative copy for a large organization or an advertising/marketing agency. You’ll need to be a sharp editor, quick to absorb the Northeastern brand, and have a proven record of both managing writers on the core team and directing freelance writers and marketing colleagues across the university. You should be familiar with SEO best practices and be able to continually expand your understanding of the big picture by connecting dots and applying that knowledge in context. Experience with content marketing is a plus. Experience in higher education is not needed, nor is it desired.

The ideal candidate is someone who:

• Learns the nuances of the Northeastern brand quickly
• Is a fast, clean writer and has a precise command of language
• The ability to toggle a variety of projects, a knack for cutting through complicated topics and jargon
• Is both self-motivated and innately collaborative
• Enjoys working with a variety of teams
• Communicates clearly with colleagues and absorbs feedback eagerly
• Is able to find valuable points of connection and alignment
• Is flexible about shifting priorities and is entrepreneurial and resilient when faced with ambiguity
• Nimbly adapts to new systems, knowing when it’s necessary to ask for help and when it’s appropriate to propose better ways of doing things
• Embraces the cues provided by performance metrics, but still trusts gut instinct
• Has a global-first, inclusive mindset
• Agile thinker and executor with keen foresight who can pivot effortlessly
• A self-starter who can take the lead when necessary
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a cross-disciplinary team
• An unwavering spirit of optimism, collegiality, curiosity, and humility

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

Writing/editing (hands-on) - 70%

• Provides input for creative briefs that set strategic insight and creative inspiration
• Write/direct website content outlines
• Collaborate with UX designers on site maps
• Edit copy for websites