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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Assistant Writer

💰 $ - $

WritingContentEditorialCommunications

🎯 Role Definition

The Assistant Writer supports content teams by producing clear, accurate, and audience-focused written material across digital and print channels. This role involves drafting blog posts, social copy, marketing collateral, and internal documents; conducting research and interviews; optimizing content for SEO and readability; and working closely with editors, designers, and product teams to deliver polished content on schedule. Ideal candidates combine strong writing mechanics, attention to detail, and familiarity with CMS and SEO tools to help scale high-quality content production.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Editorial Intern or Content Intern
  • Junior Copywriter or Graduate in Journalism/Communications
  • Social Media Coordinator or Marketing Assistant

Advancement To:

  • Staff/Associate Writer
  • Content Strategist
  • Senior Copywriter or Editor
  • Managing Editor / Content Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • SEO Specialist
  • Social Media Manager
  • Technical Writer
  • Communications Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Produce well-researched, audience-focused articles, blog posts, product descriptions, email copy, social media content, and press materials under editorial guidance, ensuring each piece meets brand voice, tone, and quality standards.
  • Draft original headlines, subheads, deck copy, and meta descriptions that improve click-through rates and support SEO goals, using keyword research and editorial direction to balance discoverability with readability.
  • Conduct primary and secondary research, synthesize source material, and interview subject-matter experts to develop accurate, authoritative content and properly attribute facts and quotes.
  • Edit and proofread content for grammar, punctuation, style consistency (AP/Chicago/brand style), factual accuracy, and legal/compliance considerations; track edits and versions for editorial transparency.
  • Publish and format content in content management systems (WordPress, Contentful, HubSpot CMS), ensuring correct use of headings, images, links, tags, and categories for optimal UX and search performance.
  • Collaborate with senior writers, editors, designers, and SEO specialists to translate briefs into content that aligns with campaign objectives, persona needs, and conversion goals.
  • Create and maintain content briefs and outlines for recurring and ad-hoc projects, including target keywords, audience, call-to-action, tone, and internal links to guide contributors.
  • Optimize existing content with on-page SEO improvements—updating metadata, internal links, schema where appropriate, and improving readability to increase organic traffic and reduce bounce rates.
  • Support content operations by maintaining the editorial calendar, tracking deadlines, coordinating drafts, and communicating status to stakeholders to ensure timely publication.
  • Generate social media captions and microcopy that amplify long-form content, experiment with formats (threads, reels, short posts), and adapt messaging for platform conventions and audience engagement.
  • Assist in drafting short-form video scripts, podcast show notes, and webinar descriptions; coordinate with multimedia teams for shot lists, asset gathering, and captions/subtitles.
  • Research and apply keyword opportunities using tools such as Google Search Console, Google Analytics, SEMrush, Ahrefs or Moz to inform content topics and prioritization.
  • Prepare and maintain content inventories, asset libraries, and link lists for cross-referencing, repurposing, and content audits.
  • Produce data-informed content by integrating research findings, performance metrics, and user feedback into copy recommendations and editorial adjustments.
  • Respond to editorial feedback, revise copy quickly and constructively, and manage multiple rounds of edits while retaining clarity and voice consistency.
  • Support A/B testing initiatives by writing variant headlines, email subject lines, and landing page copy and documenting performance outcomes to recommend best practices.
  • Fact-check claims, verify sources, and escalate potential legal or compliance concerns to legal or senior editorial staff before publication.
  • Transcribe interviews and recorded material, summarize key takeaways, and convert transcripts into cohesive narrative content or quotes for publication.
  • Write internal communications, meeting summaries, and briefing notes for leadership and cross-functional partners that clearly summarize projects, timelines, and decisions.
  • Assist in outreach and collaboration with freelance writers, subject matter experts, and external agencies, coordinating deliverables, briefs, and payments as needed.
  • Monitor published content for typos, broken links, and outdated information; implement minor updates and flag major revisions or content retirement to editorial leadership.
  • Contribute to brand voice documentation and style guide updates by capturing recurring language patterns, approved phrasing, and examples of effective content.
  • Support SEO and content performance reporting by gathering basic analytics, preparing simple dashboards, and highlighting content that requires optimization or promotion.

Secondary Functions

  • Participate in editorial planning meetings and brainstorming sessions to generate content ideas aligned with business goals, seasonal campaigns, and trending topics.
  • Help repurpose long-form assets into newsletters, social posts, slide decks, and lead magnets to maximize content ROI and reach new audiences.
  • Coordinate with product, legal, and compliance teams to confirm claims, product specs, and regulatory language before publication.
  • Maintain a list of evergreen content updates; proactively refresh high-value pages based on traffic trends and product changes.
  • Assist with keyword gap analysis and competitive content reviews to identify opportunities for new content or improvement of existing pages.
  • Support community engagement by responding to user comments, incorporating user feedback into content improvements, and reporting sentiment to editorial leads.
  • Track content production metrics (time-to-publish, revision counts, engagement metrics) and suggest process improvements to increase throughput and quality.
  • Facilitate onboarding for new writing contributors by sharing style guides, process documentation, and sample briefs.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Professional-level writing and editing skills with demonstrable portfolio samples across blogs, marketing copy, and social media.
  • Strong knowledge of SEO fundamentals: keyword research, on-page optimization, metadata, internal linking, and basic content clustering.
  • Hands-on experience with CMS platforms such as WordPress, Contentful, HubSpot, or Drupal for creating, formatting, and publishing content.
  • Familiarity with SEO and analytics tools (Google Analytics, Google Search Console, SEMrush, Ahrefs, Moz) to monitor performance and inform content decisions.
  • Comfortable with content collaboration and version control tools (Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Confluence, Airtable, Notion).
  • Ability to write for multiple channels and formats: long-form articles, short-form social copy, email marketing, landing pages, and microcopy.
  • Strong headline and subhead creation skills that follow best practices for CTR and readability.
  • Basic HTML/CSS knowledge to troubleshoot formatting issues, embed media, and apply basic inline edits when needed.
  • Experience with editorial workflows, including content briefs, acceptance criteria, and editorial calendars.
  • Familiarity with style guides (AP, Chicago, company-specific) and the ability to enforce style consistency across content.
  • Experience using collaboration/design tools (Figma, Canva) to understand placement of copy within layouts and give clear guidance to designers.
  • Ability to transcribe audio, summarize interviews, and extract quotable content for storytelling and feature pieces.
  • Basic understanding of content accessibility and plain-language principles to ensure inclusive, accessible writing.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional attention to detail and a strong sense of ownership for accuracy, tone, and brand alignment.
  • Clear verbal and written communication; comfortable presenting content ideas and explaining editorial choices to stakeholders.
  • Strong time management and organizational skills; able to manage multiple projects and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Curiosity and research orientation; asks smart questions, validates sources, and synthesizes complex information into clear narratives.
  • Adaptability and willingness to learn new tools, formats, and subject areas quickly.
  • Collaborative mindset; works well with editors, designers, marketers, and product teams to iterate toward the best result.
  • Creative thinking and storytelling ability to craft compelling narratives that engage target audiences.
  • Receptive to feedback and able to incorporate editorial direction while preserving quality and voice.
  • Problem-solving skills; anticipates content gaps and proposes practical solutions to improve workflows or content impact.
  • Professionalism and discretion when handling confidential information and sensitive topics.
  • Initiative and proactivity in identifying content opportunities, pitching ideas, and following through with execution.
  • Empathy and audience-focus to tailor messaging that respects user needs and motivates desired actions.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Journalism, English, Communications, Marketing, or a related field; demonstrable writing portfolio may substitute for degree.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Communications, English, Creative Writing, Marketing, or a related discipline.
  • Additional coursework or certificate in digital marketing, SEO, or technical writing is a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Journalism
  • English / Creative Writing
  • Communications
  • Marketing
  • Technical Writing
  • Media Studies

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 0–3 years (entry to early-career)

Preferred:

  • 1–2 years of professional writing, editorial, or content marketing experience, or a strong internship portfolio demonstrating published work.
  • Experience writing for digital audiences with demonstrable results (traffic, engagement, conversions).
  • Experience working with content teams and familiarity with editorial calendars, CMS publishing, and basic SEO practices.
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