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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Written Communications Coordinator

💰 $45,000 - $75,000

CommunicationsWritingContentMarketingPublic Relations

🎯 Role Definition

The Written Communications Coordinator crafts, curates, and manages written materials that advance organizational priorities and strengthen brand voice across digital and print channels. This role combines copywriting, editing, content governance, and project coordination—requiring strong editorial judgment, SEO know-how, stakeholder management, and experience with content management systems and analytics.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Communications Assistant / Communications Intern
  • Content Writer / Copywriter
  • Marketing Coordinator

Advancement To:

  • Communications Manager
  • Content Strategy Lead
  • Senior Copywriter / Editorial Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Social Media Manager
  • Public Relations Specialist
  • Content Marketing Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop clear, audience-focused web copy, landing pages, and microsite content that aligns with brand voice, incorporates SEO best practices (keyword optimization, meta descriptions, header structure), and improves organic search performance.
  • Write, edit, and proofread external-facing content including press releases, media advisories, op-eds, blog posts, white papers, case studies, and thought leadership pieces, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and adherence to AP style.
  • Produce and manage internal communications—employee newsletters, executive announcements, intranet updates, and staff-facing FAQs—designed to inform, engage, and align internal audiences.
  • Create persuasive, metrics-driven email marketing copy and subject lines for campaigns, drip sequences, and transactional emails; work with email platforms (Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Salesforce Marketing Cloud) to test, segment, and optimize deliverability and open rates.
  • Maintain the editorial calendar: plan, prioritize, assign, and track content production timelines across multiple campaigns and channels to meet strategic objectives and deadlines.
  • Establish and enforce a comprehensive style guide and content governance framework (brand voice, grammar/style rules, accessibility standards) to ensure a consistent editorial identity across departments and partners.
  • Edit and localize communications for tone, cultural sensitivity, and reading level; coordinate translations and ensure translated content preserves intent and regulatory compliance.
  • Manage content in CMS platforms (WordPress, Drupal, Sitecore), including page creation, metadata entry, template editing, and content staging/publishing workflows.
  • Collaborate with marketing, product, legal, compliance, HR, and design teams to gather inputs, obtain approvals, and ensure all content meets regulatory, legal, and brand requirements before publication.
  • Conduct subject-matter interviews, draft Q&As and executive speaking notes, and translate technical information into plain-language content that resonates with diverse audiences.
  • Perform rigorous fact-checking and source verification for all external materials; coordinate with legal or compliance teams for sensitivity reviews and archival of approval records.
  • Lead copy QA for design and production: review PDFs, brochures, signage, and multi-channel campaign assets to ensure copy accuracy, layout consistency, and print-ready formatting.
  • Oversee relationships with freelance writers, copy editors, and external agencies—scoping assignments, negotiating contracts, onboarding contributors, and reviewing deliverables against briefs and KPIs.
  • Use analytics tools (Google Analytics, HubSpot, Adobe Analytics) to measure content performance, produce monthly performance reports, and recommend A/B testing or content optimizations to improve engagement and conversion metrics.
  • Develop templates, content briefs, and writing resources to streamline cross-functional content creation and raise baseline writing quality across the organization.
  • Support crisis and issues communications by producing timely, approved statements, Q&As, and holding-line messaging while coordinating rapid approvals and distribution across channels.
  • Ensure web and digital content meets accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1) by writing alt text, using plain language, and coordinating with developers to remediate accessibility issues.
  • Train and advise staff on writing best practices, editorial tools, and message discipline; host workshops or brown-bag sessions to uplift organizational writing capabilities.
  • Manage content archives and version control systems to ensure historical records, approvals, and assets are searchable and stored in compliance with retention policies.
  • Coordinate press packet development, media lists, and distribution plans; monitor coverage, summarize media mentions, and provide media-ready copy for spokespersons.
  • Lead cross-channel messaging alignment—ensuring email, web, social, and print communications reflect the same campaign objectives, calls-to-action, and legal disclaimers.
  • Draft grant narratives, proposals, and donor communications when requested, tailoring messages to funder priorities and demonstrating impact through compelling storytelling.
  • Support senior communications staff in strategic planning by contributing written components to communications plans, audience segmentation strategies, and editorial KPIs.

Secondary Functions

  • Monitor industry news, social channels, and competitor content to identify content opportunities, topical hooks, and thought leadership angles.
  • Assist with basic content performance dashboards and ad-hoc reporting requests to inform editorial decisions and executive briefings.
  • Support event communications by preparing copy for programs, speaker bios, promotional materials, and post-event summaries.
  • Coordinate photo and multimedia requests with internal creative teams and external vendors, ensuring captions, credits, and usage rights accompany written assets.
  • Maintain and update content templates, boilerplate language, and organizational bios used across proposals, RFPs, and partnership materials.
  • Provide editorial support for fundraising and development activities by proofreading donor-facing materials and ensuring alignment with fundraising strategy.
  • Facilitate approval routing and maintain a log of sign-offs for high-risk or time-sensitive communications.
  • Archive and tag published content for SEO integrity and ease of content reuse and repurposing.
  • Assist with media monitoring and clipping services, compiling coverage summaries and sentiment analysis for leadership.
  • Participate in occasional cross-functional sprints or communications task forces focused on campaigns, launches, or organizational initiatives.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Expert-level copywriting and editing skills with mastery of AP style, grammar, punctuation, and plain-language principles.
  • Proven experience optimizing content for search engines (on-page SEO: keyword usage, meta descriptions, headings, structured data basics).
  • Hands-on experience with content management systems (WordPress, Drupal, Sitecore) including page editing, metadata management, and workflow administration.
  • Familiarity with email marketing platforms and best practices for segmentation, tracking, and deliverability (Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Salesforce Marketing Cloud).
  • Ability to use analytics tools to evaluate content performance and derive actionable insights (Google Analytics, HubSpot, Adobe Analytics).
  • Strong competency with collaborative writing and project management tools (Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Asana, Trello, Jira, Slack).
  • Practical knowledge of digital accessibility (WCAG) and experience writing accessible web content (alt text, plain language, semantic structure).
  • Basic HTML/CSS familiarity for troubleshooting web copy rendering and minor template edits.
  • Experience producing press materials and media kits, and managing media distribution and clipping services.
  • Proficiency with content brief creation, editorial calendar tools, and version control/document management systems.
  • Familiarity with social publishing/scheduling tools (Hootsuite, Buffer, Sprout Social) for coordinating copy across platforms.
  • Experience commissioning and managing freelance writers and copy editors, including scope, review, and payment workflows.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional attention to detail and strong editorial judgment when balancing speed with accuracy.
  • Excellent verbal and written interpersonal communication skills for stakeholder collaboration and interview-based content gathering.
  • Project management and time-management skills to juggle multiple deadlines, priorities, and cross-functional requests.
  • Strong stakeholder management and ability to translate strategic goals into actionable editorial plans.
  • Creativity and storytelling ability to make complex topics compelling and audience-appropriate.
  • Adaptability and calm under pressure, especially during crisis communications or last-minute executive requests.
  • Collaborative mindset and the ability to give and receive constructive feedback across creative and technical teams.
  • Professional discretion and ability to handle sensitive or confidential information with integrity.
  • Problem-solving orientation with a data-informed approach to iterate and improve content outcomes.
  • Cultural competence and inclusive language awareness to produce respectful, accessible communications for diverse audiences.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, English, Marketing, Public Relations, or a related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Rhetoric, or an industry certification (Content Marketing, SEO, Digital Communications).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Communications
  • Journalism
  • English / Rhetoric
  • Marketing
  • Public Relations

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2–5 years of professional experience in writing, editing, or communications roles (agency, corporate, nonprofit, higher education, or government).

Preferred:

  • 3+ years as a content writer, communications specialist, or editorial coordinator with demonstrated success producing multi-channel copy, managing CMS workflows, and improving content metrics (engagement, clickthroughs, conversions).
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