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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Written Communications Officer

💰 $ - $

🎯 Role Definition

The Written Communications Officer is responsible for shaping clear, compelling, and on-brand written content across internal and external channels. This role develops strategic communications materials—press releases, web content, speeches, reports, policy briefs, and social media copy—ensuring accuracy, tone consistency, accessibility, and search optimization. The incumbent partners with subject-matter experts, stakeholders, and external agencies to translate complex information into plain‑language messaging that advances organizational goals, protects reputation, and drives engagement.

This position is ideal for a skilled writer/editor with proven experience in content strategy, media relations, and multi-channel publishing who can manage competing priorities and deliver high-impact communications under deadline.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Communications Assistant / Communications Coordinator
  • Junior Content Writer / Copywriter
  • Public Relations or Media Relations Coordinator

Advancement To:

  • Senior Communications Officer / Senior Written Communications Officer
  • Communications Manager / Content Manager
  • Head of Communications / Director of Communications

Lateral Moves:

  • Content Strategist / Editorial Manager
  • Public Affairs Officer / Policy Communications Specialist
  • Marketing Communications Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop, write, and edit high-quality external communications including press releases, media advisories, official statements, op-eds, blogs, and feature articles that reflect the organization’s voice and priorities.
  • Produce clear and persuasive internal communications—newsletters, intranet copy, executive briefings, and staff announcements—that foster alignment, culture, and policy understanding across the organization.
  • Lead the creation of long-form publications such as annual reports, white papers, policy briefs, research summaries, and stakeholder reports, ensuring narrative coherence, factual accuracy, and compelling structure.
  • Draft speeches, talking points, and briefing notes for executives and spokespeople, tailoring message nuance and emphasis to different audiences and media situations.
  • Develop and maintain editorial standards and a style guide (AP, Chicago, in‑house variants) to ensure consistent grammar, tone, terminology, and brand voice across all written materials.
  • Translate complex, technical, or policy-heavy subject matter into plain‑language content that is understandable to non-expert audiences while preserving technical accuracy and nuance.
  • Plan, manage, and maintain a content calendar that aligns messaging with organizational campaigns, events, product launches, and key dates to maximize reach and strategic impact.
  • Collaborate with subject-matter experts, program leads, legal and compliance teams to fact-check content, obtain approvals, and ensure materials meet regulatory, privacy, and compliance requirements.
  • Optimize web content, blog posts, and press materials for search engines (SEO) and readability—incorporating keywords, meta descriptions, headings, and structured content for discoverability.
  • Create succinct, engaging social media copy and content briefs for social channels; coordinate with social media managers to adapt written assets to platform-specific formats and audiences.
  • Manage media relations content: prepare embargoed copy, media kits, Q&As, and journalist pitches; work with PR teams or agencies to coordinate distribution and follow-up.
  • Lead crisis communications writing when needed: draft statements, holding lines, FAQs, and rapid response copy that protect reputation and provide transparent, timely information.
  • Conduct editorial reviews and final proofreading of materials coming from multiple authors; ensure grammar, punctuation, style consistency, and brand alignment before publication.
  • Implement content governance processes including version control, approval workflows, archiving, and retention of communications materials for organizational memory and audits.
  • Coach and train staff across units in writing best practices, plain language, brand voice, and message discipline; provide writing templates, checklists, and editorial support.
  • Create targeted, measurable content for campaigns and outreach—writing email campaigns, donor appeals, fundraising copy, and stakeholder letters with clear calls-to-action and A/B testing inputs.
  • Manage relationships with external creative agencies, translators, and copyeditors—defining scopes of work, delivering creative briefs, and ensuring quality control of outsourced writing.
  • Develop and use audience segmentation and persona-based messaging to tailor tone, length, and complexity of writing for specific stakeholder groups (e.g., policymakers, clients, donors, employees).
  • Monitor content performance (engagement metrics, open/click rates, landing page behavior) and iterate on messaging and formats using data-driven insights.
  • Ensure accessibility and inclusivity in written communications by applying plain-language principles and WCAG guidance for digital content (alt text, captions, clear structure).
  • Maintain an organized content repository and search-ready library of approved boilerplate language, bios, fact sheets, and historical communications for rapid reuse.
  • Support multilingual and localization efforts by supplying clear source copy, style notes, and context to translation teams to preserve meaning and tone in other languages.

Secondary Functions

  • Support cross-functional projects by drafting communications deliverables for project plans, stakeholder updates, and project launch materials.
  • Maintain a content inventory and taxonomy to improve discoverability and consistency across platforms and departments.
  • Assist with event communications: write program copy, speaker bios, promotional materials, and post-event recaps.
  • Provide editorial input to designers and digital teams on layout, headings, and microcopy to improve scannability and user experience.
  • Produce regular reports on content KPIs and recommendations for improving reach, readability, and conversion.
  • Participate in editorial or communications strategy meetings and contribute to messaging frameworks and campaign ideation.
  • Help coordinate and review translations, transcreations, and localized content to ensure cultural and contextual relevance.
  • Provide ad-hoc copy support for internal task forces, executive projects, and high-priority stakeholder inquiries.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Professional copywriting and advanced editing with demonstrable portfolio (press releases, web copy, reports, speeches).
  • Mastery of AP Style, Chicago Manual, or institutional style guides and ability to create/maintain in-house editorial guidelines.
  • Plain‑language writing and experience translating technical or policy content for general audiences.
  • Content Management System (CMS) experience (WordPress, Drupal, Sitecore or equivalent) — publishing, formatting, metadata entry.
  • SEO content writing: keyword integration, on-page optimization, meta descriptions, heading structure, and basic HTML familiarity.
  • Proficiency with editorial and collaboration tools (Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Slack, editorial workflow tools).
  • Experience with analytics platforms (Google Analytics, Content analytics, or social analytics) to measure content performance and inform edits.
  • Social media content creation and scheduling familiarity (Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Buffer, or platform-native tools).
  • Crisis communications writing and rapid-response content creation under tight deadlines.
  • Accessibility and inclusive writing knowledge (WCAG basics, alt text guidelines, clear language principles).
  • Media relations experience: writing media advisories, embargo protocols, and journalist-facing materials.
  • Familiarity with design and layout principles and basic tools for working with creatives (Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud basics desirable).
  • Experience coordinating translation/localization workflows and working with language vendors or in-house linguists.
  • Version control and content governance best practices (approval matrices, archiving, records retention).

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional written communication and editorial judgment, with a near‑obsessive attention to detail.
  • Strong stakeholder management and interpersonal skills; able to synthesize input from executives, legal, program teams, and partners.
  • Strategic thinking: ability to align writing and messaging with organizational goals, campaigns, and audiences.
  • Time management and project planning: prioritize concurrent assignments and deliver polished copy under tight deadlines.
  • Collaboration and facilitation: work effectively with designers, digital teams, PR, and subject-matter experts.
  • Adaptability and resilience in fast-paced, changing environments (crisis or rapid news cycles).
  • Critical thinking and fact-checking rigor to ensure accuracy and credibility.
  • Coaching and mentoring capability to raise writing standards across the organization.
  • Cultural sensitivity and ability to write for diverse, global audiences.
  • Editorial curiosity and continuous improvement mindset—willingness to test, measure, and refine messaging.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

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

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree in Communications, Strategic Communications, Journalism, Public Policy, or an equivalent professional qualification (e.g., CIPR, IABC accreditation).
  • Professional certificates in SEO content strategy, plain language, or crisis communications are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Communications and Media Studies
  • Journalism and English / Creative Writing
  • Public Relations and Strategic Communications
  • Public Affairs, Political Science, or Policy Studies
  • Marketing and Digital Media

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–7 years of progressive communications or writing experience, with a proven portfolio of published work.

Preferred: 5+ years in corporate, nonprofit, government, or agency communications roles with demonstrable experience in multi-channel content strategy, media relations, and executive-level writing.

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