Copywriter (Development)

Stand Together; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

6% 401(k) match

Flexible time off

Comprehensive health and dental plans

Wellness and mental health support

Job summary

Stand Together in Arlington, Virginia is seeking a Development Copywriter to create compelling communications for philanthropic partners. The role involves crafting personalized materials that engage business leaders and changemakers and requires a strong writing background with 5+ years of experience in development or related fields. Applicants should possess exceptional communication and project management skills, with a focus on producing polished, audience-centered content that reflects the organization's values and mission.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional writing experience in development or related field.
• Ability to synthesize complex ideas into concise communications.
• Strong understanding of the social sector and philanthropy.

Responsibilities

• Create clear, compelling written materials for philanthropic partners.
• Develop donor communications that deepen engagement.
• Manage multiple projects and deliver polished work on deadline.

Skills

Professional writing experience

Exceptional writing and editing skills

Project management skills

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, or related field

Job description

Overview

Stand Together is a philanthropic community that helps America’s boldest changemakers tackle the root causes of our country’s biggest problems, from education to the economy, broken communities, and toxic division, among dozens of other pressing issues. We provide our partners with access to resources including funding, thought leadership, a network of peers, and a playbook for applying proven principles to transform lives and society.

We’re looking for a Development Copywriter to create compelling communications that strengthen relationships with current and prospective philanthropic partners. In this role, you will craft polished, audience-centered materials that engage business leaders, philanthropists, and changemakers in Stand Together’s vision to help every person rise.

The Stand Together community works with bold social changemakers to remove the barriers that keep people from realizing their full potential. We believe society benefits when every person has the opportunity to live a life of meaning and contribute to the well-being of others. This role is ideal for someone energized by developing thoughtful, values-based communications across issues such as education, economic opportunity, poverty, criminal justice, immigration, and free speech.

As a Copywriter on the Development team, you will produce donor and partner-facing materials that inform, inspire, and deepen engagement. The ideal candidate is a strong writer with experience creating customized proposals, stewardship communications, executive correspondence, and premium collateral for high-capacity audiences.

How You Will Contribute

Creating clear, compelling, and highly tailored written materials for current and prospective philanthropic partners, including:

• Writing multi-page proposals, case for support materials, briefing documents, and other customized communications for high-capacity donors and partners
• Developing stewardship plans and donor communications that deepen engagement, demonstrate impact, and strengthen long-term relationships
• Crafting premium collateral materials such as impact reports, one-pagers, talking points, executive summaries, presentations, and event-related materials
• Partnering with internal stakeholders to translate complex strategies, initiatives, and issue-area priorities into clear, audience-appropriate messaging
• Supporting development leaders with thoughtful written communications for meetings, follow-up, cultivation, and ongoing relationship management
• Researching initiatives, partners, and issue areas to develop a strong understanding of messaging, context, and strategic opportunities for donor engagement
• Ensuring all written materials are aligned with Stand Together’s brand, values, and voice while also reflecting the needs and interests of specific audiences
• Managing multiple projects simultaneously and delivering polished work on deadline in a collaborative, fast-paced environment
• Continuously refining messaging and materials based on stakeholder input, audience insights, and evolving strategic priorities

What You Will Bring

• 5+ years of professional writing experience in development, executive communications, strategic communications, public affairs, or a related field
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, English, marketing, public relations, or a related field, or equivalent experience
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to adapt tone and style for senior-level and external audiences
• Experience writing for high-capacity donor, executive, board, or other discerning stakeholder audiences
• Ability to synthesize complex ideas and strategies into concise, persuasive, and audience-centered communications
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to producing polished, error-free work
• Excellent project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• Ability to work cross-functionally, build trust with stakeholders, and incorporate feedback from multiple partners
• Sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism when handling sensitive or high-visibility communications
• Strong understanding of the social sector, philanthropy, and/or public policy landscape

Standout Candidates Will Have

• Experience writing customized donor proposals, stewardship communications, and executive-level collateral
• Experience supporting fundraising, philanthropy, or relationship management teams through strategic communications
• Experience developing messaging for complex social impact initiatives or issue-based work
• Confidence writing for sophisticated audiences, including business leaders, philanthropists, and senior executives
• Familiarity with presentation development and partnering closely with design teams to bring premium communications to life

What We Offer

• Competitive benefits: Enjoy a 6% 401(k) match with immediate vesting, flexible time off, comprehensive health and dental plans, plus wellness and mental health support through Peloton and Talkspace.
• A meaningful career: Join a passionate community of over 1,300 employees dedicated to improving lives and driving innovative solutions to complex social challenges.
• Commitment to growth: Thrive in a non-hierarchical environment that empowers employees to discover, develop and apply their unique talents.
• Competitive compensation: Our approach rewards the value you create through competitive salaries and bonus opportunities, allowing you to share in the success you help drive.

Our Values: Working for an organization within the Stand Together philanthropic community is different from many other places. The culture is deeply rooted in Principle Based Management® (PBM®), a framework guided by the principles that drive human progress, such as dignity, openness, and bottom-up empowerment. PBM® empowers employees to be entrepreneurial, to innovate, and to continually drive transformation.

We believe diversity fuels creativity, broadens knowledge, and helps drive success. That is why we’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and strive to treat all employees and applicants with honesty, dignity, and respect.