Senior Writer

VSA Partners; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development

Growth opportunity

Recognition programs

Referral bonus

Collaborative culture

Casual dress

Full insurance

401(k) with match

Wellbeing support

Flexible PTO

Paid holidays

Paid parental leave

Job summary

VSA Partners in Chicago and other offices seeks a Senior Writer to craft relevant, memorable creative communications that support strategy, design and brand expression. Candidates from brand- and campaign-focused backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

You will collaborate with Designers and Creative Directors, interview experts, and help define the voice and tone for client programs while meeting tight deadlines.

Qualifications

• 3 to 6 years of experience in communications, business, marketing, advertising, journalism, or a related field.
• Experience in an agency or similar client services environment is preferred.
• A strong vocabulary, expertise in English usage, and comfort with multiple and often complex writing assignments, styles and disciplines.
• Ability to focus on user priorities and needs in structuring content and to offer the team strategic thinking and knowledge of business and marketing principles.
• Ability to effectively articulate, present and explain writing choices.
• Ability to produce work quickly, with strength in meeting and managing to deadlines.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Skills in complex problem solving, judgment, critical thinking and decision-making.
• Versatility and agility in handling multiple projects and reprioritizations.
• Ability to organize information, prioritize, pay attention to detail, and accurately follow procedures.
• Ability to maintain self-motivation and to work independently in team environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop unique concepts and content that solve clients' business and brand challenges.
• Think visually as well as verbally, contributing to the structure, look and feel of a client project.
• Collaborate with Designers and Creative Directors to refine content and messaging strategies.
• Concept, brainstorm, and write placeholder copy independently and with the team.
• Contribute to defining the voice for a client, program or project.
• Establish and interpret brand positioning, tone and attributes.
• Demonstrate logical structuring of content and strategic thinking.
• Interview subject-matter experts to gather background information.
• Contribute to briefs presented to clients.
• Support solutions with Engagement Lead and Project Manager.
• Participate in creative presentations to clients.
• Meet deadlines and manage workloads.
• Identify and guide freelance writing resources as needed.
• Foster an inclusive and collaborative work environment.
• Additional responsibilities as assigned.

Skills

Strong vocabulary

English usage

Written communication

Time management

Independent and team work

Education

Undergraduate degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Advertising or Integrated/Strategic Communications

Job description

VSA's purpose is to design for a better human experience. As a strategy and design agency, we blend consumer insights and data with human-centered design to activate meaningful, motivating and measurable experiences in an increasingly noisy world. With offices in Chicago, New York and San Francisco, VSA offers a full range of fully integrated capabilities-branding, advertising, data science and technology all under one roof. VSA is also a proud member of Meet The People, an international family of unified and independent agencies. For more than 40 years, we have delivered solutions for business and creative leaders at some of the world’s most respected brands and forward-thinking organizations, including Google, Nike and IBM.

Open role in VSA Office locations, including New York, and Chicago; Hybrid work schedule

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position, now or in the future. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis without requiring employer sponsorship.

Role Overview

The Senior Writer is responsible for developing relevant, memorable and highly creative communications for clients through language and ideas that support strategy, design, and brand expression. We are looking for candidates who come from both brand- and campaign-oriented backgrounds; we encourage both to apply.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Work independently to develop unique concepts and content that solve clients's business and brand challenges.
• Think visually as well as verbally, contributing from the outset to the structure, look and feel of a client project.
• Interact closely with Designers and Creative Directors to create and refine content for a chosen design direction, identifying alternative message strategies for achieving clients' objectives.
• Perform effectively at concepting, group brainstorming, and writing of placeholder copy, working both independently and collaboratively.
• Collaborate in the development and definition of the "voice" for a client, a program or individual project.
• Establish and/or interpret brand positioning, tone and attributes effectively.
• Demonstrate use of logic in structuring content, and offer the creative team strategic thinking and knowledge of business and marketing principles.
• Interact effectively with subject-matter experts on client staff to obtain background information, and skillfully interview and gather information directly.
• Contribute to and edit creative or strategic briefs presented to clients.
• Contribute to solutions to sensitive or difficult client issues in conjunction with Engagement Lead and Project Manager.
• Participate in creative presentations to clients.
• Meet and manage to deadlines.
• Identify and evaluate potential freelance writing resources and direct them on behalf of clients and the creative team, as needed.
• Foster a working environment that promotes and embraces independent and creative thinking, diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Additional responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• 3 to 6 years of experience in communications, business, marketing, advertising, journalism, or a related field.
• Experience in an agency or similar client services environment is preferred.
• A strong vocabulary, expertise in English usage, and comfort with multiple and often complex writing assignments, styles and disciplines.
• Ability to focus on user priorities and needs in structuring content and to offer the team strategic thinking and knowledge of business, brand and marketing principles.
• Ability to effectively articulate, present and explain writing choices.
• Ability to produce work quickly, with strength in meeting and managing to deadlines.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Skills in complex problem solving, judgment, critical thinking and decision-making.
• Versatility and agility in handling multiple projects and reprioritizations.
• Ability to organize information, prioritize, pay attention to detail, and accurately follow procedures.
• Ability to maintain self-motivation and to work independently in team environments.

Education

• An undergraduate degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Advertising or Integrated/Strategic Communications.

Total Perks Package

• The chance to be a part of a growing company and the next success story
• Amazing opportunities for career development
• Recognition programs
• Employee referral bonus
• Fun and collaborative work environment
• Casual dress code
• Insurance Coverage (medical, dental, vision, life, and disability)
• 401(k) retirement plan, with employer 4% match
• Work/life benefits, including mental health and wellbeing support
• Flexible Time Off Policy
• Paid holidays, including agency soft closing Christmas Eve-New Year's Day
• Paid leave options, including sick leave, medical leave for self and family, and parental leave

Chicago Estimated Salary Range : $90,000 USD - $100,000 USD

VSA Partners is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive, equitable environment for all employees. All employment decisions are made based on qualifications, merit and business need.

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VSA PARTNERS, LLC

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