Job Description

ABOUT MESSAGE LAB

Message Lab is a fast-growing content marketing agency that combines journalism, data, and design to create content that resonates with audiences. We have a strong point of view on how editorial, design, and data work together in the service of a singular goal. It starts with identifying great stories that support the ideas our clients care about and bringing them to life in a… range of formats. Our work spans the gamut of a modern publication—from full ground-up publications to individual high-end interactive storytelling pieces, and everything in between. We focus on partnering with our clients to find what they really need to get the job done and use our top-tier skills in strategy, editorial, design, and analysis to deliver.

We run a number of programs and publications for a roster of business and technology clients (including Google, the Gates Foundation, SoftBank, ServiceNow, and others), creating and producing well-sourced, deeply-reported stories. Our editorial team comes from the WSJ, NY Times, Bloomberg, and similar places, and we hold the work we’re doing now to the standards of those publications. To be clear: We’re an agency that does work for companies. You should be someone who thinks that’s interesting and an opportunity to learn exciting new skills (which we don’t expect you to have right away). We have a team focused on using analytics to understand and improve reader engagement who you’ll be expected to work closely with—another great opportunity to learn.

We improve people’s experience with our clients’ brands and help rid the world of content no one cares about.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

Message Lab is seeking an Editorial Strategist to play a lead role in delivering the agency’s editorial and thought leadership products and programs for clients. As an Editorial Strategist, you will collaborate closely with designing strategic editorial programs for clients who want to leverage idea-based content (as opposed to sales and marketing content) to better reach and engage their audiences.

We are looking for someone with a deep editorial understanding and has experience managing an entire process from beginning to end (i.e., identifying the client’s content needs, to forming the editorial plan and contributing to story ideation, to championing a strategic north star across the entirety of the client engagement that illustrates how content can connect to achieving business outcomes).

This role will report directly to the Director of Strategy & Insights.

Role location: Fully remote (within the United States), though ideally candidates are based on the East Coast to allow for some travel and collaboration with the Audience Development Team. Regardless of physical location, Message Lab is fully remote and we require employees to be available and online during our core business hours (1 p.m.-to-5 p.m. Eastern Time/10 a.m.-to-2 p.m. Pacific Time).

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS

As an Editorial Strategist on the Audience Development team, you will:
• Act as an editorial subject matter expert, working closely with clients to develop content programs built on strategic storylines that align with their business goals and ensure that the overall strategy is effectively adhered to over time
• Plan and lead presentations to convey discovery and strategy to clients
• Lead client intake and discovery alongside the operations team and craft up-front project strategies and plans
• Use your experienced content eye to make qualitative judgments about client content and publishing maturity, manifesting in actionable recommendations
• Lead journalistic Interviews with client stakeholders to sift out the organization’s POV, as well as with external sources or client customers to gain a better understanding of target audiences and the challenges they face
• Conduct positioning analyses of potential client competitors in the ideas space
• Define content flows built around a mix of story types that play different but interconnected roles in facilitating user journeys across channels
• Work with the editorial, design and operations teams to execute editorial experience best practices and ensure the audience development POV is integrated into editorial planning from the beginning
• Facilitate communication between internal Message Lab teams—audience development, editorial, design and operations—to provoke innovation and effectively close the content feedback loop
• Become literate in Message Lab’s proprietary approach to content measurement so that you can tie strategy back to measurable KPIs and identify opportunities to optimize programs when needed, in collaboration with analysts and growth strategists

Essential skills:
• 5-7 years of work experience developing digital marketing strategies or editorial publishing programs with exposure to and experience executing strategic and tactical approaches to reach audiences across channels
• Agency experience and an editorial role at a media publication required
• Experience building out editorial strategies for internal and external clients and understands how to help achieve outcomes and measure effectiveness of content-driven plans that span owned content, email marketing, SEO and shared content (organic social)
• You approach content creation with a journalistic eye, have written and edited many stories, and understand how to create content that resonates with people (not just drives sales)
• Experience with analyzing data to align with client objectives and program objectives to offer thoughtful recommendations
• Strong presentation skills with the ability to understand the power of simplicity when communicating big ideas and multifaceted concepts
• Strong written and verbal written and verbal communication skills

WORKING AT MESSAGE LAB

Hiring philosophy: Message Lab doesn’t just accept differences; we fundamentally celebrate and seek out diversity. We are committed to the principle of equal employment opportunities for all employees and to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment.

If you are interested in the job but don’t know if you meet every single requirement, please apply. Nobody checks every box; and we know that you are more than just a resume.

Salary range (commensurate with experience and skills): $120,000-$130,000

Benefits:
• Comprehensive health benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability
• 401(k) retirement plan and FSA accounts for medical and dependent care
• Flexible PTO, paid sick, and wellness days
• Parental and pregnancy revival leave
• Fully remote and distributed teams across the US
• A flexible work from home policy as needed (even post-COVID)
• Office equipment purchase for new employees and monthly and annual tech budgets
• A growing team that’s motivated to create high quality, industry leading work
• A fun environment that includes lots of laughing, outings, and camaraderie

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