Freelance - Associate Director, Writing

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. 

VSA's Content Practice provides brand and marketing audiences with meaningful content and communications that address clients’ business problems. Across multiple forms, media and channels, we unite the art and engineering of content—strategizing, concepting, structuring, crafting, adapting, publishing and measuring. The Freelance Associate Director of Writing handles programmatic content work for multiple clients.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Take a leadership role in developing unique concepts and content to meet clients’ needs.
• Think visually as well as verbally, contributing from the beginning to the structure, look and feel of a client project.
• Translate client needs and interact closely with designers to create and refine content for a chosen design direction, identifying alternative message strategies for achieving clients’ objectives.
• Think beyond individual projects and interact directly with clients and develop programmatic solutions to content needs.
• Lead multiple content work-streams and writing projects within a client program, in partnership with Client Engagement and Project Management.
• Perform effectively at concepting, group brainstorming, writing of placeholder copy, and 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.
• Demonstrate use of logic in structuring content, and offer the creative team critical thinking and knowledge of business and marketing principles.
• Interact optimally with clients and their client staff members to acquire background information.
• Supply and edit creative or strategic briefs presented to clients.
• Contribute to solutions for critical or difficult client issues in conjunction with Engagement Lead and Project Manager.
• Participate in creative presentations to clients, and lead content strategy and development conversations.
• Use design knowledge to improve design direction and project management of internal resources.
• Observe and manage to deadlines.
• Identify and evaluate potential freelance writing resources and advise them on behalf of clients and the creative team.
• Additional responsibilities as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:

• 5+ years of experience in communications, business, marketing, advertising or a related field.
• An undergraduate degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Advertising or Integrated/Strategic Communications. Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience in a client-facing role.
• Experience in handling, leading, and developing a team.
• Ability to demonstrate a strong vocabulary, expertise in English usage, and comfort with multiple and often sophisticated writing assignments, styles and subject areas.
• Ability to focus on user priorities and needs in structuring content, and to offer the team critical thinking and knowledge of business, brand and marketing principles.
• Ability to articulate and effective in communicating and explaining writing choices.
• Ability to achieve rapid realization of results and outcomes, with strength in observing and managing to deadlines.
• Ability to interact at all levels of the company and with external parties in a professional manner maintaining effective communication, both written and spoken.
• Skills in sophisticated problem solving, judgment, critical thinking and decision-making.
• Ability to be versatile and balance multiple projects and re-prioritizations.
• Ability to organize information, prioritize, have attention to detail, and accurately follow procedures.
• Ability to maintain self-motivation and to work independently in team environments.
• Some evenings and weekend work may occasionally be necessary.