Content Writer

Bold Bison Communications & Consulting provides forward-thinking communications solutions, engaging strategy and facilitation services, and inspiring workshops and trainings for nonprofits, particularly in the conservation, climate, and local food movements, as well as the arts and cultural institutions. Bold Bison is a professional affiliate of the Land Trust Alliance and is a Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® through the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

We’re looking for a dynamic writer with ample experience in nonprofit communications to join our creative team. In this role, you will support Bold Bison’s engagements with nonprofits, foundations, public agencies, and mission-driven small businesses, providing writing services across a variety of scopes and projects.

This position is ideal for someone looking to grow their career and skills in:

• Helping organizations articulate a unique point of view and voice
• Copywriting, creative storytelling, media relations, and brand strategy
• Project management, managing multiple priorities, and balancing deadlines
• Facilitation, presentations, and interpersonal communication
• Let us know where else you want to grow – we want to support you and your career, not just your position on our staff

We’re choosing to hire this position at a time when generative A.I. is simplifying the process of creating written materials. Bold Bison is not interested in generic, automated slop. We want a human voice who can help encourage our clients to communicate in authentic and creative ways. Therefore, we are looking for someone who can write strongly and consistently without the support of A.I. tools. 

Responsibilities and Functions:

The Content Writer plays a key role in supporting Bold Bison’s portfolio, providing writing support across a variety of media and projects. There will be times when you’re focused on newsletters and social content and others when you’re helping to create outreach campaigns and messaging frameworks. While responsibilities will shift from project to project, in this role, you will focus on: 

• Content writing – Draft and refine copy for clients’ ongoing marketing and communications needs, such as digital and printed newsletters, social media, blog posts, presentations, fundraising collateral, and outreach materials
• Strategic communications – Develop communications and marketing plans, messaging frameworks, and campaign memos/design briefs, and assist in developing copy for organizational strategic plans
• Media relations – Support clients’ earned media efforts by interviewing stakeholders, drafting press releases, creating talking points, crafting pitches, and researching outlets
• Branding – Assist our creative team in branding initiatives by developing positioning frameworks, key messaging, and guidelines for voice and tone
• Websites – In partnership with the Digital Media Producer, assist clients with editing copy and refining key messaging as part of Bold Bison’s website development engagements
• Short-form pieces – In partnership with the Creative Specialist, develop engaging copy for designed pieces such as brochures, flyers, handouts, and direct mail adhering to clients’ established brand voice 
• Long-form writing and publications – In partnership with the Director of Creative Services, lead the development of written content for marquee client publications, such as annual reports, multi-year programmatic impact reports, magazines, case for support documents, and grant reports
• Bold Bison marketing – Support Bold Bison’s leadership team in writing marketing materials, such as newsletters, blog posts, case studies, presentations, brochures, and project proposals, as well as attending industry events as appropriate
• With the team staffed to a project, present analyses, strategic recommendations, and deliverables to clients
• Remain up-to-date on the latest trends and developments for major digital marketing platforms, both in terms of content strategy and platform technology
• Stay well-versed on events and national issues that intersect with the missions of our clients 

We do not expect any applicant to bring experience in each of these areas. If this feels like the right opportunity for you, then we encourage you to apply.

Qualifications:

• You’re an exceptional writer, creative storyteller, and detail-oriented proofreader with substantial experience in nonprofit/public interest communications
• You possess strong critical thinking skills and can analyze multiple sources of information to create compelling narratives  
• You are can write for a variety of media and can adapt key messaging for different audiences
• You are comfortable working iteratively and collaboratively to refine your writing, and you don’t take constructive feedback on your writing personally 
• You are well versed in the Chicago Manual of Style and familiar with the peculiarities of AP Style
• You collaborate well in a team setting to develop timelines and identify responsibilities, and you can manage simultaneous projects, track your deadlines, and work with shifting priorities
• You like to travel (though it’s not required if you don’t)
• Fluency and experience writing/editing in Spanish is a major plus but not required

Work Environment and Work-Life Balance:

We are committed to maintaining a healthy work-life balance and we know that balance looks different for everyone. You know best how to manage the time you need to both do your job and take care of yourself and the others in your life. We’ll trust you to make decisions on how to best manage your time. 

We know there are days when work time and personal time don’t fit neatly together, so we will give you the space you need for appointments, sick days, family, pets, etc. And for a writing position such as this, we know there will be plenty of moments when you need to step away from the screen and reset. We ask everyone to contribute to a culture where you take time when needed and cover for others when they need it. 

Bold Bison is an entirely remote firm, and you’re welcome to work from anywhere in the United States with reliable internet, as we conduct most of our business on Zoom. We are headquartered in Chicago and maintain Chicago hours, but we will work to set your appropriate hours as needed. Some projects require us to facilitate meetings that fit clients’ local schedules, meaning we’ll have the occasional early morning meeting with the East Coast or an evening meeting with clients on the West Coast. In these rare instances, we respect personal obligations and we work within our team’s collective availability. 

While travel is not required for this job, we’ll encourage it if you’re willing. As a firm, we get to travel to some pretty exciting places for client projects, conferences, and business development opportunities. We know work trips are not easy for everyone and we know you have other obligations, but if you’re up for traveling, we will make it work on your schedule. 

Compensation & Benefits:

The salary for this position is $65,000. It is a full-time, exempt position and 100% remote. This position is not eligible for H1B or other work visa sponsorships. 

Bold Bison provides health, vision, and dental insurance as well as family leave. We provide a company-owned laptop as well as a monthly tech stipend to support a comfortable remote work environment. We offer generous PTO to cover vacation, personal time, and sick days, and we schedule at least one long-weekend per month to encourage time off. We are closed for all major holidays and we respect any religious holidays you celebrate. 

We strongly encourage women, people of color, those with LGBTQ+ identities, and all members of other historically disadvantaged groups to apply. Having a diverse team is critically important to us and to the firm’s success.

Bold Bison is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, sex, ancestry, citizenship status, mental or physical disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, veteran status, or military status. 

To Apply:

Please email your application [click apply]. Please include your resume, a cover letter, and relevant writing samples that demonstrate the breadth of your capabilities. In your application, please briefly detail your role in developing each sample if it is not immediately obvious. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we are looking to make a quick hire. We’re happy to read the standard cover letter you use for job applications, but creative and thought-provoking ones will definitely stand out—this is a writing position after all. Applicants who do not provide the requested materials will not be considered. 

Please note that a writing assessment and an in-person interview with Bold Bison’s leadership may be required as part of this hiring process, and we will reimburse applicants for their time and any related expenses. 

We look forward to reviewing your application!