Copywriter

Copywriter – Portland, Or, Washington, DC or Remote US

Marketing Portland, Oregon Washington, District of Columbia Anywhere, United States

Description

Location: Portland, Or, Washington, DC or Remote US (within approved states)

Valid unrestricted work authorization in the country in which you will be based (United States) is required at the time of application for this position.

Position Status: Full-time, Exempt, Regular

Salary: The salary range for this position is $64,000- $70,000 commensurate on experience

***Cover letter highly encouraged***

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Department

The Marketing & Communications department amplifies and supports Mercy Corps’ mission by raising flexible funds, strengthening supporter partnerships and raising our global profile and influence, and fostering team collaboration and connectivity.

We boldly share Mercy Corps’ global impact with our audiences, with a focus on building trust, engagement, and long-term relationships among our global team members and with our supporters. We inspire and motivate financial support and partnership through transparency, inclusivity, creativity, and best-in-class storytelling. We engage prospects and supporters through a multi-channel, user-driven approach, communicating information that represents Mercy Corps’ best work and global culture, on key issues that donors care about. We work across teams to protect Mercy Corps’ reputation and safeguard our ability to operate.

Together, through our collective creativity and empathy, Mercy Corps and our partners help millions of people transform their lives every year, give people hope in a future where everyone can prosper, and for those who might be learning about Mercy Corps for the first time, give them a good reason to join us on our mission.

The Position

The Copywriter will support Mercy Corps creative, brand, and digital marketing through writing and editing authentic and compelling content for our audiences. This role will research, write, and edit stories and content about Mercy Corps’ work, collaborating with team members around the world, to be shared on the global site to connect and build relationships with audiences across platforms. The copywriter will conduct periodic audits of website content to ensure that it is accurately reflecting current contexts and Mercy Corps existing programs, and provide proofreading support to brand marketing projects. It is anticipated that the Copywriter will focus their time as follows: 40% on articles, 40% on website auditing, and 20% on proofreading support.

Essential Responsibilities

• Write human-centric stories about the people at the heart of our workMercy Corps participants, team members, and partnersfor audiences across digital channels including our website, social media, and email.

• Identify engaging stories through internal communication platforms that highlight Mercy Corps programs while aligning with brand marketing content strategy.

• Translate complex issues into accessible narratives, always steering clear of jargon and putting our audiences’ needs first.

• In addition to writing, recommend photos, captions, potential graphics, and overall article layout through an intimate understanding of our website design system.

• Perform seasonal audit of evergreen, informational website pages to reflect the most up-to-date information.

• Approach storytelling and content creation through an inclusive, social justice-oriented lens.
• Contribute copy, proofreading, fact-checking support for brand marketing-related projects that may include social media, direct marketing, and development.

Supervisory Responsibilities
None

Accountability

Reports directly to: Editorial Manager.

Works Directly With: Marketing Team members and other stakeholders involved in the editorial process, including the Creative Team, Development Team, and fellow content contributors across our country and program teams

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• 4+ years’ experience of storytelling, writing for online audiences

• Degree in marketing, journalism, English or related field or equivalent work experience.

• Strong writing, storytelling, and grammar skillsability to turn raw assets into a fully developed story that inspires empathy, engagement, and action.

• Strong understanding of basic digital marketing channels – email, social media, website content.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to work with a variety of stakeholders.
• Exceptional eye for attention to detail, to provide proofreading and editing support in highlighting a distinct brand voice.
• Ability to write on tight deadlines, take constructive feedback and adapt writing style to different voices and/or audiences.

Success Factors

The successful Copywriter is a talented writer and storyteller who can create content that will help our audiences understand our work and take action to support Mercy Corps’ programs. They will have a desire to learn about Mercy Corps’ work, complex global challenges, and how we are working to tackle them. They will have a keen eye for stories that center Mercy Corps participants while also highlighting the impact of our programs, approaching our storytelling with a social justice lens. They will be proactive in seeking solutions when challenges arise. The Copywriter is highly collaborative and effective at building trusted relationships with team members around the world. They will be an exceptional communicator and will serve as an important member of the marketing team, working closely with colleagues to create and deliver high-quality work supporting Mercy Corps’ messaging and strategies.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This position can be based in Portland, Or, Washington, DC or Remote US (within approved states) and requires limited travel.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding and Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Covid-19 Vaccine Policy for US-Based Employees

Mercy Corps has determined that, in an effort to protect the health, safety, and well-being of all Mercy Corps employees working in the United States, all U.S.-based employees must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, regardless of prior COVID-19 infection status.This policy is necessary to ensure not only the safety of our workforce, but the ongoing functionality of the organization.

This policy will be revised as needed to comply with federal, state, and local requirements, and to respond to changing guidance from public health authorities.

For new employees this requirement goes into effect within 10 business days of employment. Team members that travel are expected to comply with host-country requirements, including vaccinations. Failure to comply may impact your employment. Proof of vaccination or exemption must be provided.