Job Description

As a content writer in the Office of Innovation and Technology, you’ll address phila.gov content requests from departments, offices, boards, and commissions, including general production tasks, such as adding staff, uploading documents, as well as building new pages.

You’ll help edit content provided by departments and write new content with a focus on clear, easy-to-understand language. You’ll work in close coordination with the departments’ primary content liaison, so they can draw on that expertise and make informed decisions about the organization and presentation of content.

You'll collaborate with departments across the City, learning about their functions and translating that information into plain language explanations of City services and programs. You’ll also work closely with members of the web team who are specialists in design, engineering, and content strategy.

Essential Functions
• Handle general production tasks as assigned (adding staff, uploading documents, building new pages).
• Support content needs for departments, with guidance from their primary content team contacts.
• Edit department-provided content to ensure consistency with platform standards (standards.phila.gov).
• Liaise with department staff to get clarity around existing content—truly understanding the department’s services.
• Coordinate with the content team and department content editors to ensure quality and cohesion with existing content.
• Support web writing and backend trainings for department partners.
• Participate in onboarding department communications staff, providing individualized training where necessary.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Competencies

Excellent communicator: Ability to articulate jargon to general audiences, explain the logic behind design decisions, craft compelling narratives about work, write and speak clearly, and cultivate effective communication among team members.

Relationship-builder: Ability to work with a variety of people and personalities, listen and ask questions to identify new opportunities, and cultivate strong relationships to ensure seamless collaboration and continued project support.

Curious: Ability to practice active listening, ask questions to get to the root of a problem, be open to receiving/giving constructive feedback, and have a sincere interest in learning new skills or growing old ones.

Compassionate: Ability to turn empathy into actionable solutions that address people’s real needs with integrity.

Rigorous: Driven by thoughtful, quality, and detail-oriented processes, project output, and client/team interactions.

Organized: Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks, estimate timelines, rework a project approach based on unforeseen challenges, work well under pressure, and set/meet reasonable deadlines.

Action-oriented: Ability to understand opportunities, navigate barriers, be self-directed, and problem solve for solutions that enhance the team’s deliverables, processes, and practices.

Resilient: Ability to learn from mistakes and return to work after experiencing a setback.

Knowledge, skills, and ability

• Writing and editing experience.
• Document management experience.
• Content management system experience.
• Issue tracking experience (optional).

Qualifications

Required:
• Two to three years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional experience in a related field.

Especially strong candidates will:
• Be bilingual.
• Have a personal interest in public service and content strategy.

Additional Information

We’re interested in hiring the best possible candidate for the content writer role. We recognize that experience, education, and qualifications can be attained in a variety of ways and that many skillsets are transferable. If you feel you’re a good fit, please don’t hesitate to apply.

Please include:

• A one-page cover letter explaining why you’re passionate about being a content writer.
• Your resume.
• At least three work samples that demonstrate your expertise in process documentation (e.g., how-to instructions), web writing best practices, and plain language principles.

Please note: Only complete applications will be considered for review, so read the above application requirements carefully.

Salary range: Not to exceed $70,000

Did you know?
● We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer
● 25% tuition discount program for City employees (and sometimes spouses and dependents as well) in partnership with area colleges and universities
● We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
● Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
● Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
● Generous retirement savings options are available

**_The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire._*

Please note that effective September 1, 2021, the City of Philadelphia is requiring all new employees to present proof of vaccination against COVID-19.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to faqpchr @phila.gov. For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx