Senior B2B Writer

1. Company description

We create impact

At Rationale, we create impact by making the complex compelling. We are a strategic brand and content agency supporting clients in regulated markets to define, articulate and amplify what matters most to their audiences. We solve challenges with robust, strategic thinking. We’re relentlessly focused on results. And we’re creative with good reason.

Impact is fundamental to our agency culture as a certified BCorp. We have an emphasis on training and development, team empowerment and creative expression. We work with people who live our core principles: who are in it for the long-term; who find a way; who have high standards; and who have fun.

Every agency says they are doing things differently. So we won’t say that. But we are absolutely driven to make a difference.

Our Principles

We’re in it for the long-term

We’re focused on the sustainable, strategic growth of Rationale and the related development of our people. Thinking long-term is fundamental to the ongoing stability of our business and is what allows us to make the most impact for our team, for our clients, and for the wider world.

This approach underpins everything we do in terms of our decision-making – and it also applies to how we cultivate lasting, supportive relationships with clients, partner organisations, and suppliers.

We’re building something strong at Rationale – something that will endure, and something of which we can all be proud.

We find a way

Rationale is made up of a talented and unique team of tenacious problem-solvers who are curious about uncovering what’s possible.

No matter how complicated the ask, we will do our best to find a way to make it happen.

We deliver on our promises at Rationale by being considerate and proactive, not only in how we approach our work, but in how we treat and respect each other’s needs at work.

We have high standards

Rationale’s success comes from having a happy and fulfilled team of people who are trusted and empowered to do their jobs well.

In doing this, we hold ourselves and each other accountable to the highest standards of quality, relevance and creativity in every single piece of work that leaves the agency.

Keeping this aim front-of-mind results in a value exchange – our people drive the success of our business and this feeds back into each individual’s personal and professional growth.

We have fun

Work is where we spend most of our time, so why shouldn’t it be fun? While we take our work very seriously, we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

We will always take time to lighten the load, to keep perspective, and to make each other – and our clients – feel relaxed, secure in expressing themselves and able to have a laugh.

2. Job Purpose

We are looking for a skilled writer / content marketer who will work closely with our Strategy and Creative Studio team to develop standout marketing content for clients through the marketing funnel and across the buyer journey or customer lifecycle.  

We’d love to hear from candidates who feel equally at home developing copy for attention-grabbing integrated campaign concepts as they do writing engaging lifecycle email communications and longer form editorial copy.

It’s preferable that you have a track record of delivering effective campaign and marketing content, plus a solid understanding of B2B audiences and what engages them. It’s likely that you will have previous experience in advertising or marketing agencies. However, if you know how to craft compelling stories and engage audiences through purposeful content in various media and formats, we’re open to considering relevant applicants. 

The role will involve working from our office in Leith for a minimum of 3 days a week with the option to work from home 2 days a week.

3. Key Responsibilities

Planning and development responsibilities include:

• Build strong and enduring consultative relationships with senior members of our client marketing teams, developing and delivering elegant editorial and responses to brand and content marketing briefs

• Work with our strategists, creative and account teams to interrogate and interpret creative briefs, and gain a deep understanding of the client’s objectives and target audience motivators and barriers
• Undertake all preparatory work required prior to interviewing clients or client customers or contacts. This may require research and the preparation of interview questions
• Where necessary, approve all preparatory work with the client (where questions need to be approved prior to interview)
• Conduct professional and time-efficient interviews with contributors

• Support in editorial planning tasks, such as participating in editorial workshops, annual and quarterly theme- and topic- setting, and actively contributing across the brand, proposition and narrative development process
• Define core messages to be articulated as part of any piece of work
• Develop narrative and messaging frameworks and language guides to support content and campaign development
• Develop (and support the development of) creative multichannel campaign concept and asset ideas incl. podcasts, video series, thought leadership content, case studies and more in collaboration with others from our team.
• Oversee editorial output within the account team and contribute to critical appraisals of ‘significant’ pieces of work before client review, to ensure our quality targets are met
• Act as a guardian of the TOV of our clients’ brands, ensuring creative consistency and accuracy

Editorial content and ‘copy’ production responsibilities include:

• Lead the generation of compelling creative campaign content, combining your copywriting expertise with the design and art direction skills of our Creative Director and creative studio, as needed
• Develop copy for marketing content across a range of channels and touchpoints, including VoD/video, radio, social, display, thought leadership, email and web
• Proof-read copy drafts and submit to client according to approval protocols

• QA: Work with the wider team to ensure our editorial achieves the highest levels of client satisfaction at all times, as identified by client satisfaction surveys
• Handle contributor and client amendments and file assets according to the agency workflow systems

Agency growth

• Pitch and present ideas to clients and prospects where relevant – telling a strong story of our work, underpinned, of course, by strong rationale – and inspire our clients to push the creative boundaries
• Monitor, analyse and interpret the external environment re: content marketing, editorial and copywriting trends
• Contribute to agency marketing activities, including thought leadership content and campaigns

4. Skills & Experience

• Minimum 4-5 years’ experience, preferably with a track record in agencies or relevant industry roles

• Demonstrated ability to develop effective integrated campaign and content ideas in response to briefs

• Experience of turning complex topics into compelling stories and content across multiple channels – in sectors like healthcare, financial services, or technology/innovation

• Experience across a range of copywriting and content marketing tasks – from taglines and video scripts to thought leadership articles, case studies and social posts

• Consultative approach to content at a strategic level: Extensive experience in understanding clients’ marketing environments and strategies and being proactive in the role content plays

• A good understanding of all strategic marketing channels, both on and offline, with deep expertise in the role of content marketing

• An understanding of the principles of SEO and how to optimise copy for online discoverability. Keen interest and understanding of GEO and adapting content for today’s world is preferred

• An understanding of how advertising works and how to write copy for low-attention environments

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Excellent desk research skills

• Polished and persuasive presentation skills

• Able to articulate insights and ideas among different stakeholder groups to secure buy-in

• Experience in aspects of content generation – writing, subbing, video scripting

• The usual computer skills: word processing, spreadsheet, presentation. Ideally, an ability to generate convincing presentation decks (although PPT design is not required!)

• Ability to work on multiple projects at same time and work to tight deadlines

5. Personal Qualities

• Naturally proactive and creative in approach
• Strategic and analytical mindset
• Curious about what makes content good, compelling, cut-through across channels
• High standards of written and spoken English, with a proofreading eye that can catch the smallest of typos
• Able to work under your own initiative and in a team setting 
• Respond constructively to feedback from strategy, accounts and client teams
• An accurate and systematic approach to work
• Able to coordinate a variety of projects across multiple clients or client contacts
• Able to quickly review, evaluate and summarise information
• Keen to collaborate with in-house designers and art directors to develop concepts and ensure that copy and visuals work together for maximum impact