Senior Writer and Editor, Internal Communications

Department: Firm Administration

About Us:

Ballard Spahr is a nationally recognized law firm with more than 750 lawyers across 19 offices in the United States. A career at Ballard Spahr means joining a team of talented mentors, colleagues, and friends, supported by strong leadership that actively encourages professional growth.

The Firm is seeking a senior writer and editor for an array of internal communications, including those written by and for Firm leadership, and as editorial liaison on communications for administrative departments. This position oversees the Firm's intranet and develops, reviews, and updates content for the site with an eye toward keeping it fresh, interesting, and informative. This position reports to the Chief Engagement Officer and interacts with senior leaders in the Firm, serving as an internal communication adviser, writer, and editor.

This hybrid position offers a work schedule of three days a week in the Philadelphia office.

Why Join Us?

• Innovative Work Environment:Become part of a forward-thinking professional community that enjoys substantial support and visibility from the Firm's executive leadership.
• Professional Development:Take advantage of continuous learning opportunities and avenues for career growth.
• Inclusion: Join a Business Resource Group and share cultural, experiential, or job-related interests, experiences, and/or backgrounds.
• Meaningful Contributions:Play a pivotal role in developing industry-leading solutions that make a significant difference in legal practice and client service.

Your Role:

As Senior Writer and Editor, Internal Communication, and a member of our Engagement team, you will:

• Support the writing, editing, production, and distribution of executive-level communications to further the Chair's goal of connecting frequently with lawyers and business professionals with respect to Firm strategy and related priorities, progress, and initiatives, as well as Firm news. Advise on the appropriate voice, cadence, and style for communications sent to Ballard lawyers and staff, considering audience, intent, and message content.
• Support writing, editing, and design for multiple internal communication channels, including email, newsletters, and intranet, to ensure that they align with the messaging strategy of the Chair and senior leadership.
• Confirm that internal communications have been fact-checked, proofread, and reviewed by the appropriate parties and that supporting references for data, quotes, and other citations used in communications are provided.
• Collaborate with legal, business, and executive teams as well as marketing and communications teams to ensure effective, consistent internal communications that reflect the Firm's brand and messaging.
• Collaborate with IT professionals to research and implement new channels to expand the effectiveness and reach of the Firm's internal communications; collaborate with external communications/PR team to align messaging and advance shared projects as necessary.

What We're Looking For:

• Initiative/Innovation/Motivation:Proactively seek to improve own competence, tackle additional challenges and work assignments beyond scope of role, look for ways to improve knowledge base, and generate innovative ideas. Take advantage of internal resources for training and development to enhance skills and processes. Recommend solutions to improve efficiency within the team and throughout the Firm as appropriate.
• Communication:Demonstrate the ability to listen, understand information and ideas, and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. Maintain strict confidentiality.
• Judgment and Problem-Solving:Demonstrate good judgment, discretion, and problem-solving skills. Think strategically, pay careful attention to detail, and anticipate challenges. Use analytical skills to interpret the issue at hand and develop applicable or appropriate recommendations and solutions. Exercise discretion, maintain confidentiality, perform well under pressure, and maintain control in difficult situations.

Required Education, Experience, and Skills:

• A bachelor's degree with a minimum of five years of professional writing experience.
• Previous experience working in a law firm or legal environment preferred.
• Regular and predictable attendance is a core requirement of this position, as is the ability to work beyond the standard scheduled hours, as needed.
• High degree of proficiency in the Firm's computer applications and document management system, including but not limited to MS Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint), Adobe Acrobat, NetDocuments, Elite, and other practice/functional area databases, as appropriate.
• Display tact, diplomacy, and the ability to work cooperatively with others. Build constructive working relationships with internal and external team members to achieve goals and objectives. Demonstrate ability to collaborate with, be accessible to, and positively influence your team.
• Display strong planning, organization, and time management skills, demonstrating the ability to adapt to change (expected and unexpected) and balance competing demands in a fast-paced environment. Prioritize work, seek direction with competing priorities, and utilize team and other resources, as appropriate. Effectively plan and organize work to complete assignments and meet deadlines.
• Possess significant business knowledge and experience, and an intense client service attitude. Maintain strict confidentiality.

The targeted salary range for this position is $150,000 - $165,000, which reflects the Firm's good faith and reasonable estimate of possible compensation at the time of posting. Actual pay will depend on several factors, such as the candidate's experience and qualifications.

Ballard Spahr offers an excellent benefits package. A summary of available benefits can be found here in the Careers section of the firm's website.

Ready to Grow with Us?

If you are ready to play a vital role in the Firm's success, we encourage you to apply and be a part of our commitment to excellence.

At Ballard Spahr, we believe that our skills, perspectives, and backgrounds drive innovation and excellence, while our unique culture fosters collaboration and success. Our culture of thriving together enables us to deliver exceptional service and position our Firm for a strong future. We welcome and encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply.

Ballard Spahr is an equal opportunity employer. We offer equal consideration to all qualified applicants, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, age, national origin, handicap or disability, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, transgender status, sex stereotyping, genetic information, ancestry, veteran status, or any other category protected by applicable law.

The firm is not accepting resumes from search firms for this position.