(Senior) Copywriter

Senior Copywriter

Full-Time Creative Position | Remote

 

Overview

Door No. 3 is a full-service ad agency in Austin, TX, offering brand strategy, creative services, and media planning/buying. We are purposely boutique, delivering premium services to a select mix of challenger brand clients across healthcare, technology, beverage, financial, and real estate development who are committed to investing in brand development and integrated marketing programs. For more on how we see the world, we invite you to read The Empowered Challenger Playbook, an Amazon best-seller written by our principal, Prentice Howe. And to better understand our work and culture, check out this feature in Communication Arts.

A Senior Copywriter at Door No. 3 has their hands in everything. This role is the concepter, the word maven, and the keeper of brand voice across multiple clients. Success relies on constant curiosity, strong interpersonal skills, attention to the smallest details, and an eagerness to bring personality to any and all brand touchpoints. This role reports to the Executive Creative Director and works closely with the entire agency across creative and media.

We are a lean, tightly-knit, senior team with a high bar for ourselves and those around us. We are seeking a candidate who is ready to dive in, grow, and be part of something for years to come.

 

Location

Door No. 3 transitioned to a remote structure at the start of the pandemic and never looked back. What began as baptism by fire has morphed into a wonderfully productive and fulfilling work structure. Employees have more flexibility in their schedule, more family time, and curse Mopac about 95% less than they used to. Our intent is to begin gathering soon for project kickoffs, lunches, and happy hours, but maintain a remote-first culture. It would be nice if candidates reside in the Austin area, but we are very open to other scenarios. Travel may occasionally be necessary for this position but is not routine.

 

Clients

We work with clients in Oklahoma, Nebraska, New York, and several cities in Texas. In 2021, our clients have included a well-known Texas-based health plan, a rapidly-growing virtual healthcare provider, a few sizable financial institutions, an organic beverage company, a large .gov website, urban real estate developers, and two state-sponsored college savings plans. Given the pandemic, most client interactions take place over Zoom. As in-person meetings begin to ramp up, the majority of our meetings will happen in Austin. Most of our clients have an office here or will happily visit.

 

Schedule

This is a full-time position. Our hours are 8:30 am – 5:30 pm Monday through Friday, though occasional evening or weekend hours may be required. We are an ad agency, not a tire shop, so our schedules can fluctuate based on workflow and account seasonality. Each team member is personally accountable for getting their work done. While the advertising industry is notorious for long hours and sleepless nights, we refuse to fall into that trap. We work hard and stay busy but do not have a culture that prevents balance. We believe that our lives inform our work and downtime should be protected.

 

Compensation

Competitive benefits package and salary are commensurate with experience. We offer:

• Medical and Dental Insurance (90% paid by employer)
• 401k
• Remote work schedule with occasional meetups such as working lunches, happy hours, or all-staff outings
• Paid holidays: New Year’s Day, MLK Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Indigenous People’s Day, Thanksgiving break, and one week off (gratis!) over Christmas
• Professional development opportunities

 

Day-to-Day Ownership

This is an opportunity to impact our clients’ business on a daily basis. Day-to-day duties will include the following:

 

Strategic Insights

Good creative is born from insights, and our creatives play a role in shaping the strategy. As a writer at Door No. 3, you must love mining for inroads, not just waiting around for the brief to land on your desk.

 

Concept Development

We love big, 360-degree thinking. Stuff that’s campaignable. Of course, not all assignments require it. Sometimes you just need to knock out a page of web copy. But the important thing is that we raise the bar on every assignment. After all, if our clients can come up with a similar idea on their own, why are they hiring an agency?

 

Copywriting

Must be a great writer with a love for the craft. When we look at your portfolio we think, “Ooo – smart idea.” Or, “Dang, that’s well stated.” We feel something. Because we see thinking and craft in your work. We see structure and discipline in how you think. You love all 26 letters and have a strong opinion on the Oxford comma. You can write to an outdoor board, the back of a box, a web page, a pitch deck, a blog post, a social post, a menu board, a 160×600 banner ad, SEM, a brand positioning deck or a blank page that’s crying out for an award-winning video script. You know your job isn’t just to write and amuse. It’s to solve tough business problems through creativity and craft.

 

Quality Assurance

We know writers who are great at concepting but somewhat careless with sentence structure. We also know writers who can’t come up with a big idea but can write body copy like nobody’s business. We’re looking for a creative who can do both. We also need someone who cares about proofing and re-proofing their work to ensure it’s accurate and on-brand.

 

Outcomes

• All thinking and writing is created with the business goal at the forefront.
• Multiple ideas are generated on creative assignments.
• Work is thoughtfully presented both internally and externally.
• Deliverables align with strategy, adhere to brand guidelines, and synch up with media specs.
• Team members in all departments feel supported by your contributions.
• New business and marketing efforts are enhanced by your involvement.
• Door No. 3’s company values are embraced and lived.
• Teammates routinely compliment you for asking the right questions, caring about your craft, and delivering spotless creative.

 

Characteristics & Skills   

Characteristic or Skill	Summary of What’s Expected
Optimism + positive thinking	You’re no pollyanna but you do choose to see silver linings in difficult situations.
Solver, not complainer	You’re solution-oriented when addressing work’s inevitable challenges.
Willing to have crucial conversations	You anticipate the needs of clients and team members and are able to constructively address issues head-on.
Detail-oriented	The little things matter to you; you notice minor discrepancies and work to resolve them. Like that typo in discrepancies.
Proactive + self-motivated	You have an inherent ability to prioritize, and take action without being asked to do so.
Quality-focused	You don’t call a project done until it’s error-free. QA is part of your DNA.
Hands-on doer	You have a willingness to roll up your sleeves and get in the trenches of a client’s business. You’re not precious. No task is beneath you.
Strong organizational skills	You’re highly organized and have a place for everything that can be interpreted and easily accessed by others–from the DN3 server to G Suite to Basecamp to our Box account.
Excellent planner	You plan ahead on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis to ensure commitments, deadlines, and goals are met.
Committed to our Values	You live by the Golden Rule. You’re void of ego. You’re inspired by a team mindset.

 

Qualifications

The ideal candidate has:

• 5+ years as a copywriter in an ad agency setting.
• Experience with brand positioning, creative production, and digital media.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Confidence operating under tight deadlines.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills–a knack for consistently ensuring that key messages cascade across the organization, keeping everyone in the know.
• Ability to honor and maintain confidentiality.
• A commitment to curiosity and continuous improvement.
• Strong efficiency in Microsoft Office and G Suite (we are heavy users of Google Docs and Google Sheets).
• An understanding of project management tools. (We use Basecamp.)
• A passion for challenger brands–rising, game-changing organizations with aspirations that stretch beyond their resources.
• Earnestness, optimism, and a winning attitude.

 

Physical Requirements

• Ability to type.
• Ability to withstand sedentary and light work conditions.
• Visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing data or figures, visual inspection involving small defects on digital products, etc.

We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our hiring processes and believe it is our responsibility to build a workforce of diverse talent, background, and expertise. Applicants receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, veteran status, or disability.

Please do not call. All submissions will be reviewed. We appreciate your interest in Door No. 3.