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The New Jersey State Office of Innovation

The New Jersey State Office of Innovation is looking for diverse and experienced team members to deploy world-class innovative and digital services that solve pressing public interest challenges for the people of New Jersey. Our work spans numerous issue and policy areas, and is focused on making an impact in the lives of the New Jerseyans that we serve. Our work has decreased the amount of time it takes to apply for Unemployment Insurance, made it easier to start, operate, and grow a business in the Garden State, and connected millions of New Jerseyans to government programs, services, and benefits.

Our team members wear many hats, contributing to both the execution of core projects and the evolution of the Office of Innovation (OOI). We use data and modern research, design, and development methods to inform our decision making, and we collaborate with stakeholders within and outside of government to understand and solve challenges. To learn more about the New Jersey State Office of Innovation, read our inaugural impact report here and visit our About Us page.

The content design lead works with agile, cross-functional teams to create clear and accessible information for nearly 1 million New Jersey businesses. This role is pivotal in helping businesses navigate opportunities and regulations that affect their operations. The content design lead will establish relationships with key agencies, translate complex policies into digestible content for business owners, and ensure the accuracy and consistency of information across various business products. This role's primary responsibility is to design content, but it is also responsible for management of the project’s Content Management System (CMS). Current products related to this initiative include a custom application, a static website, a live chat interface, and a newsletter.

We are seeking candidates with over 5 years of experience in content design, encompassing both product copy and long-form content. You should have a track record of transforming complex language into straightforward, user-friendly content, such as comprehensive guides and informative articles; as well as experience refining content within product flows, user interface content, product and feature names, and navigation labels. You're not just a writer—you're an architect of content and a skilled CMS manager, adept at defining content types, building and maintaining taxonomies, and ensuring an efficient development process. Your approach is rooted in modern, user-centered methodologies, continuously iterating to meet the evolving needs of users.

This role works within the Business Experience Initiative and reports to the Design Director. Responsibilities may include:

• Deliver accessible, plain-language information about business services, such as policy regulations and funding programs, to New Jerseyans across multiple channels and platforms.
• Conduct desk research and stakeholder interviews to document permit requirements, funding programs and more.
• Collaborate with designers to develop intuitive and action-oriented copy, both product and long form, for the product.
• Collaborate with government stakeholders to develop a simple process that ensures the accuracy of drafted articles.
• Collaborate, review, and coach other content design leads on the team (as needed).
• Leverage SEO, social, analytics, and user testing to inform content development.
• Ensure content appears in relevant and intuitive places for the user.
• Manage multiple, evolving projects while maintaining organization and clarity. 
• Leverage genAI tools to support content development and improve content efficiency.
• Enhance and make recommendations to improve the content style guide.
• Work as part of a cross-functional product team with designers, engineers, and product managers in the product development process.

• Act as the owner of the CMS; collaborate with product managers in the overall development, enhancement, and management of the product.
• Identify and document feature requirements for the CMS, such as the need for new fields or functionalities, to improve user experience and system efficiency.
• Proactively detect and report bugs within the CMS, ensuring they are communicated effectively to product managers for prioritization and resolution.
• Develop and maintain documentation and training materials for CMS users to ensure effective utilization and adherence to best practices.

• 5+ years of experience in content design or a related role, specializing in simplifying complex information into clear, user-friendly content. This includes creating product copy, long-form content, and defining product requirements for design and development.
• Demonstrated success in simplifying complex plain language for user-friendly content and UX writing.
• Demonstrated familiarity with trauma-informed research practices and principles of accessibility and equity.
• Successful experience with leading and mentoring teams on content development and language access activities for multiple products or services.
• Experience collaborating within a product setting and familiarity with content management systems for developing and sustaining content.
• Experience in using modern, iterative, user-centered, continuous delivery methodologies.
• Experience collaborating closely with stakeholders across government to gather input and ensure content accuracy while engaging with community-based organizations , faith-based organizations, and similar groups to test and optimize all generated content. 
• Proven ability to conduct user interviews and surveys, as well as leverage data and analytics to inform content. 
• Experience with optimizing content for search indexing for both public web search and internal site search.
• Interest in exploring generative AI.
• Writing samples demonstrating UX writing, informational materials, or marketing materials.

We welcome applicants from a broad range of backgrounds. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. If you have any questions, please contact heather@innovation.nj.gov.

Compensation: Up to approximately $103,000 (depending on experience) + Full benefits

The New Jersey Office of Innovation is proud to be an equal opportunity employer

We are deeply committed to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusiveness and seek to create a pluralistic community for all. We strongly encourage people of color, members of racial and ethnic minority groups, women, LGBTQI+ people, those with disabilities, and Veterans to apply. We are committed to building a team that is reflective of New Jersey’s incredible diversity.

We do not discriminate against any candidate because of color, race, age, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, membership in an employee organization, pregnancy, marital status, status as a parent, ancestry, national origin, disability (physical or mental), family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, retaliation, or other non-merit based factors.

Eligibility

You must be authorized to work in the United States. Candidates may be required to pass a background check and complete additional steps as part of the application and onboarding process. You will be considered an “at-will” employee, meaning both employer and employee have the right to terminate employment with or without cause or notice.