Lead Content Strategist

Overview

As a Lead Content Strategist, you will be responsible for defining and executing content strategies that help users successfully navigate complex government services. You will work closely with product managers, service designers, UX/UI designers, developers, and government stakeholders to create clear, accessible, and user-centered content experiences.

In this role, you will lead a team of content specialists, establish content standards and governance practices, and oversee content development from drafts to public review through to implementation. You will serve as a strategic advisor to clients and delivery teams, ensuring content solutions align with user needs, business objectives, policy requirements, and accessibility standards.

The ideal candidate is an experienced content leader who excels at simplifying complex information, managing cross-functional relationships, and driving content quality across large-scale digital products.

Contributions

Responsibilities include

• Lead and mentor a team of content specialists, providing guidance, coaching, and quality oversight.
• Define and execute content strategies that support user goals, program objectives, and service outcomes.
• Ensure consistency in voice, tone, terminology, and content structure across products and experiences.
• Review and approve content deliverables to ensure quality, accuracy, accessibility, and compliance.
• Partner closely with UX/UI designers and service designers to create intuitive, user-centered experiences.
• Collaborate on wireframes, prototypes, and design concepts to ensure content and design work together effectively.
• Develop content hierarchies, information architecture recommendations, microcopy, instructional content, and transactional content.
• Advocate for plain language principles and user-centered communication approaches.
• Participate in user research, usability testing, and content validation activities to inform content decisions.
• Lead and coordinate the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) process for forms, digital experiences, and related content updates.
• Partner with legal, policy, program, and stakeholder teams to ensure PRA requirements are met.
• Manage PRA documentation, reviews, approvals, and submission timelines.
• Advise delivery teams on PRA impacts, dependencies, and compliance considerations throughout the product lifecycle.
• Collaborate across multiple vendor teams, government stakeholders, and cross-functional delivery teams.
• Facilitate discussions to align content strategy, business requirements, and implementation approaches.
• Translate complex policy, legal, and operational requirements into understandable user-facing content.
• Present recommendations, findings, and content strategies to executive and client stakeholders.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on content-related decisions and priorities.
• Ensure content meets Section 508 accessibility requirements and supports inclusive user experiences.
• Apply plain language, readability, and accessibility best practices throughout content development.
• Support compliance with federal digital experience standards and government content guidelines.

Qualifications

Required

• Ability to obtain a U.S. government Public Trust Security Clearance
• Degree in Communications, English, Journalism, Technical Communication, Human-Centered Design, Information Architecture, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in content strategy, content design, UX writing, technical communication, or a related field.
• 2+ years of experience leading or mentoring content professionals.
• Demonstrated experience developing content strategies for complex digital products or services.
• Experience working closely with UX/UI designers, researchers, product managers, and engineers.
• Strong understanding of information architecture, content modeling, and content governance.
• Experience creating content for transactional or form-based user experiences.
• Experience facilitating stakeholder workshops and cross-functional collaboration sessions.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Experience working within Agile delivery teams and integrating content work into sprint-based development.
• Knowledge of accessibility standards, plain language principles, and user-centered design methodologies.
• Ability to balance user needs, policy requirements, and business objectives in complex environments.

Preferred

• Experience supporting federal government programs or digital services.
• Experience with USCIS, DHS, or other government service delivery organizations.
• Experience managing or supporting Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) activities.
• Familiarity with the U.S. Web Design System (USWDS).
• Experience conducting or supporting user research and usability testing.
• Experience working in a consulting environment with multiple client and vendor stakeholders.
• Experience working with service designers.

About steampunk

Steampunk relies on several factors to determine salary, including but not limited to geographic location, contractual requirements, education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience. The projected compensation range for this position is $75,000 to $130,000. The estimate displayed represents a typical annual salary range for this position. Annual salary is just one aspect of Steampunk’s total compensation package for employees. Learn more about additional Steampunk benefits here.

Identity Statement

As part of the application process, you are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud.

Steampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors. Through our Design Intelligence™ process , we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. As an employee owned company , we focus on investing in our employees to enable them to do the greatest work of their careers – and rewarding them for outstanding contributions to our growth. If you want to learn more about our story, visit http://www.steampunk.com.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Steampunk participates in the E-Verify program.