Freelance Cms Developer Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

M&C Saatchi World Services is a full-service marketing company renowned for using commercial advertising to solve the world’s toughest challenges. World Services is a specialty branch of M&C Saatchi Group, and we provide strategic communications, behavior change, and marketing support to Public Sector clients with special emphasis on the US Federal Government and State, Local, Tribal, & Territorial leaders.

We are looking for a Digital Producer to manage the ongoing delivery and development of websites, apps and other digital experiences across a client portfolio. Combining strong digital production knowledge with project management skills, you will work closely with creative, design, UX and technical teams to turn requirements and ideas into achievable digital solutions.

A significant part of the role will involve taking ownership of existing digital products as they transition from existing suppliers, understanding how they are built and managed, and coordinating ongoing UX/UI improvements, content updates, enhancements and new functionality. While some work may involve new builds, much of the focus will be on improving and evolving established websites, apps and platforms.

You will need to be comfortable working with unfamiliar technologies, CMSs and architectures, and coordinating delivery across in-house technical teams and external suppliers. You should have the technical fluency to quickly understand different digital environments and manage them confidently.

This is a hands‑on role for an experienced Digital Producer who can independently manage digital projects and workstreams and bring structure to complex delivery environments.

This is a hybrid role; however, the ideal candidate will live in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region.

• Manage the ongoing production, development and improvement of websites, apps, platforms and other digital experiences.
• Support the transition of existing digital products from existing suppliers, establishing appropriate knowledge transfer, documentation, access and ways of working.
• Build an understanding of inherited websites, applications and platforms, including the technology, CMS, integrations, hosting, dependencies and supplier relationships.
• Work with UX/UI, creative, design, content, strategy, account and technical teams to deliver ongoing improvements, content changes, platform enhancements and new functionality.
• Translate briefs and requirements into clear scopes, estimates, production plans, timelines, budgets and resource requirements.
• Determine appropriate production approaches, delivery models and resourcing requirements, working with technical specialists to assess feasibility, dependencies and potential solutions.
• Coordinate delivery across in-house technical teams, client‑side teams and external partners, managing dependencies including development, hosting, infrastructure, security, integrations and technical support.
• Manage schedules, budgets, resources, risks, dependencies, approvals, changes to scope and appropriate project documentation throughout delivery.
• Brief and manage external suppliers, freelancers and development partners, establishing clear roles, responsibilities, approval routes and ways of working across teams.
• Facilitate project kick‑offs, reviews, status meetings and handovers, managing stakeholder feedback, actions and approvals throughout delivery.
• Provide informed production input throughout UX/UI and technical delivery, including on user journeys, wireframes, designs, prototypes, content requirements and developed products.
• Coordinate quality assurance, user acceptance testing, accessibility checks and release readiness, ensuring products meet agreed creative, technical, security, brand and quality standards.
• Support rapid‑turn and high‑priority digital requirements while maintaining appropriate production discipline and quality.
• Work with senior colleagues to improve digital‑production standards, templates, processes and ways of working.
• Stay current with emerging digital technologies, platforms, CMSs, production tools and AI‑enabled workflows, applying new approaches where they can improve quality, speed or efficiency.

• Strong experience producing websites, apps, platforms or other digital products within a digital, creative or integrated agency, consultancy or similarly client‑focused environment.
• Experience independently managing digital projects and workstreams through UX/UI, development, testing and release, including the ongoing improvement of established websites, apps or platforms.
• Broad experience across different digital platforms, CMSs, programming languages, frameworks, technology stacks and development approaches, with the ability to quickly get up to speed in unfamiliar technical environments.
• Strong working knowledge of digital production processes, including discovery, UX/UI design, content production, development, testing, deployment and ongoing maintenance.
• Good technical fluency and an understanding of how front‑end and back‑end development, CMSs, APIs, integrations, hosting and infrastructure fit together within a digital product.
• Confidence working with technical documentation and specialists to understand how an existing digital product has been built, maintained and supported.
• Experience coordinating in‑house technical teams and external development partners or suppliers, including environments where delivery responsibilities are split across multiple teams or organizations.
• Confidence discussing requirements, constraints, dependencies and technical options with developers and other specialists, and translating these considerations for non‑technical stakeholders.
• Experience scoping work and developing estimates, budgets, timelines, production plans and resource requirements.
• Strong project management skills, including schedule, budget, risk, dependency, stakeholder and change management, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams and competing deadlines.
• Understanding of different digital delivery approaches, including waterfall, agile and hybrid methods, and when each may be appropriate.
• Strong production judgement and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to bring structure to complex projects, identify practical delivery approaches and anticipate or elevate risks.
• Strong communication, organization and stakeholder‑management skills.

• A recognized project management or agile‑delivery qualification, such as PMP, Scrum Master, PRINCE2, APM or similar.
• Experience taking over websites, apps, platforms or supplier relationships from an existing supplier or client.
• Hands‑on familiarity with a range of CMSs, digital platforms, development frameworks and web technologies, including traditional and headless architectures.
• Familiarity with HTML, CSS and JavaScript, and an understanding of APIs, integrations, databases, cloud/hosting environments and common front‑end and back‑end development approaches.
• Experience planning or managing content migrations.
• Familiarity with cybersecurity, data protection, accessibility and inclusive digital‑design principles.
• Understanding of analytics, tagging, user behavior and digital‑performance measurement.
• Experience supporting federal government, public affairs, international development or other mission‑driven communications programs.

• U.S. Citizenship: Must be a United States Citizen (required by government contract).
• Clearance Eligibility: Must be able and willing to obtain a U.S. Government Secret or Top Secret security clearance immediately upon employment.
• Background Screening: Must be willing to submit to a rigorous federal background investigation, which includes an in‑depth review of personal finances, criminal history, employment history, and drug use.
• Educational Requirements: BA/BS in Digital Media, Interactive Media, Information Technology, Computer Science, Web Development, UX/UI Design, Project Management, or a related field preferred.

The salary range provided reflects the anticipated compensation for this role across our Washington, DC and New York locations. Actual starting salary will be determined based on geographic location, relevant experience, skills, and other job‑related factors.

• Work on impactful programs supporting federal and defense‑related initiatives.
• Collaborate with high‑performing cross‑functional teams across communications, digital and analytics disciplines.
• Opportunity to shape strategic public engagement initiatives at enterprise scale.
• Flexible hybrid working environment.
• Exposure to complex, mission‑driven stakeholder engagement challenges.
• Career development opportunities within a fast‑growing global organization.

We offer a competitive salary and a benefits package designed to support your health, family life, financial wellbeing, and growth.

• 12 weeks’ full pay for Primary Carers and 6 weeks for Secondary Carers (after one year of service; return requirements apply for subsequent leave)
• Applies to birth, adoption, and surrogacy
• Up to 10 days’ paid fertility leave per year (5 per cycle)
• 2 days’ paid leave for new grandparents
• $2,500 annual interest‑free parental loan
• $6,000 interest‑free fertility treatment loan

• Choice of three medical plans (HSA at $0 cost; EPO 75% employer funded; PPO 65% employer funded)
• 70% employer‑funded dental and vision coverage
• Generous paid time off, sick leave, and company holidays, including an office closure between Christmas & New Year's
• Gym membership reimbursement and/or Wellhub subscription
• 401(k) with 4% employer match
• 24/7 mental health support through Self SpaceSocial events, happy hours, professional development trainings, etc.
• Work from anywhere for up to 2 weeks per year (subject to approval)

• $300 annual cultural stimulation allowance (accrued monthly; available after 90 days)
• Weekly Thursday happy hour
• Mentorship and Buddy programs