Freelance Journalist Jobs in Riverside, CA (NOW HIRING)

Overview

At Esri, we are dedicated to helping our customers see the power of ArcGIS. In this role, you'll create messaging and content that defines how the market understands Esri. The clear positioning and good writing you develop will demonstrate the value of choosing us. Your work will directly influence whether prospects engage with Esri and will support our business development teams in meeting key objectives. Frommessagingframeworksthat explain what we do and why we matter to specific audiences, to the marketing materials leveraged across our organization, you will help bring these messages and our brand to life.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Content Leadership. Develop and implement content strategies that advance Esri's global marketing goals. Translate strategic direction into messaging frameworks that connect product capabilities with customer benefits, ensuring prospects immediately grasp our value.
• Creative Excellence. Produce, edit, and critique high-impact content for brand and marketing campaigns across written, visual, video, and multimedia formats, including positioning and messaging frameworks, advertising and email copy, and other campaign materials and assets that drive pipeline and revenue.
• Editorial Oversight. Manage and mentor freelance and internal contributors to ensure quality, accuracy, and creative cohesion across projects. Train others on how to use positioning and messaging frameworks. Create guidelines for using positioning and messaging that marketing, business development, and other teams use to stay consistent across all customer touchpoints.
• AI-Driven Innovation. Leverage AI writing and optimization tools to scale production, improve content performance, and enhance personalization while maintaining editorial integrity.
• Data and Insights. Partner with analytics teams to evaluate metrics, analyze performance trends, and apply insights to drive strategy, engagement, and optimization. Dive deep into audience, market, and product research to identify and understand Esri's USPs for target roles, industries, and accounts.
• Thought Leadership. Represent Esri's content discipline across teams and external engagements, championing best practices and elevating content marketing standards across the organization.

Requirements

• 8+ years developing messaging and marketing content, preferably for technology or software companies
• Proven ability to write compelling, conversion-focused content across multiple formats that impact business results
• Track record of creating impactful positioning
• Ability to distill complex technical offerings into clear, compelling narratives and materials that communicate business value and differentiation
• Experience using competitive analysis, subject matter expert interviews, and customer research to inform writing and strategic decisions
• Strong collaboration and active listening skills - you'll work across marketing, business development, and product teams to create messaging and deliver content
• Portfolio demonstrating strategic messaging frameworks and strong writing samples, with evidence of business impact
• Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Marketing, or a related field
• Occasional travel may be required (up to ~20%); travel needs may vary based on business requirements
• Visa sponsorship is not available for this posting. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.

Recommended Qualifications

• Master's degree in English, Journalism, Communications or related field
• Experience in enterprise software, GIS, mapping, or location intelligence markets
• Background in content marketing or strategic marketing roles
• Experience using AI tools appropriately for research and content development
• Experience interpreting and applying marketing performance metrics

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