Content Strategy Manager at Content Reactor
As we gained momentum, we knew we’d need a team that could write highly technical content that felt genuine and engaging. This wasn’t just about hiring people who shared our mindset; it was an exercise in strategy, process, and culture that’s still thriving to this day.
Role: Manager and project leader
Scope: Build, manage, and mentor a content strategy and writing team to support highly technical clients.
Constraints: Limited time and budget, no set processes to build from, small talent pool with lots of competition.
Goal: Create processes for sourcing talent, build a content operations model, and develop a culture of ongoing learning and mentorship.
Defining a vision and laying the groundwork for what the team could become
Our vision for Content Reactor sounded easy: make complex ideas simple for technical brands. But, we knew that achieving this vision would require a strong team trained in our approach and process.
We started by identifying the roles we would need to fill: writing, editing, SEO, and project management. My co-founder and I took stock of our upcoming workload, timelines, and budgets. Then we identified our own highest value activities to decide where to focus our own time.
This revealed which roles were needed immediately and which could wait. Over the next two and a half years, this working session snowballed into a skilled team with 7+ members.
For over two years, I worked through every step of building a high-performing team.
Project planning: Created project roadmaps, identified required roles, estimated total effort per role, defined overall budgets and resource allocations, revised roadmaps on a regular basis, and made strategic changes to resourcing.
Recruiting: Developed team structure, created job descriptions and listings, reviewed applications, identified candidates to interview, conducted multiple rounds of interviews, administered writing tests, and made final hiring decisions.
Content operations: Built an end-to-end content operations process, piloted and implemented new tools, and created processes for aligning with design and research partners.
Management and mentorship: Held regular one-on-one meetings with direct reports, created plans to address performance issues, provided support in overcoming hurdles, identified knowledge gaps, provided formal mentorship, and created a weekly training program.
Culture development: Scheduled outings and team events, held culture-building workshops, involved the entire team in creating the company vision, and created virtual reasons to connect on a daily basis.
Key outcomes
Developed a content operations model to meet high editorial standards
Created processes for maintaining team alignment with design and research partners
Coached all employees to help them acquire new soft skills
Hired and mentored three junior-level employees/contractors to achieve mid-level performance within one year
Hired and mentored four senior-level employees/contractors and challenged them to continue growing
Built a team and process that’s still thriving to this day
Contact me
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I’m always interested in building my network, learning about projects, and exploring new opportunities.