Creative Content Specialist

About the position

The National Geographic Society, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is nearing completion of a transformation of its historic headquarters campus, known as Base Camp. Opening in 2026, the reimagined campus will include the Museum of Exploration (MOE)—a dynamic new cultural destination featuring a pavilion entrance, auditorium, iconic photo gallery, immersive exhibition spaces, a signature walk-through journey experience, educational hub, archives, retail, food and beverage, and a new event venue. A one-of-a-kind nighttime experience in the courtyard will serve as the emotional centerpiece of the guest journey. A sustainably designed hotel may also be constructed on-site in partnership with a third-party operator. To support this growing campus and brand ecosystem, the Campus & Experiences Marketing team leads integrated campaigns that engage audiences and drive revenue across a diverse portfolio. This includes the new MOE, National Geographic Live (a global speaker and performance series), Traveling Exhibitions (offering National Geographic content to museums and science centers worldwide), and the Storytellers Collective (an initiative connecting audiences with explorer-led workshops and events). These programs are critical contributors to the Society's earned revenue strategy and mission-driven audience engagement. The Creative Content Specialist plays a central role in shaping the voice, narrative, and storytelling output for these initiatives. Reporting to the Senior Manager, Content & Creative, this position develops compelling content across email, social, web, video, print, and on-site channels. This is a hands-on content production role with creative influence—responsible for writing, editing, and adapting messaging that aligns with brand standards while meeting the promotional needs of individual program lines. The specialist works closely with designers, marketers, and program leads to ensure content strategy is executed with clarity, consistency, and creativity.

Responsibilities

• Write and refine content for email, social media, landing pages, print collateral, and video scripts in alignment with brand voice and marketing goals.
• Adapt messaging across channels and formats, ensuring consistency in tone, structure, and call-to-action language.
• Translate complex or technical program information into accessible, engaging copy for public-facing audiences.
• Craft storytelling frameworks and editorial angles for campaigns, ensuring cohesion across platforms.
• Develop on-site and in-venue messaging such as interpretive signage, program intros, and interactive prompts.
• Collaborate with senior marketers and program leads to define messaging objectives for product lines, seasonal promotions, and signature campaigns across MOE, National Geographic Live, Storytellers Collective, and Traveling Exhibitions.
• Shape content briefs that guide the development of creative assets, including visuals, video, and social content.
• Provide tailored copy variations for audience segments, regional markets, and co-branded or partnership-based communications.
• Participate in campaign planning sessions to ensure cohesive storytelling across touchpoints and channels.
• Assist in reviewing and interpreting content performance data to optimize messaging strategies and improve future engagement.
• Partner with the Creative Services team and external vendors to ensure creative alignment with written messaging.
• Coordinate with program leads, subject-matter experts, and ticketing or scheduling stakeholders to verify information accuracy.
• Serve as a content reviewer or editor in the routing process, helping maintain editorial standards and brand integrity.
• Support proofreading and layout reviews on high-priority materials before release.
• Maintain and update message guides, style references, and internal FAQs for consistent messaging.
• Organize working drafts, final assets, and evergreen content for future reuse.
• Assist in compiling campaign summaries, retrospectives, or highlight reports for internal stakeholders.
• Contribute to documentation of editorial processes and recommendations for workflow improvements.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, marketing, English, creative writing, or a related field preferred.
• 3+ years of experience in content creation, copywriting, or editorial strategy—preferably within cultural institutions, nonprofit organizations, or media/entertainment environments.
• Experience writing for multi-channel campaigns and adapting content across formats (digital, print, experiential) is strongly preferred.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with a strong understanding of grammar, structure, and tone for public-facing communications.
• Ability to craft content that aligns with brand voice, editorial standards, and audience expectations across multiple platforms.
• Familiarity with marketing content formats including social posts, emails, landing pages, brochures, video scripts, and on-site or environmental signage.
• Strong storytelling instincts and the ability to translate programmatic or technical content into compelling, audience-friendly narratives.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace (Docs, Slides), Microsoft Office, and collaboration tools like Monday.com, Slack, or SharePoint.
• Ability to give and receive editorial feedback, and collaborate with visual designers, marketers, and program staff.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail, version control, and campaign alignment.
• Familiarity with accessibility best practices and inclusive language guidelines.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with evolving priorities and multiple stakeholder.

Nice-to-haves

• Prior experience in a museum, cultural institution, or nonprofit setting, particularly in content or campaign development.
• Familiarity with National Geographic's editorial voice, mission, and visual identity—or demonstrated ability to quickly align with established brand systems.
• Experience contributing to multi-channel campaigns that span digital, print, and experiential mediums.
• Knowledge of storytelling strategy, digital marketing workflows, or branded content development.
• Exposure to content performance tracking (e.g., A/B testing, engagement metrics) and willingness to adapt based on insights.
• Experience using content calendars, message tracking systems, or routing tools in a collaborative team environment.
• Ability to bring fresh ideas while respecting brand voice and audience expectations.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Engaging and comprehensive wellness program.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment.
• Flexible paid time off benefits with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year.
• 10 days of sick leave.
• 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break between December 25 and 31.
• Paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits.
• Learning and development opportunities.
• Lifestyle Spending Account.
• Pet adoption assistance and insurance.
• Pre-tax transportation benefits with a generous employer subsidy.
• Employer-paid life insurance and disability benefit.
• A variety of National Geographic discounts and perks.