Senior Content Manager, The Digital Project Manager (USA)
5 days ago
Chicago
Job DescriptionAt Black & White Zebra, our publications are the cornerstone of our company. Through engaging videos, award-winning podcasts, smart thought leadership, and helpful educational content, we help professionals win at work and build thriving communities along the way. Weâre now looking for a Senior Content Manager to lead the content program for The Digital Project Manager, our flagship publication for delivery leaders managing projects, people and outcomes; leveraging AI to work smarter, deliver faster and lead better in fast-moving tech teams. In this strategic, high-impact role, youâll manage a team of editors and own a cross-channel content strategy that spans podcasts, editorial, ebooks, newsletters, events, video, and social. Youâll repurpose content across formats and act as a bridge between community hostsâthe faces of the brandâand the editorial roadmap, aligning community conversations with the topics we know matter most to our audience. Youâll shape our editorial methodology, build scalable systems, and ensure everything we publish is useful, credible, and performance-driven. Youâll ground the content roadmap in deep audience insightâfrom SEO and competitive research to direct user feedbackâwhile also spotting emerging needs our readers donât know they have yet. With your project management expertise and hands-on knowledge of PM tools, youâll sharpen our editorial voice, bring clarity to complexity, and position The Digital Project Manager as the go-to source for future-ready project leadership. Beyond traditional publishing, youâll explore and scale new content experiencesâfrom interactive tools and surveys to video and visual storytellingâthat deepen engagement, serve user needs, and strengthen our competitive edgeâand you'll coach editors to do the same. Youâll collaborate closely with Content Ops, SEO, Media, and Events teams to align efforts and continuously raise the bar on quality and efficiency.Who You Are ⢠A cross-channel content strategist with a track record of scaling content programs and leading high-performing teams. You know how to extend a story across newsletters, podcasts, events, social, and video., ⢠An AI enthusiast with a deep curiosity for how AI is reshaping content and workflows, as well as the entire landscape of project management, PM tools, and the future of work., ⢠A subject-matter expert in project delivery, project management and PM technology who's comfortable with platforms like Monday, Asana, ClickUp, JIRA, Wrike, and Trello. You understand the real-world challenges of delivery leaders and know how to communicate in their language., ⢠An AI systems innovator who integrates AI into every part of the content process and continually refines itâensuring we scale responsibly and stay at the forefront of AI-driven publishing., ⢠A reader-obsessed content leader, driven by clarity, empathy, and usefulness. You anticipate needs, identify friction points, and shape content that serves people in the right way at the right time., ⢠A hands-on contributor and explorer who tests tools, talks to users, conducts interviews, digs deep into products, and brings experience to the content you guide. You're just as comfortable writing a first-person piece as you are leading a roadmap sync., ⢠A collaborative leader and strategic partner who thrives in cross-functional environments and knows how to own cross-channel testing and strategyâaligning content strategy with SEO, product marketing, and partner strategy.What You'll Be Doing (Responsibilities), ⢠Lead cross-channel content strategy and roadmap: Own the content roadmap, deciding what we create, update, and optimize across channels based on performance data, business goals, and audience needs. Extend stories across editorial, podcasts, newsletters, video, social, and eventsâmeeting audiences where they are and repurposing content for maximum impact. Own and evolve our editorial methodology to ensure every piece aligns with our mission to help readers future-proof their organizations. Ground decisions in SEO, user feedback, competitive research, data sources, and emerging audience needsâespecially around AI and the future of project delivery., ⢠Elevate content quality, innovation, and testing: Oversee site-wide content quality and clarity, ensuring every piece helps readers future-proof their organizations. Write and contribute first-person content on high-priority and emerging topics, especially where thought leadership and SME insights are essential. Contribute to interviews, podcasts, and digital PR opportunitiesârepresenting the brand externally and amplifying our editorial voice across channels. Test, launch, and scale new formatsâinteractive tools, visual storytelling, surveys, and beyondâthat engage readers in fresh ways. Surface emerging reader needs by talking to users, testing tools, and spotting opportunities before they appear in SEO dataâwith a special focus on AI topics, spotting shifts before they show up in SEO data., ⢠Embed and scale AI-powered content systems: Work with content operations to integrate AI across every part of the content workflowâfrom templates to publishing and optimizationâand continuously refine processes to scale responsibly. Coach editors and internal experts to step into earned media, PR, and thought leadership opportunities in partnership with the Digital PR Lead., ⢠Grow and empower a high-performing content team: Manage and mentor a team of editors and contributors, providing structured feedback, editorial development, and career support. Coach internal experts and editors to participate in earned media and thought leadership efforts, in partnership with the Digital PR Lead. Foster a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and experimentation that keeps the team at the forefront of both AI innovation and content leadership.How Your Success Will Be Measured, ⢠Content output : Volume of high-quality net-new and updated articles published each month, aligned to strategic priorities and roadmap goals., ⢠Content quality & clarity: Adherence to editorial standards, voice, and structureâalong with improvements in engagement metrics, UX feedback, and time-to-publish efficiency., ⢠Performance impact: Growth in keyword rankings, organic traffic, newsletter sign-ups, and conversions tied to business-critical topics and funnel stages. Increased visibility and authority in conversations around AI, project delivery, and PM tools., ⢠AI powered, scalable improvements: Enhancements to templates, workflows, and AI processes that increase quality, reduce friction, and enable scaleâresulting in faster time-to-publish, increased traffic and revenue, and reduced content production costs., ⢠Team development: Feedback adoption, editorial growth, and quality improvements from contributors, resulting in faster content cycles, increased publishing autonomy, and higher volume of consistently high-quality content., ⢠Thought leadership readiness: Participation in media, interviews, and PR opportunities that extend brand authority. Engagement of SMEs, editors, and internal experts in thought leadership efforts in partnership with the Digital PR Lead., ⢠Proprietary enhancements: # of pieces enriched with original diagrams, templates, tools, visuals, or interactive elements that improve UX and search competitiveness.Your Skillset Includes, ⢠5â7+ years in organic content strategy, editorial leadership, or content marketing, with a record of scaling programs and driving measurable growth., ⢠A strong background in project management or digital delivery, with firsthand experience using tools like Asana, Jira, Wrike, Trello, ClickUp, and managing real projects across cross-functional teams., ⢠A proven track record of managing teams and publishing high-impact content at scale, with strong editorial judgment and a clear user-first mindset., ⢠Deep knowledge of SEO, content UX, and content operations, and the ability to align them with business goals for performance and growth., ⢠Advanced experience with AI-assisted content production, including prompt design, workflow tuning, and integrating AI into templates and publishing processes to increase efficiency and quality., ⢠Familiarity with frameworks like Agile, Scrum, Kanban, and Waterfallâand how they play out in real-world agency, studio, or tech environments., ⢠Strong research, interviewing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to turn complex concepts into clear, engaging narratives., ⢠Proficiency with content and analytics tools like GA4, Ahrefs, Airtable, and WordPress., ⢠Excellent cross-functional communication and project management skills., ⢠A deep curiosity about whatâs next in project managementâfrom new tools to new ways of workingâand a passion for helping others adapt and thrive.Nice To Haves, ⢠Experience contributing expert commentary or appearing in thought leadership content, ⢠Familiarity with PR/media collaboration and working alongside outreach or communications teams