Thought Leadership Writer/Copywriter

Founded in 1954, R.S. Hughes is a 100% employee-owned specialty distributor of adhesives, tapes and advanced materials. Our team provides deep technical expertise across the industries we serve, helping OEMs solve complex challenges from design through production.

What truly sets us apart is our culture. As an employee-owned company, every person here has a real stake in our success-and in yours. We're driven by a relentless commitment to serve our customers, support each other and do the right thing, always. If you're looking for a place where your work genuinely matters and ownership isn't just a title, you've found it.

We'd love for you to join The Team Behind Every Build.

Job Summary

The Thought Leadership Writer/Copywriter will be responsible for elevating the company's intellectual footprint. This individual will educate the market by addressing pressing industry issues, showcasing unique methodologies, and answering complex problems. This individual will also act as the bridge between internal subject matter experts (SMEs) and the outside world writing, editing, and developing concepts for marketing materials that connect with key audiences through multiple channels.

Specifically, this role will ideate and develop written materials, including long and short-form editorial and promotional content. It requires daily collaboration with our Marketing Team and cross-functionally to craft engaging messaging and produce thought leadership content that sparks interest and creates impact in the market. This individual is expected to proactively pitch story angles and content ideas, not solely execute against existing briefs. This role is expected to adhere to all company policies and safety protocols.

Core Responsibilities

• Subject Matter Extraction: Conduct in-depth interviews with internal experts, distilling raw, highly technical ideas into clear, compelling, and accessible narratives
• Content Ecosystem Consideration: Partner with Marketing and C ommunications eams to ensure pieces land effectively across various digital channels
• Ghostwriting & Voice Matching: Write bylined articles, op-eds, white papers, and long-form LinkedIn posts on behalf of C-suite executives and senior leaders.
• Research & Data Synthesis: Analyze market trends, survey data, and industry signals to support your arguments with credible evidence.
• Interpret creative direction & adapt points from creative briefs into persuasive copy concepts.
• Editorial Excellence: Maintain the highest standards of research, factchecking, narrative structure, and tone. Produce error-free content that adheres to the company's style guidelines.
• Craft copy for product marketing campaigns that create opportunities & impact revenue.
• Write and edit a variety of editorial, marketing and promotional material .
• Organize & manage a high volume of collateral under tight deadlines.
• Collaborate with team members cross-functional partners and leaders to develop a variety of content marketing materials.
• Other job duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Journalism, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in content marketing or copywriting, preferably on the B2B side.
• Must have a portfolio showcasing thought leadership writing samples.

What Success Looks Like in this Role

Success is measured not by lead generation directly, but by:

• Consistency of publishing cadence against an editorial calendar
• Visibility of brand in top-tier trade or business media aligned to core markets
• Overall enhancement of company reputation
• SME participation rate
• Key metric measurement on executive and brand thought leadership posts

This role requires excellent writing and editing skills for both short- and long-form content, as well as expertise in developing customer-focused messaging that drives action. Proven experience working within an editorial process, ensuring content consistency and quality, and a strong understanding of content marketing principles and SEO best practices

Ability to collaborate on strategic content plans and demonstrate successful outcomes from content initiatives Additionally, strong project management skill with the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. Excellent collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams, and the ability to provide clear, constructive feedback to peers and stakeholders. Finally, strong adaptability and a willingness to learn new concepts and skills, with a commitment to supporting team efforts and contributing to shared goals.

Skills That Will Make You Successful

• Fosters psychological safety: Understands how strong relational skills build trust and empower teams
• Journalistic Curiosity: Thinks critically to challenge the status quo synthesizing information to present a provocative, fresh perspective
• Adaptability: Easily and quickly pivots with new direction and/or expectations.
• Proactive Ownership: Manages workload independently, anticipates needs, and brings solutions without waiting to be directed.
• Accountability: Stands behind their work, acknowledges when something isn't landing, and iterates without ego.
• Cross-Functional Relationship Building: Knows how to earn trust across leaders and within departments.
• Strategic Thinking: Proven ability to define an argument, capturing and helping shape original industry perspectives.
• Interviewing Skills: Ability to ask incisive questions to quickly grasp unfamiliar sectors and surface distinctive insights from busy executives.
• Stakeholder Management: Comfort interacting with senior stakeholders, gracefully pushing back on ideas when needed, while maintaining trust
• Long-form writing and editing experience, with an emphasis on B2B or professional services.
• Social Media Writing: Proven ability to translate long-form ideas into concise, high-impact social copy across platforms, with a strong grasp of LinkedIn best practices for B2B audiences.
• Editorial Planning: Experience managing and contributing to an editorial calendar, including pitching ideas, tracking deadlines, and maintaining a consistent publishing cadence across channels.

Our merit-based salary/bonus program offers exceptional growth opportunities. Target compensation range for this Exempt role is up to $74,000

This is a Full-Time position, eligible to participate in the Company's benefit plans including: Paid Time off; major medical, dental, vision; Company paid short-term and long-term disability; paid parental leave; various supplemental benefit plans; and 12% Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP).