Content Strategist (Contract), AI Marketing & Strategy

Formative • Seattle, WA

10d • Hybrid

About The Position

Formative is seeking freelance Content Strategists who are knowledgeable about how AI is reshaping content consumption and audience trust. The company is building a network of freelance professionals to engage as projects arise. This role requires a blend of content strategy expertise and an understanding of evolving audience behaviors due to AI. While the initial focus is on content, a broader interest in AI's impact on consumer behavior is beneficial. Formative is a Seattle-based agency focused on social good and purpose-driven brands, working with clients like Gates Ventures and National Geographic Society. They seek individuals who can navigate ambiguity, define complex problems, conduct rigorous research, and develop strategic pathways in an iterative process.

Requirements

• Minimum 3+ years in a content strategy, content specialist, or related content-focused role, with an emphasis on information gathering and synthesis to inform program design.
• Experience supporting or performing topic, audience, and channel research in pursuit of a program/campaign strategy.
• Experience framing and researching a problem from the ground up, including topic, audience, competitive landscape, and market research in service of a strategy or solution.
• Experience with go-to-market planning — helping position a solution or program relative to its competitive and market circumstances.
• A demonstrated, active habit of tracking how AI is changing content discovery and consumption — for example, how large language models source and surface material from platforms like YouTube and Reddit, or how on-platform user experiences are evolving as AI becomes embedded in them — and the ability to translate those shifts into strategic implications for clients.
• Ability to synthesize insights from diverse data sources into clear problem definitions and potential solution pathways.
• Hands-on experience using AI tools in your own research, synthesis, or strategy work, and excitement about applying AI to evolve how you personally work.
• Ability to take input from multiple collaborators and iterate on a work product through multiple rounds of refinement.
• Foundational understanding of measurement and evaluation approaches sufficient to support building measurement plans.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including competency with PowerPoint.

Nice To Haves

• Broader interest in how AI is changing consumer behaviors.
• Experience supporting or developing user journeys, use cases, and user requirements.
• Foundational media understanding and how communications fits into a broader program or solution strategy.
• Ability to apply frameworks to distill inputs into organized and comprehensible findings.
• Experience in education, climate, and/or health sectors.

Responsibilities

• Frame and execute research in pursuit of program design — including topic, audience, and channel research.
• Apply expertise in the AI-driven content consumption landscape to inform strategy and client recommendations — tracking how LLMs source and surface content, how platform experiences are evolving, and what that means for how clients should position themselves.
• Map user journeys to understand how audiences discover, evaluate, and engage with content across a changing landscape.
• Conduct third-party/secondary research to fill gaps where direct expert or stakeholder access isn't available.
• Work collaboratively as a client service team member to deliver strategic programs and solutions

Benefits

• Formative employees typically work in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed