Copy Principal, Nordstrom Rack (Hybrid - Seattle, WA)

Nordstrom•Seattle, WA

4d•$93,500 - $155,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Working in partnership with the Content Creative Director, the Copy Principal leads the copy function at Rack. This role provides direction and representation for copy across major initiatives (Holiday, 125, and other seasonal and evergreen programs), helps author and drive brand voice alongside broader creative leadership, and owns the systems, standards, and playbooks that bring that voice to life consistently across every campaign, channel, and platform, from a Holiday push to a 15-second Reel. Automation and AI are already being leveraged for repeatable work and copy banks, allowing this role to spend more time on the work that creates the most impact and requires human expertise: sharp strategy, a voice with real personality, and stories built for social and mid-funnel (MF) video. This role is offered as hybrid in Seattle, WA. Candidates must be available to work in office at the Nordstrom corporate headquarters a minimum of 4 days/week to be considered for this position.

Requirements

6+ years of experience in brand copywriting (retail, fashion, lifestyle, or agency preferred)
Strong portfolio demonstrating voice, campaign work, and systems thinking
Ability to learn and apply a structured brand voice system (e.g., Rack's Practical Swagger format and copy bank) quickly and consistently
Experience writing for social and short-form video (scripts, captions, hooks), not just repurposing long-form copy for social
Experience leading messaging strategy across multiple channels
Proven ability to guide teams and influence cross-functional partners
Hands-on experience integrating AI or automation into a copywriting workflow, not just familiarity with the tools
Excellent writing, editing, and presentation skills

Responsibilities

Help author and evolve the brand voice across channels and campaigns, in partnership with the Content Creative Director
Build and maintain scalable copy systems and playbooks that enable consistency at scale
Ensure voice is both distinctive and flexible across formats, audiences, and moments
Maintain fluency in Rack's established voice systems (e.g., Practical Swagger structure, brand copy bank) and evolve them as formats and platforms expand
Lead messaging strategy and storytelling for key brand moments (e.g., Holiday, Sales, seasonal campaigns)
Translate business, marketing, and merchandising goals into clear, effective customer-facing copy
Partner cross-functionally to align messaging with broader brand and campaign strategy
Write and shape scripts, hooks, and captions for mid-funnel (MF) video and social-first content, adapting brand voice to platform norms (e.g., TikTok, Reels, YouTube Shorts)
Partner with Video and Social/Influencer teams from concept, not after the cut is locked, so story and copy are built together
Track platform storytelling trends and translate what works into brand-appropriate formats
Build a scalable system for social copy variations (hooks, captions, CTAs) that keeps pace with content velocity
Guide copy direction across core workstreams, from concept through final execution
Provide clear, actionable feedback to elevate clarity, craft, and creativity
Ensure work is both emotionally resonant and performance-driven
Drive alignment, set direction, and bring teams along
Mentor writers and editors, raising the overall standard of voice and craft
Foster a collaborative, high-trust creative environment
Lead adoption of AI and automation tools for high-volume, lower-complexity copy work (variations, resizes, localization drafts)
Own the call on what gets automated versus what stays human, building automation into copy workflows without flattening voice
Reinvest the time freed by automation into higher-value work: platform storytelling, voice evolution, and mentorship
Build and maintain prompt libraries, playbooks, and QA systems that keep AI-assisted output sounding like the brand
Partner with Design, Video, Marketing, and Program Management to align the automation roadmap with production needs
Use data, testing, and insights (including social/video metrics like hook retention, watch time, and scroll depth) to refine messaging and improve performance
Balance creative quality with measurable business outcomes