Technical Writer- REMOTE

ICF•Reston, VA

1d•Remote

About The Position

ICF seeks a Technical Writer to support Child Care and Development Technical Assistance (CDTA) projects in early childhood education across the federal, state, and private sectors. The role develops, edits, and reviews clear, audience-focused written products that translate complex early childhood and Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) topics into practical, accessible resources. The Technical Writer works with subject matter experts and project teams to maintain content quality, consistency, plain language, and compliance with editorial and quality assurance standards. Bilingual writers may be asked to translate project resources.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience as a technical writer and editor developing resources for public dissemination in various formats.
At least 3 years of experience supporting the development of training and technical assistance products and resources for effective CCDF implementation, applying high-quality writing, editing, and proofreading skills.
At least 3 years of experience translating complex topics into content that is easy to read, understand, and apply and meets the informational needs of specific audiences.
At least 2 years of experience with web content development and web and digital resource formatting best practices.
Excellent verbal, interpersonal, and written communication skills.
Strong writing skills and the ability to translate complex topics into simple, usable content.
Ability to prioritize and manage multiple activities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while meeting urgent deadlines.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills to support client relations, team building, and business development.
Ability to work independently and as a dedicated team player.
Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams with varying work styles, learning styles, and perspectives.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
Ability to adapt to and learn new technology tools and platforms, and identify ways to improve efficiency and productivity.
Ability to handle sensitive or confidential information with judgment, discretion, tact, and diplomacy.
Authorization to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing user-friendly web content.
Experience supplementing written content with visual graphics to strengthen user understanding.
Knowledge of CCDF regulations and applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations.
Experience collaborating with subject matter experts to extract relevant information and develop curated products for specific audiences.
Experience developing and implementing digital content strategy, including audience engagement and communication best practices.
Experience developing products and public-facing resources for government or quasi-government agencies.
Knowledge of citation formatting, such as APA or MLA, and copyright best practices.
Experience in child development or early childhood education and care.
Demonstrated experience working in a government context and collaborating across multidisciplinary teams or multiple projects.

Responsibilities

Support client priorities and project objectives by completing required and ad hoc reports and information-gathering tasks to document progress and accomplishments, inform client services, and identify emerging client needs.
Participate in team meetings, internal workgroups, and collaborative projects; take and record meeting notes.
Support Section 508 remediation and ensure written products and other deliverables are posted to websites according to established protocols.
Participate in or lead workgroups as requested by the client or project leadership.
Support digital file management, organization, archiving, and migration.
Support review, approval, posting, and dissemination of resources and announcements.
Stay current on research, tools, technology, and resources relevant to project and client priorities.
Collaborate with editorial team members to establish and maintain editorial standards aligned with client needs and preferences.
Assist with updating editorial style guidance, including guidance on citations, references, and client-specific terminology.
Support review, approval, and finalization of resources.
Assist with training project staff, partners, and client staff in plain-language writing tailored to target audiences.
Research and gather information to support timely, accurate responses to client and state and territory inquiries.
Apply client-approved templates, styles, branding, and other requirements to digital and written products.
Support data collection, reporting, data quality assurance, and project evaluation.
Prepare ad hoc reports from project databases to support project leadership, technical assistance, and client requests.
Use approved AI, Smart Sheet, and Mural tools when appropriate to facilitate and track task completion.
Develop written products and deliverables with subject matter experts and team members, clarifying audience, purpose, and scope; improving clarity and readability; and identifying when additional expertise is needed.
Develop or collaborate on visual graphics and enhanced product formatting to improve readability and clarity.
Verify citations and ensure copyright and permissions protocols are followed.
Provide copy editing, substantive editing, and proofreading for project resources and deliverables, including reports, training materials, briefs, resource guides, tools, website content, and announcements.
Apply plain-language principles when reviewing or developing content to support audience comprehension.
Stay informed about early education and child care content, client priorities and preferences, and political nuances relevant to product development.
Implement established quality assurance protocols and procedures for written deliverables and products.