Copy Editor

Grainger is a broad line, business-to-business distributor of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) supplies and other related products and services. More than 3.2 million businesses and institutions worldwide rely on Grainger for products such as safety gloves, ladders, motors and janitorial supplies, along with services like inventory management and technical support. These customers represent a broad collection of industries including commercial, government, healthcare and manufacturing. They place orders online, on mobile devices, through sales representatives, over the phone and at local branches. Approximately 5,000 suppliers provide Grainger with more than 1.6 million products stocked in Grainger’s distribution centers and branches worldwide.
Primary Function:The Copy Editor will manage Copywriters and support the Copy Manager to ensure Grainger’s textual content meets customer-focused quality standards and is produced efficiently. Serving as a thought leader with a continuous-improvement mindset, the Copy Editor will also help define writing standards, style, and processes. He or she will coach and develop Copywriters and invest in building the company’s collective capabilities in creating high-quality product copy.


Principal Duties & Responsibilities:

• Supervise, train, and develop Copywriters by monitoring and providing feedback on their performance (e.g., writing quality, efficiency, and ability to collaborate with others)
• Responsible for ensuring copywriters adhere to standard processes on a day-to-day basis and responding to process failures by coaching and/or informing the Copy Manager of process opportunities
• Edit product copy to meet publishing standards by providing strong and clear direction to Copywriters
• Manage own projects and those of aligned Copywriters to ensure all deadlines and quality standards are met and escalate issues to Copy Manager or Process Lead
• Refine writing standards and style guidelines as needed-based on trends seen through editing-to continuously improve upon copy quality and address customer needs
• Develop and lead team trainings and communication to fill knowledge gaps about writing processes, tools, and guidelines as well as best practices for cross-functional collaboration within Merchandising
• Define Copywriting staffing approach (e.g., writer desk alignment) and ensure coverage for all workstreams

Preferred Education & Experience:
Minimum of 5-7 years copywriting and editing experience required

• Strong people skills, ability to coach with constructive feedback, and ability to create a collaborative work environment
• Ability to work in deadline-driven environment, manage through ambiguity, and handle multiple (often conflicting) priorities at the same time
• Strong project prioritization and management skills and ability to accurately report production and quality metrics
• Thorough understanding of customer needs, technical product information and feature-benefit copy principles
• Thorough understanding of rules of grammar and punctuation
• Working knowledge of ecommerce, direct marketing, catalog, or similar industry
• Working knowledge of keyword research and basic SEO principles
• Must be able to quickly ascertain customer and business requirements to ensure correct tone, approach, etc.
• Seen as a subject matter expert in copy standards and guidelines
• Prior experience in providing feedback, mentoring copywriters, and providing direction to improve work products and assist others in development of their skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong influencing skills
• Strong judgment and decision-making skills
• Attention to detail without losing sight of larger department and business context
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel

Position can be based in Lake Forest or Chicago post pandemic