Content Executive

Shepherd and Wedderburn are currently recruiting for a Content Executive to join their Business Development team based in Edinburgh. Main duties include:

• Responsible for developing, maintaining and managing all work winning content held in the proposal management and content solutions systems to ensure those involved in winning new work can efficiently deliver successful and high-quality submissions to our clients.
• Identify and collaborate with subject matter experts across the firm to update and develop content to ensure it is up-to-date, accurate, available and of the highest quality.
• Review RFPs to identify frequently asked questions that need to be maintained in the firm’s proposal management and content solutions system.
• Manage the content sign-off process with subject matter experts as part of a pre-determined review cycle.
• Develop, maintain and evolve the structure of the content library and the content curation policies and process to ensure the availability, quality and depth of information required by those involved in winning work.
• Re-writing into a consistent style the information provided to ensure that content is clearly articulated and can be integrated easily into submissions for clients.
• Managing the quality of content to ensure that it is both accurate and error-free, together with ensuring that content available for use in submissions to clients is clear, compelling, client focussed and jargon-free.
• Scheduling regular reviews to monitor and report on usage of content, together with identifying content gaps and working with subject matter experts to develop and improve content.
• Working with graphic designers to present content in an engaging and digestible format that complies with the firm’s brand visual identity, together with maintaining a strong graphics database.
• Providing ad hoc training to users and coaching of the wider MBD team to maximise adoption and use of the firm’s work winning content solutions.
• Working closely with the Head of Proposals, Proposals Team and subject matter experts to support work winning efforts to achieve the firm’s strategic, sector and client-specific plans,

Candidate Profile

• Experience of deploying, managing and using proposal management/ automation and content library software, together with an understanding of the principle of information architecture.
• Strong academic background with a degree level education in English, marketing or business equivalent subjects.
• Experience in a proposals/ bids role within the legal, professional services or construction sector would be advantageous.
• An ability to communicate, influence and collaborate effectively with stakeholders and subject matter experts at all levels across the firm.
• Strong written English language skills, excellent copywriting and editing skills, together with excellent attention to detail and proof-reading skills,
• An aptitude for presenting complex information visually.
• Strong project management skills and an ability to manage competing priorities.

Technical Skills/Experience

• Demonstrates appropriate range of legal knowledge and, with assistance, can identify issues outside their expertise and seek appropriate assistance.
• Demonstrates initiative to obtain relevant information to complete tasks.
• Produces a solution best addressing the client’s requirements, with guidance.
• Demonstrates potential to display effective spoken and written advocacy skills.
• If appropriate, seeks to comply with formalities required in connection with spoken and written advocacy and deals with witnesses and opposing arguments effectively.

Business/Work Management

• Works as part of a team to attain objectives within agreed timescales and budgets.
• Keeps all clients and colleagues up-to-date with latest developments.
• Complies with all firm policies and procedures, including financial.
• Implements improvements in working methods.
• Prepares well for meetings with guidance.
• Makes effective use of the firm’s information management systems, and complies with all legal and regulatory requirements.

Firm Contribution

• Awareness of and, where appropriate, participates in development of team's operational goals.
• Displays an awareness of organisational goals and has an engaged commitment to team goals.
• Participates in extra practice events to assist development of firm.

At Shepherd and Wedderburn we strive to provide a supportive, inclusive and high performance working environment, where everyone feels they belong. Diversity and inclusion is at the heart of our business and we welcome applicants from different backgrounds to all levels of the organisation. To foster inclusivity we particularly encourage applications from those who may be from underrepresented groups, including candidates from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBT+ people, disabled people and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Shepherd and Wedderburn is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information that we collect as a “data controller”. The information provided by you will be processed in accordance with our GDPR Privacy Notice for Applicants and Work Experience Students. If you are successful in obtaining paid employment with us, we will hold your information in accordance with our Personnel Data Retention Policy, which will be provided to you at the relevant time.

We will process the information you provide solely for the purpose of evaluating your application for employment. The information will be disclosed to the interview panel (if relevant), your line manager (if appointed), and Human Resources staff members. We may contact any references provided for the purposes of discussing your application, and will ask your permission before doing so.

If you provide any information deemed to be “special category” information under the General Data Protection Regulation, we may use this as follows:

• We will use information about your disability status to provide appropriate adjustments to the interview process.
• We will use any information provided in our diversity monitoring form about your race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, gender identity, gender expression, social mobility background, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, any disability information, age, and marital/civil partnership status to ensure meaningful equal opportunity monitoring and reporting. Any analysis of this data will be done on an anonymous basis.

Should your application be unsuccessful, the information provided will be deleted within 1 year of a decision not to progress your application.

If you have any further questions about how we process and store your information, or your rights in relation to this, please refer to our GDPR Privacy Notice for Applicants and Work Experience Students (available at