Lead, Technical Writer

📌 Core Information - Job Title: Lead, Technical Writer - Company: MongoDB - Location: New York City, NY & Tysons, VA - Job Type: Full-time, Remote - Category: Technical Writing - Date Posted: April 10, 2025 - Experience Level: 5-10 years (including 2+ years of team management experience) 🚀 Job Overview Key aspects of this role include: - Leading a small team of technical writers to create world-class documentation for MongoDB's cloud products and cloud architecture recommendations. - Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including Engineering, Product, and Design, to ensure documentation meets user needs. - Fostering a positive and effective team culture while growing and managing the team through interviewing, hiring, and onboarding talented writers. - Contributing to the team's roadmap and advocating for users in everything produced. ASSUMPTION: This role requires a balance of strong leadership, technical writing, and project management skills. The ideal candidate will have experience in cloud and database technologies and be comfortable working in a collaborative, agile environment. 📋 Key Responsibilities - Team Leadership (60%): Manage and grow a talented team of writers, prioritize and plan documentation projects, and influence the strategic vision for MongoDB docs. - Content Creation (30%): Use strong writing and technical skills to guide the production of clear and consistent product documentation, architecture recommendations, and tutorials. - Collaboration (10%): Work cross-functionally with other documentation leaders, writers, Engineering, Product, Design, Developer Relations, and Product Marketing to ensure documentation meets user needs. ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong focus on team management and collaboration, with a significant portion of time dedicated to leading the team and working with other stakeholders. 🎯 Required Qualifications - Education: Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Technical Communication, or a related field. Relevant coursework or equivalent experience may be considered. - Experience: Extensive technical writing experience (7+ years) and at least 2 years of experience managing a team of technical writers, developer advocates, or other technical communications-focused roles. - Required Skills: - Proven leadership skills in managing and growing a team of technical writers. - Strong critical reading and writing skills, with a focus on creating clear and concise documentation. - Experience writing content for the software architect persona. - Experience with cloud and database technologies. - Ability to write code for technical examples in at least one programming language (e.g., C++, C, Java, Python, JavaScript). Comfortable reading and interpreting code. - Familiarity with agile development methodologies. - Preferred Skills: - Experience with MongoDB products. - Familiarity with Markdown and Git. - Experience with content management systems (CMS) and documentation tools (e.g., ReadTheDocs, GitHub Pages). ASSUMPTION: While experience with MongoDB products is not required, it would be beneficial for the candidate to have a basic understanding of the company's products and services. 💰 Compensation & Benefits - Salary Range: $106,000 - $209,000 USD per year (based on experience and location) - Benefits: - Equity - Participation in the Employee Stock Purchase Program - Flexible Paid Time Off - 20 weeks fully-paid gender-neutral parental leave - Fertility and adoption assistance - 401(k) Plan - Mental health counseling - Access to transgender-inclusive health insurance coverage - Health benefits offerings - Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours/week) with flexible hours and remote work options. ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards for similar roles in the United States. The actual salary may vary depending on the candidate's experience, skills, and location. 📌 Applicant Insights 🔍 Company Context - Industry: Software Development - Company Size: 5,001-10,000 employees - Founded: 2007 - Company Description: MongoDB's mission is to empower innovators to create, transform, and disrupt industries by unleashing the power of software and data. The company offers a modern database platform that allows development teams to address the growing requirements for today's wide variety of modern applications, all in a unified and consistent user experience. - Company Specialties: Open source, databases, MongoDB, and software developer - Company Website: MongoDB ASSUMPTION: MongoDB is a well-established company in the software development industry, with a strong focus on open-source technology and a commitment to empowering developers. 📊 Role Analysis - Career Level: Mid to Senior level, with opportunities for growth and leadership development. - Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Senior Manager, Technical Writing. - Work Arrangement: Remote work with the option to work from one of MongoDB's global offices. - Growth Opportunities: - Opportunities to grow and manage the technical writing team. - Potential to take on additional leadership responsibilities within the MongoDB Product organization. - Access to professional development and training opportunities. ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth opportunities for the right candidate, with the potential to take on additional leadership responsibilities and advance their career within the MongoDB Product organization. 🌍 Location & Work Environment - Office Type: Remote work with the option to work from one of MongoDB's global offices. - Office Location(s): New York City, NY & Tysons, VA - Geographic Context: - New York City: A bustling metropolis with a vibrant tech industry and a high cost of living. - Tysons: A suburban area with a lower cost of living and easy access to Washington D.C. - Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours/week) with flexible hours and the ability to work remotely. ASSUMPTION: The remote work option provides flexibility for candidates, allowing them to work from their preferred location while still having the opportunity to collaborate with team members in person. 💼 Interview & Application Insights - Typical Process: 1. Phone screen with a member of the MongoDB Recruiting team. 2. Technical writing assessment. 3. Interview with the Senior Manager, Technical Writing. 4. Final interview with the Director, Technical Writing. - Key Assessment Areas: - Technical writing skills and experience. - Leadership and team management abilities. - Knowledge of cloud and database technologies. - Familiarity with MongoDB products (a plus). - Application Tips: 1. Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role. 2. Include specific examples of your technical writing work and any relevant leadership experiences. 3. Prepare for the technical writing assessment by reviewing MongoDB's documentation and familiarizing yourself with the company's products. ASSUMPTION: The interview process for this role is designed to assess the candidate's technical writing skills, leadership abilities, and cultural fit with the MongoDB team. 🛠️ Tools & Technologies - Markdown - Git - ReadTheDocs or GitHub Pages (for documentation) - MongoDB products (a plus) ASSUMPTION: Familiarity with these tools and technologies is essential for success in this role. While experience with MongoDB products is not required, it would be beneficial for the candidate to have a basic understanding of the company's products and services. 👔 Cultural Fit Considerations - Company Values: - Empower innovators - Love your developers - Build a positive and inclusive culture - Operate with urgency and accountability - Embrace change and continuous learning - Work Style: - Collaborative and agile - Focused on results and impact - Committed to continuous improvement - Self-Assessment Questions: 1. How do you empower and support the developers on your team to create their best work? 2. Describe a time when you had to adapt to a significant change in your team's priorities or processes. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome? 3. How do you foster a positive and inclusive culture within your team? ASSUMPTION: MongoDB values a positive and inclusive work environment that empowers its employees to create, transform, and disrupt industries. Candidates should be able to demonstrate their alignment with these values and their ability to thrive in a collaborative, agile work environment. ⚠️ Potential Challenges - Workload: This role requires a strong focus on team management and collaboration, with a significant portion of time dedicated to leading the team and working with other stakeholders. Candidates should be prepared to manage their time effectively and prioritize their workload accordingly. - Technical Learning Curve: While experience with MongoDB products is not required, candidates should be prepared to invest time in learning the company's products and services to create accurate and relevant documentation. - Remote Work: While the remote work option provides flexibility, candidates should be comfortable working independently and managing their time effectively in a remote work environment. ASSUMPTION: These challenges can be overcome with strong time management skills, a commitment to continuous learning, and the ability to thrive in a remote work environment. 📈 Similar Roles Comparison - Documentation Manager: This role is similar to a Documentation Manager role, with a focus on leading a team of technical writers to create world-class documentation for MongoDB's cloud products and cloud architecture recommendations. - Senior Technical Writer: This role is similar to a Senior Technical Writer role, with a focus on creating clear and consistent product documentation, architecture recommendations, and tutorials. However, this role also includes a significant leadership component, with responsibilities for managing and growing a team of technical writers. - Technical Writing Manager: This role is similar to a Technical Writing Manager role, with a focus on managing and growing a team of technical writers. However, this role also includes a significant technical writing component, with responsibilities for creating clear and consistent product documentation, architecture recommendations, and tutorials. ASSUMPTION: While these roles share some similarities, this role is unique in its focus on leading a team of technical writers to create world-class documentation for MongoDB's cloud products and cloud architecture recommendations. 📝 Sample Projects - Cloud Product Documentation: Create and maintain documentation for MongoDB's cloud products, including MongoDB Atlas and Atlas Search. - Cloud Architecture Recommendations: Develop and update architecture recommendations for MongoDB's cloud products, including best practices for deploying and managing MongoDB Atlas in a cloud environment. - Tutorials and How-To Guides: Create and maintain tutorials and how-to guides for MongoDB's cloud products, including step-by-step instructions for common tasks and use cases. ASSUMPTION: These sample projects provide a snapshot of the types of documentation and content that the successful candidate will be responsible for creating and maintaining in this role. ❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview 1. What are the biggest challenges facing the technical writing team, and how can this role help address them? 2. How does the technical writing team collaborate with other teams within MongoDB, such as Engineering and Product? 3. What opportunities are there for professional development and growth within the MongoDB Product organization? 4. How does MongoDB support work-life balance for its employees, particularly those working remotely? 5. What are the key priorities for the technical writing team in the first 30, 60, and 90 days in this role? ASSUMPTION: These questions are designed to help the candidate better understand the role, the team, and the company, and to assess their fit with the MongoDB culture and values. 📌 Next Steps for Applicants To apply for this position: 1. Submit your application through this link: MongoDB Careers 2. Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role. 3. Prepare for the technical writing assessment by reviewing MongoDB's documentation and familiarizing yourself with the company's products. 4. Practice your leadership and team management skills by reflecting on your past experiences and preparing examples of how you've grown and managed teams in previous roles. 5. Follow up with the MongoDB Recruiting team one week after submitting your application to inquire about the status of your application. ⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.