Senior Technical Writer

This position is accountable for producing the following results:

The Senior Technical Writer is accountable for delivering a comprehensive, user‑friendly documentation experience for First Rate’s back‑office and front‑office performance reporting applications, supporting users such as portfolio managers, analysts, and operations teams. This role partners closely with Product Managers and development teams to ensure documentation remains accurate, current, and easy to navigate, enabling users to independently resolve issues and quickly adopt new features.

STRATEGIC WORK

Contribute to the success of the department and company by developing a documentation system that is user-friendly, minimizes support inquiries, accelerates onboarding for new users, and instils confidence in the product.

TACTICAL WORK

1. Write, edit, and maintain high‑quality technical documentation in accordance with established content, style, and terminology standards.
2. Build and maintain online help, user guides, installation guides, release notes, and knowledge base content for multiple user audiences.
3. Translate enhancements, bug fixes, and technical changes into clear, user‑focused documentation that explains impact and value.
4. Own release documentation planning and coordinate content delivery to support product launches and release communications.
5. Create and manage visual, multimedia, and interactive content, including diagrams, screenshots, videos, and guided learning experiences.
6. Maintain documentation assets, revisions, and records using approved tools, including MadCap Flare.
7. Establish and enforce documentation standards and contribute to continuous improvement of tools, processes, and technologies.
8. Collaborate closely with Product Management, Engineering, QA, UX/UI, Marketing, and Support to deliver accurate, timely content.
9. Monitor and incorporate client and user feedback to improve documentation effectiveness and usability.
10. Support internal and external stakeholders by assisting with documentation‑related questions and complex issue resolution.
11. Manage time effectively, meet deadlines, and adhere to documented processes and business objectives.
12. Participate in ongoing professional development and assist with training and onboarding of new team members as requested.

STANDARDS:

Position Specific Standards:

1. Deliver documentation that consistently adheres to established style guides, documentation standards, quality expectations, and brand guidelines.
2. Maintain well‑structured, organized projects that support long‑term scalability and ease of maintenance.
3. Ensure all release documentation, including release notes, is complete, accurate, and ready for distribution on or before scheduled release dates.
4. Validate technical documentation, including installation and deployment guides, against real‑world environments in collaboration with Development and QA.
5. Proactively identify documentation gaps, risks, or dependencies and communicate them to the Product Manager in advance.
6. Produce video, visual, and interactive content that meets defined quality, usability, and branding standards prior to publishing.
7. Track work accurately and on time using department‑approved tools and processes.
8. Meet deadlines reliably and demonstrate accountability in support of department processes and business objectives.
9. Collaborate effectively within a team environment by communicating professionally, offering constructive feedback, encouragement, and support.
10. Address conflicts directly and professionally, following agreed‑upon conflict‑management processes when resolution is required.
11. Share ideas and recommendations that improve product quality, documentation effectiveness, and overall corporate productivity.
12. Model trust, accountability, clarity, effective conflict resolution, and follow‑through in all professional interactions.

REQUIREMENTS

Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Technical Communication, English, Journalism, or a related field.
• 4 years of professional technical writing experience, including at least 5 years working in an agile environment; experience in financial services, fintech, or enterprise software preferred.
• Proven experience authoring and maintaining complex technical documentation, including installation guides, user guides, online help systems, and release notes.
• Hands‑on experience with MadCap Flare or similar help authoring tools.
• Ability to create and maintain multimedia and interactive content, such as video tutorials, walkthroughs, diagrams, and embedded help.
• Technical proficiency with documentation‑related tools and technologies, including:
• Markup and structured authoring concepts (e.g., DITA, HTML, XML/SGML or equivalents)
• Graphics and diagramming tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Visio or equivalents)
• Familiarity with databases, query concepts, or SQL preferred
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong written expression and comprehension.
• Strong analytical and deductive reasoning skills, with the ability to apply general rules to specific technical problems.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines during busy release cycles.
• Strong interpersonal skills; able to ask effective questions, work collaboratively, and communicate clearly across disciplines.
• Must be able to work on‑site.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with investment performance reporting concepts and terminology, including GIPS standards, benchmarks, attribution, and performance returns, with the ability to translate complex financial data into user‑friendly documentation.
• Experience with UX writing and in‑product content, such as tooltips, error messages, microcopy, and contextual guidance that improves usability and reduces user friction.
• Exposure to AI‑assisted writing tools or documentation workflows, with interest in applying emerging technologies to improve documentation quality, efficiency, and maintenance.

Characteristics:

• Thrives under pressure in fast‑paced environments with shifting priorities and firm deadlines.
• Demonstrates strong attention to detail while maintaining a clear view of the broader product and business context.
• Is dependable, accountable, and consistently follows through on commitments.
• Acts with integrity, professionalism, and ethical judgment in all situations.
• Works collaboratively and cooperatively with cross‑functional teams, communicating respectfully and constructively.
• Operates independently with minimal supervision, taking ownership of outcomes.
• Puts the reader and end user first, ensuring clarity, usability, and accuracy in all content.
• Is intellectually curious, proactive, and takes pride in producing polished, high‑quality work.