| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Media and Advertising |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Associate Creative Director |
| Direct reports | Copywriter |
| Experience | 4 to 7 years in agency copywriting across film, digital and print |
Senior Copywriter job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Senior Copywriter
Department: Media and Advertising
Reports to: Associate Creative Director
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Senior Copywriter leads the writing on a set of brands in an advertising agency. They crack campaign ideas, write scripts, headlines, taglines and long copy across film, digital, print and radio, and pair with an art director to build concepts. The role sits in the creative team under an associate creative director and guides junior copywriters. A good one turns dry briefs into ideas people remember, keeps the brand's voice consistent, and lifts the writing of the whole team.
Key responsibilities
- Crack campaign ideas from briefs, and develop concepts that work across film, digital, print, outdoor and radio.
- Write scripts, headlines, taglines, body copy and social content in the brand's voice.
- Pair with an art director so words and visuals build one idea together.
- Present copy and concepts to the creative lead and the client, and defend the thinking.
- Refine writing through feedback rounds while keeping the idea sharp and the language clean.
- Adapt a single idea into many formats, lengths and languages as the campaign needs.
- Guide and edit the work of junior copywriters, and raise their standard over time.
- Check copy for grammar, brand tone, legal lines and factual accuracy before release.
- Contribute ideas and copy to new-business pitches, and help the team win new accounts.
- Keep up with culture, trends and language so the writing stays current.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in English, mass communication, advertising or a related field
- A strong copywriting portfolio across media
- A second Indian language is an advantage
- 4 to 7 years in agency copywriting across film, digital and print
KRAs and KPIs for a Senior Copywriter
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Idea quality | Concepts approved by client within two rounds on most projects |
| Copy accuracy | Released copy free of grammar, tone and legal errors, checked on a sample |
| On time delivery | Copy delivered by the agreed date for at least 95 percent of jobs |
| Brand voice | Writing stays consistent with each brand's voice across formats |
| Team development | Junior copywriters need fewer edits over the quarter |
| Portfolio output | At least one portfolio-grade campaign written each year |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: MS Word or Google Docs, Grammarly, Adobe Photoshop basics, Presentation software, Social platforms.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Creative Group Head, Associate Creative Director
Interview questions for a Senior Copywriter
- Give me three lines for a road-safety campaign right now. Talk me through your thinking.
- Walk me through a campaign in your book where the idea came mostly from the copy.
- How do you keep a brand's voice consistent when you write across film, social and print?
- A client wants the tagline to list every product feature. How do you push back?
- How do you edit a junior writer's copy without rewriting it for them?
- How do you write for a language or audience you do not belong to?
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What does a senior copywriter do?
A senior copywriter leads the writing on a set of brands. They crack campaign ideas, write scripts, headlines, taglines and long copy across media, pair with an art director on concepts, and present work to clients. They guide junior copywriters, keep the brand voice consistent and own the quality of the writing that goes out.
What is the difference between a copywriter and a senior copywriter?
A copywriter writes to a brief, often under close guidance. A senior copywriter cracks the ideas, leads the writing on brands, presents to clients and mentors juniors. The senior role owns concepts and quality, while a copywriter is still building craft and a portfolio. The jump usually comes after three or four years.
What should a senior copywriter have in their portfolio?
A senior copywriter's portfolio should show campaign ideas, not just neat lines: work across film, digital and print where the writing carried the concept. Indian agencies look for range across categories, a distinct voice, and a few pieces that ran and got results. Craft, ideas and versatility matter more than volume.