About the Marketing Department:

The Marketing team drives brand awareness, customer engagement and trip bookings through strategic campaigns, compelling content and data-driven insights. They manage digital and traditional marketing channels, optimize customer outreach and enhance the brand’s presence to inspire travelers and grow the business.

The department is comprised of several teams, which include the below:

Direct Mail & CRM: Engages past and prospective guests through targeted email campaigns and personalized direct mail, leveraging data to drive bookings and loyalty.
PR & Partnership: Builds brand awareness and credibility through media outreach, strategic partnerships and influencer collaborations to expand Backroads’ reach.
Website Management: Oversees the website’s content, functionality and user experience to ensure seamless navigation, accurate information and optimized conversion.
Brand, Content, Community: Responsible for the creative design, content and social media presence for the Backroads brand.

By joining the Marketing team at Backroads, you’ll be part of a group that values building innovative people processes and fostering a positive, inclusive employee experience.

About the role:

The Marketing Writer & Editor will play a key role in shaping how travelers discover and engage with Backroads. In this role, you’ll craft compelling, on-brand copy across a variety of channels—including emails, catalogs, ads and web pages—bringing our brand voice to life while reinforcing our position as the leader in active travel. You’ll manage a regional portfolio of trip-related content, developing clear and engaging materials such as itineraries, alerts and marketing collateral that inform and inspire guests. This role requires a blend of creative storytelling and detail-focused editing, along with close collaboration across teams to ensure accuracy, consistency and brand alignment in all communications.

The ideal candidate is a versatile writer with a strong editorial eye, able to craft everything from punchy ad copy to in-depth travel content that captivates and informs. You have a knack for capturing and evolving a brand’s voice across channels, balancing creativity with precision. You understand how to craft content that resonates with the right audience, using language, structure and AI tools to enhance clarity, engagement and impact. Comfortable managing multiple priorities, you bring strategic thinking, collaboration skills and a passion for creating engaging, high-quality content. With at least four years of copywriting experience you know how to shape messaging that not only tells a story but also drives results.

What you’ll be doing:

Manage a Regional Portfolio – You’ll own the creation and maintenance of Travel Planners (trip itineraries) and catalog/web pages for specific regions, ensuring content is accurate, engaging and updated on an annual cycle with mid-season revisions as needed.
Craft Trip-Specific Content – You’ll write and refine detailed daily itineraries, regional insights and logistical information that help guests understand and get excited about their trip.
Oversee Content Review & Delivery – You’ll coordinate with regional operations teams to review and finalize guest-facing trip materials, managing timelines, adhering to established brand standards and ensuring the accuracy and completeness of all deliverables.
Support Regional Marketing Efforts – You’ll use tools like the CMS, Excel, reservation systems and internal communication platforms to manage and distribute trip content across channels.
Research & Fact-Check – You’ll work to verify information for trip materials, including hotel and ship descriptions, transportation details, pricing, contact info, travel documentation and other key guest resources.
Communicate Trip Updates – You’ll write clear, timely guest-facing messaging for trip alerts, itinerary changes and operational updates across your assigned regions.
Support Digital Strategy – You’ll collaborate with SEO and PPC teams to implement keyword strategies in trip copy and draft ad copy for paid campaigns.
Contribute to Marketing Initiatives – You’ll write copy for special projects such as catalogs, email campaigns, blog posts, ads and targeted messaging for different guest segments.

What you’ll need to be successful:

4+ years of copywriting experience in an agency or in-house marketing team for a consumer-facing brand.
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
Strong portfolio showcasing a range of work, including digital and print content.
Experience across diverse marketing channels.
Familiarity with CMS platforms and content management best practices (Drupal experience a plus).
Proven ability to meet tight deadlines and manage multiple priorities effectively.
Ability to think strategically and align messaging with broader marketing goals.
Excellent collaboration skills.
Experience working with a creative partner or team.

Work Environment:

Berkeley, CA
4 days in-office

About Backroads:

At Backroads we’re passionate about connecting our guests with so many of the most beautiful places in the world. We use our four-plus decades of expertise to create exceptional biking, hiking, and multi-adventure trips in over 50 countries for people wanting a deeper and richer travel experience. We travel on land as well as by small luxury ships on active river and ocean cruises. Our trips are for all ages – including dedicated itineraries just for families. We are known for our unwavering attention to quality. We have a dynamic work environment and a strong company culture.

Why Backroads:

At Backroads, we value every single member of our staff, and we’re proud to offer a dynamic work environment that enables growth. Your colleagues will be some of the most dedicated, competent, active, and fun people you will ever meet. A job at Backroads is unlike any other job you will ever have – you will be challenged, you will be inspired, and you will be gratified. No matter what you do here, you will be part of something that makes us all proud – delivering authentic, enriching, and often profoundly life-changing experiences. On top of all that, we have some pretty great benefits and perks! For example our US office employees receive:

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
401(k) with company match, flex plan, and parental leave
Generous paid time off, 8 paid holidays, and additional time off to go on Backroads trips!
Complimentary trips and trip discounts for employees, and trip discounts for employees’ friends and family!
Outdoor industry discounts and deals
Alternative commuter incentives for biking, walking, carpooling, or using public transportation to get to work
Wellness programs and regular lunchtime bike rides and yoga

Backroads is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Salary Ranges:

$78,000.00 - $100,000.00

At Backroads, we uphold a commitment to transparency and fairness within our hiring process, particularly regarding compensation. The salary range posted for each role applies to both employment offers and employees actively working in the role.

New hires are typically offered a starting salary between the minimum and midpoint of the range to ensure there is continued opportunity for salary progression during your employment at Backroads, reflecting our commitment to rewarding ongoing dedication, high performance, and significant contributions to our team. This approach not only supports our budgeting strategy but also our intention to foster an environment that encourages long-term growth and strong relationships between Backroads and our valued employees.

Our office roles are onsite in our Berkeley headquarters, unless specifically noted as 'available for remote'. We do allow one work-from-home day a week, as well as one work-from-anywhere week per year. This pay range is intended for in-person work in our Berkeley, CA headquarters. Pay ranges for remote-eligible roles will be subject to adjustment based on the geolocation of the employee.

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Marketing Writer & Editor