Content Marketer Burnout: Hiring for Content Library Product Owner | Anum Hussain posted on the topic | LinkedIn
2mo
Over the years, I’ve watched some of the best content marketers I know slowly turn into PMs. (Shout out Cambria Davies, Ginny Mineo, and many more :)) And it’s not necessarily because they stopped loving content. Many content marketers just get tired of the hamster wheel. 🐹 Most teams are stuck chasing the next piece, the next launch, the next deadline. Or more recently, navigating the assumption that AI can simply replace them. Leadership teams are misaligned and keep tossing out ideas, pushing high publishing expectations, and endless complaints when forcing the same playbook another company uses doesn't work for them. And even at companies that do care deeply about content and have leadership bought in, the bar is higher, the work is more thoughtful… and by the time something goes live, you’re exhausted. There’s no energy left for the work that actually makes that content compound: optimizing it, structuring it, refreshing it, and making sure it gets seen again and in the right moment. The system never catches up to the quality of the work. And you end up with content graveyards and missed opportunities for internal enablement. And your best content marketers burn out because they are being asked to do multiple jobs (and often on improper pay). The best software engineers aren't shipping code and then also running GTM planning and tracking adoption across users. Which made me think: 💡 Why don’t more content teams create space for this work? 💡 Why don’t we treat our content libraries like a product? 💡 Why don't we have specialized roles on content teams so that each person is owning and running their best work? There should be someone whose job is to make the work of content marketers truly accessible and valuable — structured properly, easy to discover, continuously improved, and resurfaced at the right moments. I personally admired watching Pamela Vaughan evolve into this role over time at HubSpot. So I'm creating the version that is needed for us as a new role on my team at Ashby. I'm #hiring for someone to own our content library as a product — helping turn great content into a meaningful, high-performing library and experience for our community. Link to apply: https://lnkd.in/gzZdr5yY Notes for Candidates: 📝 This application has more questions than my typical, and I will be reading each response as I'm looking for a very specific profile. 📝 While I appreciate enthusiasm, I am unable to manage reading DM's and responding there. My energy is best spent fairly reviewing every application question response and resume showing your work. Lastly, I'm grateful to be working for leaders such as Harriet Johnston and Benjamin Encz who support this Content team fully and help us build a unique team for the unique needs of our business. We're not following someone else's playbook. We're building our own. Join us. 💜
Mashkoor Alam 2mo
Are you considering applications from India as well? I'd love to apply.
Reply 1 Reaction
🐦🔥 Thoughtful Ghostwriting for B2B tech and SaaS Brands | Freelance Content Writer & Copywriter | Strategic Storyteller | Mental Health Advocate | Introverted Cat Mum
2mo
The idea behind this job is something I've been thinking for a long time now. It comes naturally for some writers/marketers to evolve into PMs. Having a clear, organized content system is equally as important as creating quality content. 'I like to order chaos' is what I say to clients bc altho most of what I do is content writing/copywriting, I do offer recommendations on organization or efficiency in content management. It's just who I am (blame it on my personality 🤭). If you'll open such a position to Europe/EU in the future, please let me know. I might have some ideas to share 😁
Reply 1 Reaction 2 Reactions
Alissa M. 2mo
Hi! I applied for this role. I built HSN's first cross-functional asset management system, 800+ users, 50% efficiency gain. Plus, I architected an internal program for non-designers to create 4,600+ assets, relieving 30% of the creative team's workload. Naming conventions and taxonomy became standardized and we were able to create and reuse assets with intention.
Reply 2 Reactions 3 Reactions
Totally understand the fear that AI is going to replace content marketing… couldn’t be further from the truth. Great content marketing is emergent. Couldn’t be curated with an LLM, even with the best prompts. Takes a brilliant mind and a forward thinker to connect dots that aren’t anywhere close to being obviously correlated. Still ample opportunity as a content marketer to innovate and create amazing material.
Reply 4 Reactions 5 Reactions
Anindita Mondal 2mo
Hi Anum, I applied for the Lead, Content Library role. This really resonates. I’m a PM with 6+ years at Amazon, and a lot of my work has been around content systems and CMS-driven workflows. I’ve seen firsthand how treating content like a product, with structure, ownership, and lifecycle thinking can unlock real impact beyond publishing. Looking forward to connecting with you about this role.
Reply 1 Reaction
Stephanie M. Morrison, MPH 2mo
This is a refreshing frame. It's short-sighted to think of every piece of content as an individual marketing asset. It makes sense to consider the content library more holistically: As a portfolio, how does it support our business goals? How can we get more value out of it? How do we avoid useful resources falling into the information void? Thank you for your perspective on content-as-product.
Reply 1 Reaction 2 Reactions
Kathryn Casna 1mo
Hi Anum, I'm not a fit for this role, but I'm so glad you're hiring for it! As I build my own content system for my business, I can definitely relate to feeling exhausted just getting to launch. A few years from now, I can only imagine the resources I'll need to keep all my content relevant (I'll write a lot about AI, which is constantly changing 😵💫) and present in the right moments. Following you now, and hopeful you'll share what you and your team learn from adding this role!
Reply 1 Reaction
Seanna Tucker 2mo
I applied to this job as soon as I saw it on Friday, even though it was 7pm — my wife recommended I jump on it, and I did. I'm excited by the idea, frankly, and it's 100% the type of content work I love doing. I hope other companies see this role as the critical piece it is and that they're missing.
Reply 1 Reaction 2 Reactions
Brandi Gratis 2mo
This really resonates — especially the point about teams doing everything except the work that actually makes content compound. A lot of the impact I’ve seen has come from improving structure and reuse rather than publishing more.
Reply 1 Reaction 2 Reactions
This is such a thoughtful framing of a problem so many content teams feel but do not always name. The launch is only one moment; the real leverage often comes from what happens after... structure, discoverability, refreshes, internal enablement, and resurfacing content when it is most useful. Love seeing Ashby create a role specifically for this work.
Reply 1 Reaction
To view or add a comment, sign in