Content Design Manager - Support Documentation

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Content Design Manager - Support Documentation

Company: Atlassian

Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia OR Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Job Type: Full-time (OTHER)

Category: Content Operations & Strategy

Date Posted: September 01, 2025

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote (within Australia & New Zealand)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and mentor a team of content designers specializing in technical writing within Atlassian's innovative AI + human collaboration content team.

• Drive the strategic planning, production, and delivery of high-quality, scalable support documentation to enhance customer self-help and reduce support costs.

• Champion advanced content strategies, content modeling, structured content, and information architecture to optimize Atlassian's documentation ecosystem.

• Spearhead the adoption and integration of AI tools and automation to streamline documentation workflows, improve content quality, and ensure responsible AI use.

• Foster strong cross-functional partnerships with product, design, engineering, and support leaders to deliver a best-in-class self-help experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a leadership opportunity within a specialized content operations function, focusing on technical documentation. The emphasis on AI and automation suggests a forward-thinking approach to content management and delivery, requiring a manager adept at both people leadership and technological integration. The "OTHER" employment type likely refers to a standard full-time role, but it's advisable to confirm during the application process.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of content designers (technical writers) to foster excellence and innovation in content creation.

• Documentation Strategy & Delivery: Oversee the end-to-end lifecycle of support documentation, ensuring comprehensive content that meets customer needs and business objectives, including reducing support ticket volume.

• Content Operations Excellence: Champion and advance content strategy, content modeling, structured content principles, and information architecture across Atlassian's expansive documentation ecosystem.

• AI & Automation Integration: Drive the adoption and effective utilization of AI tools and automation within content workflows, focusing on efficiency gains, quality improvements, and establishing guidelines for responsible AI use.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with product management, design, engineering, data science, and customer support teams to align documentation strategies, gather insights, and ensure seamless integration of self-help resources.

• Process Optimization: Define, implement, and continuously refine team ways of working, operational rituals, and robust quality assurance practices to maintain high standards of content delivery.

• Strategic Representation: Act as a key representative for the Central Docs team in strategic forums, advocating for customer-centric documentation and sharing critical insights with leadership.

• Talent Management: Actively participate in the recruitment, onboarding, and career development processes for team members, nurturing talent within the content design function.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of people management, strategic content operations, and technical acumen, particularly in the integration of AI. This role is critical for enabling customer self-sufficiency and driving operational efficiency through documentation.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While specific degree requirements are not listed, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in a related field such as Communications, Technical Writing, Information Science, Computer Science, or a related discipline is typically expected.

Experience: 5-10 years of progressive experience in content design, technical writing, or documentation management, with a significant portion in a leadership capacity within the SaaS or technology sector.

Required Skills:

• Team Leadership: Proven experience managing, coaching, and developing teams of content professionals, including technical writers.

• Content Strategy: Strong background in developing and executing comprehensive content strategies for large-scale documentation sets.

• Content Modeling & Information Architecture: Deep understanding of structured content principles, content modeling, and information architecture for scalable knowledge bases.

• AI & Automation Integration: Demonstrated ability to lead teams in adopting and leveraging AI tools and automation in content creation and management workflows.

• Prompt Design & AI Usage: Experience directing teams to design, test, and refine prompts for AI-assisted content authoring, summarization, classification, and restructuring.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven success in partnering effectively with product, engineering, design, and support teams.

• Quality Assurance: Expertise in establishing and maintaining rigorous quality assurance practices for documentation.

• SaaS/Technology Environment: Experience working within a fast-paced SaaS or technology company.

• Responsible AI Guidelines: Experience in establishing guidelines for responsible AI use in content creation, including transparency, bias mitigation, and compliance.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with AI systems specifically in a documentation or customer support context.

• Familiarity with Atlassian's product suite and documentation ecosystem.

• Experience with content management systems (CMS) and documentation platforms.

• Data analysis skills to measure content effectiveness and user engagement.

• Understanding of user experience (UX) principles in relation to documentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a forward-thinking approach to content management, with a strong focus on AI and automation. Candidates will need to demonstrate not only leadership in traditional content domains but also a strategic vision for integrating new technologies responsibly.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies in Content Strategy: Showcase examples of strategic content initiatives, detailing the problem, your approach, the systems/tools used, and quantifiable outcomes (e.g., improved customer satisfaction, reduced support volume, increased content discoverability).

• AI Integration Examples: Include specific examples of how you or your team have leveraged AI tools for content creation, summarization, analysis, or efficiency improvements, along with the processes established for responsible use.

• Documentation Process Optimization: Present documentation of how you've improved content workflows, implemented structured content, or enhanced information architecture to scale documentation efforts.

• Team Leadership & Process Improvement: Demonstrate your ability to build and lead high-performing teams, including examples of process improvements, quality assurance frameworks, and team development initiatives.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Evidence of designing and optimizing content creation and management workflows, including version control, review cycles, and publishing processes.

• AI Tool Implementation & Governance: Documentation on how AI tools were integrated into existing content pipelines, including training, user adoption strategies, and governance models for responsible AI use.

• Metrics & Performance Analysis: Examples of how you track and analyze documentation performance, user engagement, and support deflection metrics to drive continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, a portfolio demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership in content operations, and practical experience with AI integration in documentation is crucial. Applicants should highlight their ability to manage complex documentation systems and drive efficiency through process and technology.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As Atlassian is a global company with a remote-first approach, salaries are typically benchmarked against local market rates. For a Content Design Manager with 5-10 years of experience in Sydney or Auckland, a competitive salary range would likely be between AUD $140,000 - $190,000 or NZD $130,000 - $180,000 annually, depending on exact experience, skills, and specific location adjustments.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health and wellbeing resources.

• Paid volunteer days to support community engagement.

• Global remote-first work environment with flexibility.

• Opportunities for professional development and career growth.

• Access to Atlassian's suite of collaboration tools.

• Generous paid time off and holidays.

• Parental leave and family support.

• Stock purchase programs and other equity incentives.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours are expected, approximately 40 hours per week. However, Atlassian's remote-first culture emphasizes flexibility, allowing for adjustments to accommodate timezone overlaps and personal priorities, provided work responsibilities are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary ranges are estimates based on typical market rates for similar roles in Sydney and Auckland. Atlassian's benefits package is known to be comprehensive and supportive of employee well-being and professional development. The exact compensation and benefits will be detailed during the offer stage.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software Development & Collaboration Tools. Atlassian operates in the highly competitive SaaS market, providing a suite of products designed to improve team productivity and collaboration across various industries, including IT, software development, project management, and business operations.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (over 10,000 employees). Atlassian is a significant global player with a substantial workforce, indicating a structured yet agile operational environment.

Founded: 2002. With over two decades of experience, Atlassian has a mature corporate culture, a strong brand reputation, and a well-established product portfolio.

Team Structure:

• Central Docs Team: This team is positioned as a centralized function, consolidating technical writing efforts to ensure consistency and quality across Atlassian's product documentation.

• Reporting Structure: The Content Design Manager will report to a higher-level director or VP within the Content or Product organization, likely overseeing multiple content specialists or teams.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The role requires extensive collaboration with Product Management, Design (UX/UI), Engineering, Data Science, and Customer Support teams, emphasizing a highly integrated GTM and product development ecosystem.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Content Decisions: Atlassian emphasizes using data to inform content strategy and measure impact, focusing on customer needs and business outcomes like support cost deflection.

• Agile Content Development: Content is likely developed using agile methodologies, with iterative cycles of planning, creation, review, and deployment.

• AI & Automation Focus: The company is actively investing in and integrating AI and automation into its content workflows to enhance efficiency and quality, promoting a culture of continuous learning and adaptation.

Company Website: https://www.atlassian.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Atlassian is known for its strong culture, emphasizing collaboration, transparency, and employee well-being. The "Central Docs" team's role is crucial for enabling customer success and operational efficiency, with a clear mandate to innovate through AI and automation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior management role, overseeing a team of specialized content professionals. It sits at a mid-to-senior management level within the content operations and GTM support functions.

Reporting Structure: The Content Design Manager will report to a Director or VP level executive, likely within Product, Engineering, or a dedicated Content Strategy organization. They will manage a team of Content Designers/Technical Writers.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on customer success and operational efficiency by enabling effective self-service through high-quality documentation. This reduces support load, improves customer loyalty, and contributes to product adoption and retention, all critical metrics for a SaaS business.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to move into Director-level roles overseeing larger content organizations or broader content strategy functions.

• Specialization in AI Content: Deepen expertise in AI-driven content creation and management, becoming a leader in this emerging field within the tech industry.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Opportunities to lead broader initiatives involving product, design, and engineering teams, expanding influence across the product lifecycle.

• Global Operations Exposure: Gain experience managing remote teams across different regions and contributing to global content strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a significant opportunity for career growth within a leading tech company, particularly for individuals interested in the intersection of content, technology, and AI-driven operations. The focus on remote team management and global strategy is also a valuable career asset.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Remote-First. Atlassian has adopted a distributed-first model, meaning the primary work environment is remote. While physical office spaces may exist, they are not the primary mode of operation for this role.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote, it is specifically based within Australia or New Zealand, requiring sufficient timezone overlap with the team. This suggests a need for candidates to be located in or near major hubs like Sydney or Auckland to facilitate collaboration.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Digital Environment: Work will primarily occur through digital collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Confluence, Jira), fostering a connected remote team experience.

• Access to Tools & Technology: Employees will have access to Atlassian's suite of internal tools, as well as specialized content management systems, AI platforms, and documentation software.

• Team Interaction: Regular virtual meetings, stand-ups, and collaborative sessions will be integral to team interaction and project execution.

Work Schedule: While the core expectation is around 40 hours per week, Atlassian emphasizes flexibility. This allows operations professionals to manage their schedules to ensure sufficient overlap with colleagues across different time zones while maintaining work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote-first nature of Atlassian provides significant flexibility. However, the requirement for timezone overlap means candidates should be prepared for a structured remote work environment with regular scheduled interactions.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will conduct an initial phone screen to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A deeper dive into your leadership experience, content strategy expertise, and approach to managing technical documentation teams, including AI integration.

• Team & Peer Interviews: Interviews with other content designers, product managers, or engineering leads to evaluate collaboration skills, technical acumen, and ability to integrate into the team.

• Portfolio Presentation/Case Study: A critical stage where you'll present a curated selection of your work, focusing on strategic initiatives, process improvements, and leadership impact, particularly highlighting AI/automation use cases.

• Final Round: Likely with a senior leader (Director/VP) to discuss strategic vision, long-term impact, and final cultural alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase AI & Automation: Clearly articulate how you've integrated AI and automation into content workflows, detailing the benefits, challenges, and lessons learned. Provide specific examples of prompt design or AI-driven content optimization.

• Highlight Strategic Impact: Focus on case studies that demonstrate how your team's work has positively impacted customer experience, reduced support costs, or improved product adoption. Quantify results wherever possible.

• Demonstrate Leadership: Include examples of how you've mentored and developed team members, improved team processes, and fostered a collaborative and high-performing environment.

• Tailor to Atlassian: Research Atlassian's products and current documentation efforts. Frame your experience and portfolio examples in a way that shows how you can contribute to their specific goals and challenges.

Challenge Preparation:

• Content Strategy Scenario: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach a specific documentation challenge or strategic initiative for an Atlassian product.

• AI Implementation Plan: Outline how you would roll out new AI tools to a technical writing team, including training, quality control, and addressing potential concerns.

• Process Improvement Proposal: Be ready to present a plan to optimize a documentation workflow, perhaps focusing on structured content or automation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily evaluate both leadership capabilities and strategic thinking in modern content operations, with a strong emphasis on AI and automation. A well-prepared portfolio that demonstrates tangible results and a forward-looking approach is essential.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Content Management Systems (CMS): Experience with enterprise-level CMS platforms is likely required for managing large volumes of documentation.

• Documentation Platforms: Familiarity with tools used for authoring, publishing, and managing technical documentation (e.g., Paligo, MadCap Flare, or similar structured authoring environments).

• AI & Machine Learning Tools: Direct experience or strong understanding of AI platforms and tools for content generation, summarization, classification, and analysis. This could include internal Atlassian tools or third-party solutions.

• Collaboration Suites: Proficiency in Atlassian's own suite (Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket) is highly probable, alongside tools like Slack for communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Analytics Platforms: Experience with tools to track content usage, user engagement, and support deflection metrics (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or custom internal dashboards).

• Data Visualization Tools: Ability to interpret and present data using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or similar for reporting on content performance.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not directly managing a CRM, understanding how documentation supports CRM-related customer journeys (e.g., onboarding, issue resolution) is beneficial.

• Workflow Automation: Experience with tools or methodologies for automating content workflows, review processes, or publishing pipelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with tools related to structured content, content management, and particularly AI-driven content operations will be a significant advantage. Understanding Atlassian's own product suite is also a key asset.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs through clear, accessible, and helpful documentation.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an open environment where ideas are shared freely, feedback is constructive, and cross-functional partnerships thrive.

• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Embracing new technologies like AI and automation, and consistently seeking ways to enhance processes, content quality, and team efficiency.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing data and analytics to inform strategy, measure impact, and drive measurable improvements in documentation effectiveness.

• Inclusivity & Diversity: Valuing diverse perspectives and experiences to create documentation that is accessible and relevant to a global user base.

Collaboration Style:

• Proactive Partnerships: Actively engaging with product, design, and engineering teams early in the development lifecycle to ensure documentation needs are met.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: Establishing regular feedback mechanisms with stakeholders and users to refine content and processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Promoting a culture of sharing best practices, learnings, and innovations within the team and across the broader organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: Atlassian's culture is built on strong values that align with modern operations principles: customer-centricity, innovation, and collaborative problem-solving. Success in this role will depend on embodying these values.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling AI Integration: Effectively integrating AI tools into existing workflows while ensuring content quality, accuracy, and responsible use across a large documentation set.

• Managing Remote Teams: Leading and motivating a geographically dispersed team, ensuring consistent performance and team cohesion without direct physical oversight.

• Balancing Strategic Vision with Execution: Driving forward-thinking content strategies (like AI adoption) while maintaining the operational rhythm of delivering high-quality, day-to-day documentation.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Navigating complex stakeholder relationships to ensure documentation strategies are aligned with broader product and business objectives.

• Keeping Pace with Technology: Staying ahead of rapid advancements in AI and content technologies to ensure Atlassian's documentation remains cutting-edge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI in Content Specialization: Opportunity to become a recognized expert in applying AI and automation to content design and technical writing at scale.

• Global Leadership Experience: Developing skills in managing and leading remote, international teams.

• Strategic Content Operations: Gaining deeper insights into product strategy, user experience, and the operational levers that drive customer success in a SaaS environment.

• Industry Conferences & Training: Access to relevant industry events, training programs, and certifications focused on content strategy, AI, and leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents exciting challenges at the forefront of content operations, particularly with AI integration. The growth opportunities are significant for those looking to lead in a dynamic and evolving field.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach developing a content strategy for a new Atlassian product, considering AI integration from the outset?" (Focus on process, data, and stakeholder alignment)

• "Describe a time you had to lead a team through a significant change, such as the adoption of new AI tools. What were the challenges, and how did you overcome them?" (Highlight leadership, change management, and team buy-in)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you specifically about Atlassian's mission and its approach to team collaboration?" (Show research and alignment with company values)

• "How do you foster a collaborative and inclusive environment within a remote team?" (Address remote team dynamics and cultural fit)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your strategic approach, the specific tools/processes used (especially AI/automation), the challenges faced, and the measurable outcomes.

• Quantify Your Impact: Use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your initiatives. For example, "Reduced support tickets by X%," "Improved content discoverability by Y%," or "Accelerated content production by Z% through AI."

• Showcase Leadership: Weave in examples of how you mentored your team, improved processes, and managed stakeholder expectations.

• Be Ready for Technical Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your understanding of content modeling, structured content, information architecture, and the technical aspects of AI integration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to discuss their experience with AI and automation in a practical, results-oriented manner. Demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership, and a deep understanding of content operations within a SaaS context will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the Atlassian Careers portal via the provided URL.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience in team leadership, content strategy, technical writing, information architecture, and any demonstrated use of AI/automation in content workflows. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate a selection of your strongest work that showcases strategic impact, leadership, and particularly your experience with AI and process optimization in documentation. Be ready to present this.

• Research Atlassian: Understand their products, company values, and recent initiatives, especially regarding content and AI. This will help tailor your responses during interviews.

• Practice Interview Questions: Prepare answers for common leadership, strategy, and technical questions, focusing on the specific requirements of this role, particularly the AI and remote team management aspects.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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