VA / Automation Specialist — SMS & Email Follow-Up Systems (GoHighLevel)

About the Role FollowThru Co. is a small but growing AI-powered follow-up automation service. We help local businesses — real estate agents, home service companies, med spas, dental offices — stop losing leads by setting up automated SMS and email sequences that follow up so they don't have to. I'm looking for a detail-oriented VA who is comfortable inside CRM and automation tools and can execute consistently without hand-holding. This role is part operations, part outreach support, and part client communication. This starts at 10–20 hours per week. As the business grows, so does this role. What You'll Be Doing Client Setup & Automation Build SMS and email follow-up sequences in GoHighLevel (GHL) based on provided templates and scripts Set up client pipelines, tags, and automation workflows Test sequences before go-live and document setup in client cards Monitor performance weekly and flag issues with supporting data Outreach Support Build targeted prospect lists for local service businesses Execute cold email and SMS outreach using provided scripts Log all outreach activity in CRM; hand off interested leads to owner immediately Client Communication & Reporting Send monthly performance reports to clients (template provided) Handle routine client questions via email Submit a weekly 5-bullet status update every Friday Required Skills & Experience Minimum 6 months VA experience with verifiable work history Hands-on experience with at least one CRM tool (GHL, HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, Zoho, etc.) Comfortable building email or SMS sequences and automations Strong written English — you'll be writing on behalf of client businesses Reliable, async communicator — responds to messages within same business day Detail-oriented and able to follow documented processes without needing step-by-step reminders Bonus (Not Required, But Will Stand Out) Direct GoHighLevel (GHL) experience — especially automation, pipelines, and SMS/email campaigns Experience working with a marketing or automation agency Familiarity with Zapier, Twilio, or similar integration/messaging tools Background in copywriting or sales communication What This Is NOT This is not a customer service role — you will not be taking inbound calls This is not a creative writing role — copy templates are provided; you execute them This is not a management role — you'll be working with clear systems, not building your own How We Work Primary communication: Slack (async) + weekly Friday updates Project management: Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets) Automation platform: GoHighLevel Payment: Upwork weekly billing Expectation: You treat this like a professional engagement — deliver what you commit to, communicate early when something changes Screening Questions Please answer ALL of the following in your proposal. Applications without answers to these questions will not be reviewed. Have you worked with GoHighLevel before? If yes, describe specifically what you built or managed. If no, which CRM or automation platform have you used most, and at what level? Describe a time you managed an email or SMS sequence for a client. What was the business, what was the goal, and what were the results? A client's email open rates drop from 35% to 12% between month 1 and month 3. Walk me through how you'd approach diagnosing and fixing this. What is your current weekly availability? List the days/hours you're typically available (in your local time zone) and note any upcoming schedule changes in the next 60 days. This role involves building prospect lists and sending outreach emails on behalf of the business. Are you comfortable with this, and do you have prior experience doing it? To Apply Application Instructions: 1. Answer all 5 screening questions above in your proposal — no exceptions. 2. Include 2–3 examples of relevant work (CRM setup, automation builds, outreach campaigns) — links or screenshots preferred. 3. Tell me your rate and current weekly availability. 4. Keep your proposal focused and specific. A short, direct proposal that answers the questions will beat a long generic one every time. APPLICATIONS THAT DO NOT ANSWER ALL 5 QUESTIONS WILL NOT BE REVIEWED.