Gannett | USA TODAY NETWORK

USA TODAY seeks a social media expert who believes in high-quality journalism on every corner of the Internet. This person is excited to serve as a thought leader in a landscape that changes frequently. As our audience moves into new spaces, this person will be the first to understand how to utilize those spaces to engage and provide a service. They champion visual storytelling and masterfully navigate APIs, automation and scheduling tools.

The deputy managing editor for social media will oversee strategy, workflow and best practices on all USA TODAY social accounts and work closely with newsroom colleagues on section-specific social accounts. They will also manage the Audience Team’s day-to-day operations on social platforms.

We are looking for a leader with a strong understanding of core and emerging social media platforms. This person has a desire to research and experiment with new user behaviors for news consumption and information sharing, and knows how to incorporate visuals (videos, graphics and photos) into new platforms. This person should have a track record of successfully growing and engaging new audiences, prior experience setting social strategy and prior management experience.

This role could include night and weekend work for tentpole events and major breaking news.

This position is remote and can be based anywhere in the US, except for Alaska and Hawaii or based at our headquarters in McLean, VA. If you live near one of our local newsrooms, you may have the option to use that as a base of operations.

Job Level: Sr Manager, Content

Minimum salary: $105,000

Responsibilities

• Set social strategy for USA TODAY through research, experimentation and data analysis.
• Provide newsroom-wide guidance on best practices for legacy and emerging social platforms.
• Develop and track KPIs to measure performance against strategic goals, identify trends and provide insights about the performance.
• Identify which platforms are best suited for specific coverage areas.
• Manage a team of audience editors.
• Collaborate with all newsroom sections on best practices for their sub-brand accounts and directives for emerging platforms.
• Assist in coordinating news coverage and planning for a team of audience editors, leading priorities and removing challenges for your team.
• Manage relationships with partners at social media companies.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in journalism or any other subject or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least 5 years of newsroom experience, including management
• Excellent news judgment
• Excellent communication, writing and copy-editing skills
• An understanding of analytics and how best to identify patterns and develop evolving strategy
• An ability to interpret data and present actionable insights to teammates and newsroom staff
• An understanding of different audience platforms, their users, content and strategy
• A positive attitude and desire to work with a high-energy, diverse Audience Team
• Flexibility. We are a 24/7 national news team working on dozens of platforms to reach audiences. Be ready to collaborate.
• Employment is contingent on passing a pre-employment, post-offer background check.

Application Instructions

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

• Your resume – one to two pages.
• A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
• Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you’ve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.

The annualized base salary for this role will range between $105,000.00 and $140,300.00.  

Apply Now