McClatchy is seeking a digital leader with a passion for coaching, collaborating and experimenting to help grow and diversify local audiences for our service journalism content.

The Audience Development Editor, Service Journalism, will be a key contributor to developing strategies to enhance, distribute and elevate the relevant, audience-focused storytelling of these service journalism reporting teams, whose mission is to help local readers navigate life and the news.

You’ll work closely with team editors at McClatchy’s news sites across the country, which include The Sacramento Bee, Kansas City Star and Raleigh News & Observer to the Idaho Statesman, Biloxi Sun-Herald and Lexington Herald-Leader.

You’ll coach and collaborate with these editors and reporters on the tactics for growing and engaging audiences for our service journalism stories through social media, SEO, newsletters, virtual live events and digital platforms. You’ll develop distribution strategies for articles, videos and multimedia.

This role requires an editor with strong management skills and a background in writing, editing and reader engagement. You’ll provide guidance on audience-focused best practices, from story format to community engagement. You’ll help set goals and lead content strategy experiments that will grow and retain local audiences.

The Audience Development Editor for Service Journalism reports to Senior Editor, Service Journalism.

The anticipated base pay range for this position is between $85,000 and $95,000 annually. Individual base pay may vary within that range depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, relevant education, department equity, training, geography and local wage and hours laws.

In this role, you will need to:

• Collaborate with service journalism teams to create strategies that lead to audience growth and reader loyalty.
• Coach and train journalists on audience-first best practices, from SEO to social media to storytelling.
• Coordinate with editors on service journalism projects such as city guides and election guides, to ensure we are reaching the right audience at the right time.
• Implement engagement strategies that focus on community conversations.
• Regularly analyze performance data to improve audience development strategies.
• Develop and lead in creating new content experiences such as popup newsletters, vertical video explainers, community touchpoints and more.
• Occasional travel may be required
• Must have reliable transportation. Must have valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance required (at least minimum insurance required for the state in which the employee works).

The successful candidate should meet many, though not necessarily all, of the following requirements:

• 5+ years of writing, editing or audience-growth experience in a digitally focused media organization
• Strong writing and editing skills, and excellent news judgment
• Experience in a leadership and/or management role
• A proven track record of growing and engaging audiences and subscribers
• A deep understanding of social media best practices and newsletter strategies
• A way with headlines and an understanding of what works on different platforms
• Must work comfortably in a job that will be fast-paced, data-driven, shaped constantly by feedback and experimentation
• Curious about and aware of audience trends in the digital media space
• Occasional travel may be required

***Accepting applications until February 3rd, 2023***

Please include a cover letter and resume with your application.

What we’ll bring:
As a journalist at McClatchy, you will join a supportive, flexible, collaborative team. McClatchy strives to be an employer of choice, and our benefits package is made with this goal in mind. With a focus on well-being and daily life, our package options include healthcare coverage for employees and their families, financial protection from expected and unexpected expenses, multiple no-cost wellness resources and even coverage for four-legged friends.

Our overall benefits package also includes a 401(k) with employer match, competitive paid time off and corporate holidays, and a variety of mental health benefits. For more information on McClatchy's benefit plan, please visit McClatchyLivewell.com.

About McClatchy:
Our impact is growing every day. We have 30 growing news markets. Over 65 million monthly readers. 56 Pulitzer Prizes. A strong portfolio of dynamic partnerships and smart investments. Our award-winning journalism, digital reach, and commitment to innovative growth have never been stronger.

As a member of the McClatchy family, you are part of an exciting culture dedicated to creating a work/life balance and consistent opportunities for growth—a place where you have a voice and the ability to impact our future. It’s an exciting time to be here. Our company is experiencing the most transformative period in its history. We’re growing rapidly in the digital space and delivering award-winning journalism in innovative ways.

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