Audience Engagement Editor

The Guardian is a global, reader-funded news organization that delivers fearless, independent journalism. From breaking news and award-winning investigations, to in-depth coverage of technology, sports, film, culture and lifestyle, the Guardian offers a global view that deepens our audiences’ understanding of America and the world.

The Guardian’s US edition – headquartered in New York City, with growing bureaus in Washington DC and Los Angeles – is an entirely digital operation that combines the best of the Guardian’s international reporting with US voices and expertise. Core coverage areas include the climate emergency, economic and racial inequality, wellness, culture, digital privacy and sports – all highlighting the Guardian’s distinctive role within the US media landscape: journalism that’s global, independent, and free. 

It’s the talent, energy and commitment our people bring to the Guardian that make us who we are. Across our business we have some of the most creative thinkers in media and beyond: award winning journalists, cutting edge commercial teams, digital talent and more.

We are now looking for a creative, energetic and collaborative Audience Engagement Editor to join the newsroom and help us grow and diversify our US audience. 

The Guardian US is looking for someone with a passion for news and audience strategy, excellent writing and communication skills, and a flair for clever story ideas and packaging. They will surface trending story ideas to editors and find new opportunities to grow and engage our US audience. This could include reformatting existing coverage into useful formats, such as explainers and guides, and occasionally writing and reporting stories.
Department: Editorial

Reports to: Head of Audience Development

Location: Open to applicants in California, New York, and DC. Remote may be considered.

Terms & conditions: 12-month contract. Some evening shifts may be required.

Salary banding: $88,000 - $98,000
 

The role:
This Audience Engagement Editor will play a key role in communicating actionable audience trends and insights to the newsroom through daily emails and weekly presentations. They’ll look for gaps in our coverage and find opportunities to pitch compelling stories and new formats that help make our journalism better reach and deeply engage our readers.

The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of digital journalism trends, internet culture and communities, as well as distribution strategies.  They will have a firm grasp of the Guardian’s brand and editorial identity and possess a strong understanding of the US news media landscape and social platforms to find opportunities to experiment and grow.

A strong journalism background is required, as are the communication, collaboration and persuasion skills required to foster an audience-aware newsroom.

We're particularly interested in candidates with experience and ideas that will help us diversify our audiences culturally and geographically and increase our reach among underserved communities in the US, supporting our work to create journalism and build a readership that is representative of America. This is a core focus for the candidate and others on the team.

The Guardian has experienced significant growth in the US and currently draws more than 50 million monthly unique visitors in America, and more than 170 million unique visitors around the world.

They will be part of a versatile, data-driven team that works with journalists across the newsroom to build on this trajectory, and increase the reach and impact of journalism. The audience team is also involved in growth areas like newsletters, partnerships, platform relationships and social storytelling.

We encourage candidates who might not have all the experience listed to apply; for this role we value attitude, willingness to learn, commitment and flexibility.
 

Key responsibilities:

• Headline writing and optimization: Collaborate with editors to craft engaging, SEO-friendly headlines that draw readers in and improve visibility on search engines. We want someone who loves turning a good headline into an irresistible one.
• Audience insights and communication: Share key audience insights with the newsroom through daily emails and weekly presentations, helping the team stay informed about trends and reader behavior.
• Story pitching: Suggest stories and formats to editors that align with the Guardian’s editorial priorities and better meet reader demand. This could include writing stories or reformatting existing coverage into useful formats, such as explainers and guides.
• Social platform experimentation: Identify opportunities to experiment with social platforms, such as Instagram, Bluesky and Reddit, to better reach and engage relevant audiences.
• Promotion planning: Develop and implement strategic plans to promote journalism projects across platforms, targeting the right audience for maximum impact.
• Platform partnerships: Pitch third-party publishing partners, such as Apple News, relevant stories and send alerts.
• Reader Engagement: Develop and execute reader engagement strategies, including Q&As and reader callouts that deepen audience connection and participation.

Key skills & experience:

• At least 3-4 years of relevant newsroom experience, ideally in an audience role involving writing headlines and original social copy.

• Excellent writing skills and news judgment. 
• Proven track record of analyzing audience trends and clearly communicating insights to journalists. 
• Strong knowledge of analytics tools such as Google Analytics and Chartbeat.
• Strong understanding of search engine optimization best practices, and experience with relevant tools, particularly for breaking news content and competitive coverage areas.
• The ability to unpack a story’s success or difficulties in engaging readers and offer recommendations for future improvements.
• A firm grasp of the Guardian’s brand and editorial identity and a strong understanding of the US news media landscape to find opportunities to experiment and grow.
• Track record of engaging and growing diverse audiences, with an emphasis on inclusive content that resonates with varied cultural and geographic groups
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling headlines and engaging social media copy that captures attention and drives traffic.
• Active on social media and deeply embedded in internet culture, with an understanding of how to leverage trends and digital communities to grow audiences.
• Familiarity with emerging digital platforms and trends in media, with a strong desire to experiment and innovate in how content is shared and consumed.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in both remote and in-person team environments, fostering collaboration across departments.

How to apply:

We know there are great candidates who might not check all these boxes or who possess important skills we haven’t thought of. If that’s you, we encourage you to apply and tell us about yourself.

All candidates interested in applying should upload a resume and cover letter.   All candidates must have the right to work and live in the United States.

All roles at the Guardian are open for everybody to apply. It is important to us that you feel supported and comfortable throughout your recruitment process, in order to perform your best. Please let us know if there are any changes we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Please email the recruiter listed on the job posting or at [email protected] to discuss further so we can work with you to support you through your application.

Compensation and benefits:

• 25 days of vacation leave in addition to 12 company holidays 

• Unlimited sick time

• Employee Assistance Programs

• 401(k) Match
• Subsidized healthcare coverage including medical, vision, and dental
• Medical and Dependent Flexible Spending Accounts
• Generous parental leave with 100% pay
• Long Term and Short Term Disability insurance 
• Life insurance 
• Commuter benefits 
• Work/Life balance: Flexible hybrid schedule 

Culture & wellbeing:

We want everyone to feel like they belong at the Guardian and we champion diversity of thought. You will also have the opportunity to hear unique insight from our journalists in our morning conference, a live discussion on the news story of the day. 

We offer great tools to help you prioritize your wellbeing including access to Employee Assistance Programs. 

Learning & development:

We encourage personal and professional growth. Employees have access to a broad range of tools and solutions, and we are happy to support the pursuit of professional qualifications through vocational courses and apprenticeships.

Sustainability:

Our goal is to become an environmentally regenerative company and we have signed up to a sustainability vision and strategy to reach it. Find more information about sustainability at GNM here.

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The Guardian is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, national origin, ethnic origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law in its employment policies. In addition, the Guardian will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities.

We value and respect all differences (seen and unseen) in all people at the Guardian. We aspire to have inclusive working experiences and an environment that reflects the audience we serve, where our people have equal access to career development opportunities, their voices are heard and can contribute to our future.