In These Times is a progressive, nonprofit political magazine dedicated to supporting movements for economic, social, racial and environmental justice, with a special emphasis on workers’ rights and investigative reporting. Founded in 1976, the magazine has seen record growth over the past five years, as more and more people become engaged with democratic socialism, the movement for Black lives, and campaigns for workers’ rights. 

We’re looking for an Audience Engagement Editor who will be part of an organization-wide effort to increase the reach and impact of our journalism, with a focus on reaching readers online through email and social media. 

This is a new position that is part of a larger, organization-wide commitment to producing journalism and building an audience that are representative of the diverse communities that make up today’s progressive social movements. 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 younger readers (45 years and under).

Responsibilities

• Be involved in the editorial process from start to finish: attend idea generation meetings, plan campaigns to support major editorial packages, and execute those ideas to reach our audience 
• Manage the strategy, creation and scheduling of email newsletters
• Manage the strategy, creation and scheduling of social media content
• Conduct outreach to other journalists and organizations to increase visibility for stories
• Participate in headline writing and optimizing stories for search engines
• Collaborate with other team members to identify and reach new audiences
• Stay abreast of best practices and innovations for email, social media and online content, and help integrate these into the publication’s workflow
• This position reports to the Executive Editor, but will work collaboratively with the publishing team on occasional projects as well

Requirements

The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of internet culture and communities, as well as how to write in a clear, engaging way for the internet. A journalism background is a plus but is not required. 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. Additional requirements include:

• 2 – 3 years at a digital news organization, advocacy organization, or similar experience on electoral or issue campaigns
• An understanding of internet culture and communities, as well as how to write in a clear, engaging way 
• A desire to work collaboratively on projects and teach others what you know
• Strong interpersonal skills and ease working within teams remotely or on-site
• A journalism background is a plus but is not required

Additional skills or knowledge that would be valuable in this position include:

• Experience or familiarity with best practices for email marketing
• Experience or familiarity with social media ad platforms 
• Knowledge of search engine optimization, particularly for breaking news
• Ability to use data to inform decision-making
• Experience building diverse media audiences
• Active on social media and embedded in internet culture

Salary and Benefits

Annual salary is $50,000 to $55,000, based on experience, with a scheduled 5% raise in April of 2023.

This is a full-time, 40-hour a week position with generous benefits, including:

• 100% paid medical, dental and vision insurance, including full coverage for partners and dependents 
• 100% paid short-term and long-term disability insurance, as well as life insurance 
• Employer matched (3%) SIMPLE IRA plan
• 16 paid holidays and 20 days paid vacation
• 15 weeks paid parental leave

In These Times is a News Guild union workplace, and this is a union position. Our offices are located in Chicago, Illinois, (just off the Western Blue Line) but we are currently working remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We are open to this being a full-time remote position through March of 2023 and possibly longer.

The job is based in Chicago, in our spacious office right off the Western Blue Line, though we are temporarily working remote due to Covid-19.

In These Times is committed to diversity and encourages members of underrepresented communities to apply, including women, LGBTQ people, people of color and people with disabilities.

How to Apply

To apply, send a cover letter explaining why you are interested in the position, along with your CV and clips, to jobs@​inthesetimes.​com with the subject ​“Audience Engagement Editor”. This position will remain open until it is filled. No phone calls.

In These Times is an equal opportunity employer. People of all classes, races, ethnicities, gender identities and abilities that are underrepresented in media are strongly encouraged to apply.

Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis, and we’re hoping to fill this position as soon as possible. If you’re interested, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.