Audience Development Editor

Mediahuis IRL; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Mediahuis IRL in Belfast is seeking an Audience Development Editor, a senior newsroom role focused on digital news publishing, data-driven growth, and engagement across mobile sites, apps, social media, search and newsletters.

You will work with the Chief and Deputy Chief Audience Editor to champion projects, set best practices, and lead training on digital practices, while collaborating with editors and analytics teams.

Qualifications

• At least five years of editorial experience in a digital media environment.
• Experience with digital publishing and distribution.
• 3rd level media/journalistic qualification desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead the team in curating a compelling website showcasing Signature journalism.
• Develop team strategy and lead the newsroom in the switch to digital.
• Represent Audience at planning meetings and liaise with editors on digital rollouts.
• Lead Audience in projects and newsroom tools as assigned.
• Own social media platforms to drive reach with tailored strategies.
• Manage newsletters, monitor performance, and develop improvements.
• Enrich stories with headlines, media, podcast embeds; use data insights.
• Use real-time and historical data to optimise reader experience.

Skills

Editorial judgment

CMS expertise

Data analytics

Social media

Copy editing

Audience engagement

Canva

Flourish

Defamation law

Education

3rd level media/journalistic qualification

Tools

Canva

Flourish

Timepath

Contribly

Job description

Specific Purpose Contract (approximately 1 year)

As a senior member of the newsroom team, the Audience Development Editor is an expert in digital news publishing. You will have excellent news judgement and an in-depth understanding of data (real time and historical) and how audiences engage with news across multiple platforms. You will work alongside the Chief Audience Editor and Deputy Chief Audience Editor as a leading member of the team, and be responsible for championing specific projects and tools, developing best practice guidelines and contributing to strategies for driving growth and engagement for our Signature Journalism across the mobile site and app, social media, search and newsletters. You will have excellent communication skills and work collaboratively with news and group editors, wider editorial team, the audience insights analysts and other departments as required.

Role Responsibilities

• Lead the team in curating a compelling website, to showcase our Signature journalism and reflect the full breadth of our stories
• Work alongside the Chief Audience Editor and Deputy Chief Audience Editor to develop team strategy and lead the newsroom in the continuing switch to digital, including through training on digital practices
• Represent Audience at key planning meetings and liaise with other across the business, such as news and group editors, on developing digital roll out plans for promotion of Signature content and packages
• Lead Audience in key projects and new newsroom tools, as assigned by Head of Audience or Deputy Head of Audience
• Take ownership of social media platforms, as assigned by the Chief Audience Editor, to drive reach and engagement by creating engaging posts and developing tailored strategies, keeping up to speed on changes and developments
• Manage and send newsletters, monitor performance, and engage with newsletter editors on fresh ideas, improvements and development
• Enrich stories; Use A/B testing to ensure articles have the optimal headline, add appropriate video and images, and include podcast and third party embeds
• Use real-time and historical data to continuously optimise our readers’ experience and share insights and trends with the wider newsroom

Experience And Qualifications

• At least five years of editorial experience working in a digital media environment
• 3rd level media/ journalistic qualification (desirable)
• Experience of digital publishing and distribution

Skills

Technical & Non-technical

• Excellent news judgement and decision-making
• Experience with CMS
• Data literate - Google Search Console, real time analytics monitoring
• Excellent working knowledge of social media
• Digital tools: Canva, Flourish, Timepath, Contribly or similar
• Excellent knowledge of defamation law
• Self-starting, shows initiative, operate without supervision, motivated
• Excellent interpersonal and team-working skills
• Flexibility / willingness to adapt
• Copy editing
• Comfortable working to deadlines in a 24/7 news cycle where speed and accuracy are crucial
• Ability to multi-task, prioritise and work across different platforms and channels

Other

• Excellent communication skills
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Stakeholder management
• Results oriented
• Creative flair
• Planning & organising
• Effective collaborator
• Audience and market focus
• Learning agility
• Decisiveness