Manager, Content Insights & Planning

Qatar Foundation; Doha; On-site; QAR 400,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational organization based in Doha is looking for a Manager, Content Insights & Planning. The successful candidate will lead the planning and operational alignment of the newsroom, manage editorial calendars, and optimize workflows. Ideal applicants should have 8–10 years of relevant experience in editorial/content operations, strong strategic planning abilities, and excellent writing skills. Proficiency in Arabic is an advantage. This role requires innovative thinking and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 8–10 years of experience in newsroom planning or editorial/content operations.
• 3+ years of supervisory or leadership experience.
• Proven ability to translate strategic directives into operational plans.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and management of the newsroom’s editorial calendar.
• Support editors with content performance data to inform editorial decisions.
• Develop workload forecasting models and implement schedules.

Skills

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical mindset

Innovative mindset

Writing skills

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications or related field

Tools

MS Office applications

Sprinklr

Job description

Job Purpose

To lead the planning and operational alignment of QF’s Newsroom by translating strategic communication objectives into actionable editorial plans, streamlining workflows, and fostering seamless collaboration across entities. The Manager, Content Insights & Planning combines strong organizational skills with audience and performance insight to deliver high-impact content

Key Result Areas

• Lead the development and management of the newsroom’s editorial calendar, aligning annual, quarterly and monthly content plans aligned with the CCO’s Divisions and QF’s strategic priorities.
• Collaborate with leadership to define annual content themes, editorial pillars and priority campaigns.
• Anticipate trends and integrate forward‑looking coverage opportunities into planning cycles (e.g., national, regional, global events).
• Collaborate with leadership to set annual newsroom content themes, editorial pillars, and messaging priorities.
• Support editors and creators by interpreting content performance data and audience engagement insights to inform editorial judgement and strengthen creative decisions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with divisions and entity focal points to ensure proactive integration of campaigns and initiatives.
• Own and continuously improve newsroom planning frameworks, tools and systems (e.g., editorial calendars, event schedules, workflow trackers) to ensure visibility and accountability.
• Streamline workflows, identifying redundancies and resolving bottlenecks to ensure efficient resource allocation.
• Interpret content performance data and audience insights to guide editorial judgement and strengthen decisions.
• Lead the newsroom’s KPI tracking, operational dashboards and performance reporting for leadership.
• Develop workload forecasting models and implement mitigation plans for scheduling conflicts or missed opportunities.
• Draft and enforce SOPs, workflows and editorial governance standards, ensuring compliance with brand and policy frameworks.
• Research, adopt and embed global best practices and innovative planning technologies (e.g., AI‑assisted tools).
• Mentor newsroom staff, support task delegation, identify training needs and foster a collaborative, high‑performance culture.
• Other reasonable tasks as assigned by supervisor

Minimum Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, Journalism, Media, Public Relations, or related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• 8–10 years of full‑time experience in newsroom planning, editorial/content operations or integrated communications within large, complex organizations, with 3+ years of supervisory or leadership experience, and experience managing external agencies and cross‑functional teams.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, KPI‑driven performance management and workflow optimization.
• Proven ability to translate strategic directives into detailed operational plans with measurable outcomes.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and cross‑functional coordination skills to align multiple divisions and entities.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to interpret trends, identify risks and propose data‑backed solutions.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and time management.
• Ability to work in fast‑paced, deadline‑driven environments while maintaining accuracy and composure.
• Innovation‑oriented mindset, staying updated on global newsroom best practices and adopting emerging tools and techniques.
• Excellent writing skills, with the ability to draft and edit a variety of written communications and to articulate ideas clearly and concisely; proficiency in Arabic is an advantage.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications, Sprinklr and other relevant software.