Audience Manager

Chicago Headline Club Foundation; Oak Park (IL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with match

Vacation time 22 days

Holidays 11

Parental leave

Tuition reductions

Professional development

Cell phone reimbursement

Job summary

NEWSWELL Chicago is seeking an Audience Manager to grow and strengthen the reach, engagement and impact of four community publications. You will manage newsletters, social media, websites and emerging platforms, shaping content for online audiences and guiding digital best practices.

You will collaborate with editorial, product, engineering, AI, membership, fundraising and events teams to deepen loyalty and expand community connection.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, digital media or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Proven experience growing and engaging digital audiences across newsletters, social media and websites.

Responsibilities

• Edit and manage newsletters; own calendars, testing plans and quality control.
• Lead audience strategies for newsletter acquisition, retention and engagement.
• Oversee social strategy, voice and publishing across platforms.
• Guide site programming, homepage curation, user pathways and SEO practices.
• Shape content packaging, headlines, visuals and timing for platform-specific needs.
• Build dashboards; analyze audience data; translate insights into actionable recommendations.
• Ensure digital content meets WCAG, mobile-first and usability standards.
• Oversee short-form video strategy and coordination with reporters.
• Collaborate with editorial, product, engineering and AI teams on workflows.
• Facilitate training on SEO, newsletters, analytics and digital packaging.

Skills

Audience growth

Newsletter strategy

Social media

Digital analytics

Content marketing

Project management

Editorial collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Newspack

Mailchimp

Google Analytics

Social scheduling tools

Job description

The Audience Manager for NEWSWELL Chicago is a strategic, data‑driven and community‑centered digital leader who will grow and strengthen the reach, engagement and impact of our four community publications — Austin Weekly News, Forest Park Review, Riverside‑Brookfield Landmark and Wednesday Journal of Oak Park & River Forest.

You will manage and expand NEWSWELL Chicago’s digital audience across newsletters, social media, websites and emerging platforms. This includes overseeing newsletter strategy; developing and executing subscriber acquisition, retention and engagement strategies; leading social media growth and engagement; optimizing website design and user experience; and working closely with colleagues and vendors on digital tools and platforms (including Newspack, Mailchimp and others).

This role shapes content for online audiences, guides the newsroom on digital best practices and ensures our journalism is accessible, mobile‑first and responsive to community needs. You will collaborate closely with editorial, product, engineering, AI, membership, fundraising and events teams to deepen loyalty, expand reach and strengthen community connection.

In February 2026, NEWSWELL acquired the assets of Growing Community Media, the longtime publisher of these four storied Chicago-area newspapers, to ensure these vital outlets have the stability, resources and vision they need to thrive for generations.

NEWSWELL helps newsrooms become nonprofit and for-community, providing strategic guidance, innovative solutions and wraparound operations so journalists can focus on what matters most: serving their communities. Through partnerships with Arizona State University — named the nation’s most innovative university for 11 years in a row — NEWSWELL brings cutting-edge ideas, research and tools to reinvent local news and strengthen democracy.

The pay rate for this role is $60,000 to $70,000 annually.

What You’ll Do

• Newsletters: Edit and manage flagship and vertical newsletters; own newsletter calendars, testing plans and quality control.
• Subscriber growth: Lead audience strategies for newsletter acquisition, retention and engagement, using various testing and lifecycle tactics to improve open rates, click‑through and loyalty.
• Social media: Oversee social strategy, voice and publishing across platforms; drive acquisition, community engagement and brand consistency.
• Website experience: Guide site programming, homepage curation, user pathways, search engine optimization best practices and overall performance to improve user experience and impact.
• Digital editing: Shape content packaging, headlines, visuals, distribution timing and platform‑specific execution to optimize digital performance.
• Analytics and insights: Build dashboards and reporting rhythms; analyze audience data, identify trends and translate insights into clear recommendations for editorial, product and revenue teams.
• Digital standards: Ensure all digital content meets accessibility (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, or WCAG), mobile‑first and usability standards; institute checklists and workflows that improve consistency and quality.
• Video strategy (oversight): Oversee short‑form video strategy and standards; coordinate with reporters or contributors on video storytelling that supports audience goals.
• Workflow and collaboration: Establish and refine cross‑functional workflows with editorial, product, engineering and AI teams to improve speed, quality and repeatability.
• Training and enablement: Collaborate with NEWSWELL leadership to create and facilitate training for staff and contributors on SEO, newsletters, analytics, social media best practices and digital packaging.
• Membership and fundraising: Partner with membership and development teams to help plan and execute digital campaigns, including email appeals, landing pages, calls to action and performance tracking.
• Community engagement: Design audience‑centric engagement initiatives based on community listening, feedback loops and analytics; implement tactics that respond directly to local information needs.
• Events support: Shape digital promotion and coverage for events; analyze event performance and identify opportunities to convert event interest into ongoing audience relationships.
• Contributor management: Oversee newsletter hosts and contributors supporting audience and digital publishing functions.
• Culture: Foster an inclusive, collaborative team culture that values diversity, empowers others, celebrates wins and encourages continuous learning and experimentation.

What You'll Need

• Proven experience growing and engaging digital audiences across newsletters, social media and websites.
• Strong writing, editing and digital packaging skills, with an understanding of what resonates with online audiences.
• Proficiency with digital tools, including CMS platforms (Newspack or similar), Mailchimp, Google Analytics, social scheduling tools and SEO best practices.
• Deep understanding of audience funnels, retention strategies, reader journeys and newsletter‑specific growth tactics.
• Ability to analyze data, identify insights and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
• Experience building digital campaigns that support membership, fundraising or community engagement.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with editorial, product, engineering, AI and revenue teams.
• Strong project‑management skills with the ability to juggle multiple deadlines and priorities.
• Commitment to fairness, diversity, equity, accessibility and community‑centered journalism.

Relevant Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, digital media or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in digital journalism, audience strategy, content marketing, or equivalent digital roles, with demonstrated success managing or growing digital audiences.

Preferred Education And Experience

• Experience in local news, community media or nonprofit journalism.
• Familiarity with audience segmentation, CRM systems, automation tools or subscription funnels.
• Experience with layout design, UX principles or reader‑experience improvements.

Preferred Skills And Abilities

• Spanish fluency is a plus

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) plan with matching employer contribution
• 22 days of vacation time
• 11 holidays, including your birthday
• Parental leave
• Significant tuition reductions
• Professional development is highly valued at ASU Enterprise Partners, where employees are encouraged to look across the organization and nurture new areas of interest
• $30 bi-weekly cell phone reimbursement

NEWSWELL is an Equal Opportunity Employer