Executive Editor of Audience and Digital

Starrcohawaii; New York, Northern (NY, KY); Hybrid; USD 163,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

USA TODAY, Co. Inc. is seeking an Executive Editor, Audience & Digital Production to drive the newsroom’s digital audience strategy and oversee production across platforms.

The role leads a 24/7 central desk and cross-platform teams, shaping workflows and a scalable operating model while championing data-driven storytelling and responsible AI to boost reach and reader loyalty.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience in digital newsrooms or audience/production teams, preferably at national scale.
• Proven track record driving audience growth across multiple platforms (site, app, newsletters, social, video, search).
• Fluency in audience analytics and translating data into editorial and distribution decisions.

Responsibilities

• Own the audience strategy across platforms.
• Accountable for performance, KPIs, and division goals.
• Leadership of the Compass operating model.
• Planning, tentpoles, and live coverage.
• Cross-functional partnership and prioritization.
• Standards, brand voice, and editorial quality.
• Workflow, innovation, and AI integration.
• People leadership and structure optimization.

Skills

Leadership

Audience analytics

Digital newsrooms

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Executive Editor of Audience and Digital Production

USA TODAY is seeking a visionary, highly accomplished Executive Editor, Audience & Digital Production to serve as key driver of USA TODAY's digital audience strategy and the executive owner of newsroom digital production across platforms. In one of the most critical leadership roles in our organization, this editor will set the agenda for how USA TODAY's journalism is transformed into signature digital experiences that grow reach, deepen engagement, and build enduring reader loyalty.

Reporting directly to the SVP of USA TODAY, the Executive Editor, Audience & Digital Production will own and evolve the operating model for audience and production bringing together dedicated digital content pillar teams, platform owners, and a 24/7 central digital production desk into a cohesive, high ‑ performing system. They will oversee a sophisticated organization that spans our core editorial pillars, enterprise ‑ level planning, and experts across web, apps, newsletters, video, social and emerging platforms, ensuring that every major story and franchise is executed with clarity, speed and impact.

This executive will be accountable for portfolio ‑ wide digital performance, including growth in loyal users, repeat visitation, engagement depth, and conversion into newsletters and other owned channels. They will work as a true peer and strategic partner to pillar leaders across News/Life, Opinion, Sports and Entertainment shaping digital growth priorities, championing big ‑ bet projects, and making data ‑ driven decisions about where, when and how USA TODAY shows up for its audiences.

Central to the role is building a modern, scalable operating system for digital journalism. The Executive Editor will design and continuously refine workflows that make our coverage data ‑ informed, visually distinctive and relentlessly aligned to USA TODAY's brand promise and enterprise priorities. They will lead a disciplined culture of experimentation standing up formal testing programs for formats, distribution strategies and audience journeys, and integrating responsible AI ‑ assisted tools into daily production in ways that strengthen quality, speed and efficiency.

As a senior newsroom executive, this editor will lead, inspire and develop a high ‑ caliber team of managers, editors, producers and platform specialists. They will be expected to set a clear vision, translate it into concrete operating standards, and build an inclusive, performance ‑ driven culture grounded in candor, coaching and accountability. This leader will ensure that audience insight, platform intelligence and journalistic ambition come together in a unified strategy.

The ideal candidate will bring a track record of leading complex digital news operations at scale, deep fluency in audience analytics and platform dynamics, and a demonstrated ability to drive change in fast ‑ moving environments. They will combine urgency and creativity with sound judgment and integrity and will be energized by the opportunity to build a flagship audience and digital production organization that positions USA TODAY to win the next decade of digital news.

This role must be based out of Washington, DC or NYC.

Responsibilities:

• Own the audience strategy across platforms
• Accountable for performance, KPIs, and division goals
• Leadership of the Compass operating model
• Planning, tentpoles, and live coverage
• Cross ‑ functional partnership and prioritization
• Standards, brand voice, and editorial quality
• Workflow, innovation, and AI integration
• People leadership and structure optimization

Key deliverables:

• A functioning hybrid team (pods + platforms + central desk) that delivers 24/7 digital publishing, clear ownership by pillar, and expert platform stewardship.
• Documented audience strategies per pillar and platform, tied to measurable KPIs and reviewed quarterly.
• A central desk and platform owner layer that reliably execute homepage, alerts, newsletters, social and search strategies under pressure.
• Integrated AI and innovation workflows that measurably improve speed, depth, and scalability of digital production.

Requirements:

• Significant leadership experience in digital newsrooms or audience/production teams, preferably at national scale.
• Proven track record driving audience growth across multiple platforms (site, app, newsletters, social, video, search, aggregators).
• Strong fluency in audience analytics and the ability to translate data into clear editorial and distribut ion decisions.
• Experience managing cross-functional stakeholders and complex, multi-team operating models.
• Comfort leading change, including reorganization, workflow design, and adoption of new tools (especially AI and automation in production).

The annualized base salary for this role will range between $163,000 and $175,000. Base compensation is reflective of many factors, including, but not limited to, the market in which one lives/works, individual education level, skills, certifications and experience. Note: variable compensation is not reflected in these figures and based on the role, may be applicable.

USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a diverse workforce. As such, we will consider all qualified applicants for employment and do not discriminate in connection with employment decisions on the basis of an applicant or employee's race, color, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, marital status, personal appearance (including height and weight), sexual orientation, family responsibilities, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy status (including childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), education, genetic characteristics or information, political affiliation, military or veteran status or other classifications protected by applicable federal, state and local laws in the jurisdictions where USA TODAY Co. employs employees. In addition, USA TODAY Co., Inc. will provide applicants who require a reasonable accommodation, as a result of an applicant's disability or religion, to complete this employment application and/or any other process in connection with an individuals' application for employment with USA TODAY Co., Inc. Applicants who require such accommodation should contact USA TODAY Co., Inc.'s Recruitment Department at [e-mail] . Applicants must be authorized to work in the applicable location. Applications from outside these regions will be removed from our system after submission.