Audience Engagement Editor

The Guardian

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Guardian US is looking for a creative, energetic, and collaborative Audience Engagement Editor to join their newsroom. This role is crucial for growing and diversifying the US audience. The ideal candidate will have a passion for news and audience strategy, excellent writing and communication skills, and a flair for clever story ideas and packaging. They will be responsible for surfacing trending story ideas to editors and identifying new opportunities to grow and engage the US audience. This may involve reformatting existing coverage into useful formats like explainers and guides, and occasionally writing and reporting stories. The position is part of a versatile, data-driven team that collaborates with journalists across the newsroom to increase the reach and impact of journalism. The audience team is also involved in growth areas such as newsletters, partnerships, platform relationships, and social storytelling. The Guardian encourages candidates who may not meet all listed experience requirements to apply, valuing attitude, willingness to learn, commitment, and flexibility.

Requirements

At least 3-4 years of relevant newsroom experience, ideally in an audience role involving writing headlines and original social copy.
Excellent writing skills and news judgment.
Proven track record of analyzing audience trends and clearly communicating insights to journalists.
Strong knowledge of analytics tools such as Google Analytics and Chartbeat.
Strong understanding of search engine optimization best practices, and experience with relevant tools, particularly for breaking news content and competitive coverage areas.
The ability to unpack a story’s success or difficulties in engaging readers and offer recommendations for future improvements.
A firm grasp of the Guardian’s brand and editorial identity and a strong understanding of the US news media landscape to find opportunities to experiment and grow.
Track record of engaging and growing diverse audiences, with an emphasis on inclusive content that resonates with varied cultural and geographic groups
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling headlines and engaging social media copy that captures attention and drives traffic.
Active on social media and deeply embedded in internet culture, with an understanding of how to leverage trends and digital communities to grow audiences.
Familiarity with emerging digital platforms and trends in media, with a strong desire to experiment and innovate in how content is shared and consumed.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in both remote and in-person team environments, fostering collaboration across departments.
Must have the right to work and live in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Experience and ideas that will help diversify audiences culturally and geographically and increase reach among underserved communities in the US.

Responsibilities

Headline writing and optimization: Collaborate with editors to craft engaging, SEO-friendly headlines that draw readers in and improve visibility on search engines.
Audience insights and communication: Share key audience insights with the newsroom through daily emails and weekly presentations, helping the team stay informed about trends and reader behavior.
Story pitching: Suggest stories and formats to editors that align with the Guardian’s editorial priorities and better meet reader demand. This could include writing stories or reformatting existing coverage into useful formats, such as explainers and guides.
Social platform experimentation: Identify opportunities to experiment with social platforms, such as Instagram, Bluesky and Reddit, to better reach and engage relevant audiences.
Promotion planning: Develop and implement strategic plans to promote journalism projects across platforms, targeting the right audience for maximum impact.
Platform partnerships: Pitch third-party publishing partners, such as Apple News, relevant stories and send alerts.
Reader Engagement: Develop and execute reader engagement strategies, including Q&As and reader callouts that deepen audience connection and participation.