Deputy Head of Social Media

Responsibilities

• organise, mentor and inspire an award-winning team of around a dozen largely early-career journalists, and to be present in our newsroom in the Adelphi Building to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of our near-24/7 digital operation.
• deputising for the Head of Social Media and, where appropriate, the Head of Audience, on matters such as the running of the Social team and the attendance of meetings with editors or other senior colleagues.
• work across the full range of our social platforms, as well as producing and publishing newsletters, sending alerts and ensuring we fulfil our commitments to the range of digital platforms above.
• co-ordinate, check and enhance the work of Audience editors and fellows; devise digital-storytelling materials such as graphics, carousels, polls and quizzes that encourage not only visits to our apps and website but also registrations and subscriptions;
• liaise closely with senior and section editors from across our newsroom; and act as an ambassador for our department, both internally and externally.
• They will deploy their deep knowledge and understanding of platforms, and the latest developments on them, to devise and contribute to our wider Social and Audience strategies and to identify opportunities to experiment on new and emerging outlets.
• They will ensure we turn articles, podcasts and other media in every area we cover—from business, finance and geopolitics and science, technology and culture—into punchy, succinct social-media posts that are customised by platform.
• They will monitor analytics and use these data to inform, rather than dictate, their decision-making processes.
• Generally they will not produce short- or long-form videos or podcasts, which are handled by separate departments. However, they will take the lead on individual platforms and projects, and will liaise closely with colleagues in our Marketing team and the wider Economist Group on activities intended to increase traffic, registrations and subscriptions.

Requirements

• Typically a Deputy has at least five years of Audience-focused experience in a newsroom or similar editorial environment.
• They can cite example after example of strategic success in reaching different audiences, in generating high-quality engagement to meet business goals, and in working well as part of a team.
• They can demonstrate proven experience of leading and directing a department, perhaps as a Head of Social Media at a smaller publisher or as a senior journalist at another digital outlet.
• They avoid common mistakes in their applications and show a solid grasp of The Economist, its journalism and its priorities, from platforms to business models.
• To apply, they must be based in the United Kingdom to take up the role. They must already be in possession of residency, citizenship or a visa that allows them to live and work in London on a permanent basis, without the need for any additional immigration-related process.
• This is non-negotiable. We cannot sponsor candidates or wait for any immigration-related decisions: it is not enough to say that they intend to secure a visa in the future or are eligible to apply for one.
• The Deputy will report to the Head of Social Media in London and work closely with our other Deputy, who is based in New York.

Benefits

• The salary will be in the region of £60,000, depending upon experience.
• There are likely to be three interviews for this job, at least one of which will be in person.