Audience Editor, California

The mission of The New York Times is to seek the truth and help people understand the world. That means independent journalism is at the heart of all we do as a company. It’s why we have a world-renowned newsroom that sends journalists to report on the ground from nearly 160 countries. It’s why we focus deeply on how our readers will experience our journalism, from print to audio to a world-class digital and app destination. And it’s why our business strategy centers on making journalism so good that it’s worth paying for.

We are seeking an editor to join the newsroom Audience team and partner with the California Editor-at-Large and others to reach new readers and deepen our engagement with those who are already coming to The Times.

California is home to some of our most devoted readers and plays an outsized role in our news report. While we have grown our coverage there in recent years, we’re eager to expand even further. We’re seeking an audience editor based in Los Angeles who can work with our new California Editor-at-Large and build relationships across the newsroom to make the California report more cohesive and urgent across desks. The ideal candidate is bursting with ideas on how to use the resources of The Times to make an even greater impact on our coverage of California, and has a track record of using diplomacy to win trust from colleagues.

You will work with editors on coverage decisions, suggesting timely stories as well as evergreen topics that speak to reader interest and important news moments, with an eye toward framing. You will help maximize distribution through search strategies and social programming, and by coordinating publication with the homepage, newsletters and for notifications. And you will track data for California coverage, using analytical skills to provide context and recommendations to the editors.

You will be based in Los Angeles and report into the newsroom Audience team, with a dotted line to the California Editor-at-Large.

This is a hybrid position based in Los Angeles and includes regular attendance in the office each week per your departmental guidance.

Responsibilities

Identify coverage and format opportunities that will draw in new readers, in particular those who do not currently look to The New York TImes as a regular news source.
Partner with the newsroom audience analytics team on deep and actionable analysis, and collaborate with desks like National, Business, Culture, Live and others on ongoing coverage strategies.
Interpret data and signals to shape how we present stories both on and off our platforms; deliver actionable daily, weekly and monthly reports for our California coverage.
Optimize stories for search; identify trending topics and competitive trends, along with coverage and format opportunities to showcase the depth of the New York Times’ approach to big news events.
Liaise with the main search, social, community, home, notifications and newsletter teams on news and enterprise, and coordinate overlapping coverage with other desks.

Contribute to regular audience performance updates, including but not limited to daily audience notes, monthly masthead presentations and quarterly and annual audience reports to company leadership.
Write social copy, analyze our presence and strategy on existing platforms, and evaluate opportunities and potentially launch new accounts on social platforms.

Work with journalists on best social media practices, including framing pieces for specific audiences and using the Reporter Reply commenting feature.
Collaborate with colleagues across the newsroom, and with the strategy, product, data and marketing teams (and beyond).
Work independently and efficiently.
Communicate and collaborate effectively.

Basic Qualifications

Deep knowledge of, or demonstrated interest in, California and the California news ecosystem
7+ years of experience in digital journalism
Knowledge of the search landscape, and the ability to spot trends, with an eye for spotting misinformation
Solid understanding of all mainstream and some emerging social channels, with a willingness to learn about new platforms
Strong writing and editing skills, and knowledge of Times style or the ability to absorb and apply it quickly
The ability to write in an engaging, smart tone that feels native to social media and still consistent with the values of The New York Times
A strategic and analytical mind; you should be comfortable with data and testing and iterating to find what resonates with various audiences
A dedication to The Times and its journalistic mission

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working on California coverage
Skill at bridging specialties, including reporting, editing, product, analytics, design and user research

REQ-018101

The annual base pay range for this role is between:

$120,000 - $135,000 USD