The Minnesota Star Tribune is an innovative modern media organization building on an extraordinary 157-year legacy. With seven Pulitzer Prizes and numerous other accolades, we stand as a beacon of journalistic excellence in Minnesota. We are the heart and voice of the North.
Our mission is to build a better Minnesota by connecting us with the people, ideas, and stories that strengthen our communities. We're seeking dynamic leaders who are passionate about journalism and democracy to help shape this future. If you are excited about reinventing one of our state's most trusted institutions and leading us into a new era of growth and excellence, we want to hear from you.
The Star Tribune is seeking an Audience Editor who can help drive audience growth and engagement across multiple platforms for our award-winning news coverage. We see opportunities to grow our coverage on social platforms, newsletters and other discovery tools. The Audience Editor will help raise our standards for digital storytelling while developing innovative ways to connect our journalism with new audiences to help the Star Tribune achieve its digital subscription goals.
This person will join the newsroom's growing Audience team and directly guide audience strategy throughout our various news departments.
About you: You're a strong believer in the way local news coverage can enrich the lives of readers. You are skilled at onsite optimization and other audience building measures, and have a vision for expanding our journalism's reach and relevance on TikTok, Instagram and other emerging platforms. You are results oriented and love to experiment. You are an empathetic leader who gets a kick out of teaching others and supporting their success. Most of all, you're a constant learner - always on top of how technology is changing the way readers discover our journalism.
About us: The Star Tribune is the Upper Midwest's largest news organization, with audience numbers consistently in the top five in the nation among regional and national peers. It is also a company that is transforming - realigning its core purpose for a new age of media consumption through innovative new partnerships, technology strategies and a refreshed strategic direction. Our company has a new vision to create the leading model for local news in America - driving innovation in media to make every Minnesotan's life better. We're looking for dynamic team members to help create that model - people who care about journalism and democracy and are eager to reinvent one of our state's most trusted companies for a new era of growth that embraces emerging technologies and strategies for excellence.
What you'll do: - Lead audience-centric and product-minded strategy for our news departments, working in close partnership with editors and other leaders in the company.
- Create, optimize and publish original content, including short-form video, to the Star Tribune's social media accounts.
- Write accurate and engaging copy for our social channels, website and newsletters, using a unique voice that elevates our journalism.
- Collaborate with the newsroom's other Audience editors to cross-promote our best work through push alerts, emails and homepage placement, giving special priority to the way our writers' voices and personalities show up across platforms.
- Track real-time and historic metrics to help colleagues make data-informed coverage decisions.
- Be enterprising and entrepreneurial.
Qualifications: - Relevant newsroom experience, preferably in audience/digital/product roles. (But surprise us if you've done other related work.)
- High standards and a commitment to fairness and accuracy.
- A strong understanding of social media strategy, specifically for how platforms contribute to digital subscriber growth and brand recognition, and the ability to coach.
- Proficient in analyzing and preparing analytics reports that include key takeaways that our journalists can learn from.
- A keen understanding of how search can help shape and promote coverage, along with a vision for how those techniques should evolve to keep pace with industry trends.
- Strong project management skills, and the ability to juggle priorities on deadline - and then meet them.
- Empathic communicator who recognizes that strategy lives and dies on how it is delivered.
- Goal-oriented leader - or emerging leader - with a track record of getting buy-in and results.
- The ability to work regularly from the Star Tribune's headquarters in downtown Minneapolis.
Annual pay is $89,000, based on the Star Tribune's Newspaper & Communications Guild contract.
Schedule: Flexible daytime hours during the week, with night and weekend shifts occasionally for big news or events.
More about the Minnesota Star TribuneAt the Minnesota Star Tribune, we recognize that our employees are our greatest asset, and we are committed to their happiness, growth, and well-being. Here's a snapshot of the exceptional benefits we offer:
- Modern Downtown Office: Enjoy a state-of-the-art workspace with a free fitness center, collaborative center, golf simulator, and a rooftop patio.
- Comprehensive Benefits: Includes commuting subsidy, medical, dental, and vision insurance.
- Wellness & Work-Life Balance: Participate in our wellness program with financial incentives, generous paid time off, flexible holidays, one volunteer day, and two wellness days.
- Financial & Family Support: Benefit from a 401(k) with company match, paid parental and caregiving leave, hybrid work arrangements, and tuition reimbursement.
- Additional Perks: Access to an employee assistance program, pet insurance, flexible spending accounts, and health savings accounts.
Honored in 2023 with Diversity MBA's inaugural Top 25 Outstanding Leadership and Diversity Impact Awards, we are proud of our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Equal Opportunity EmployerEven if you don't meet every single requirement for this role, we encourage you to apply. At the Minnesota Star Tribune, we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.