Audience Engagement Specialist

Job Summary: Verite is a Black-led nonprofit news organization with a twofold mission to produce in-depth journalism that serves the whole community while training, developing and mentoring a new generation of minority journalists.

Verite is part of Deep South Today, a nonprofit hub of local newsrooms located in the South.

Launched in fall 2022, Verite is growing a staff that will be recognized as a leader in independent, nonpartisan journalism in the Deep South.

The mission is to create a newsroom that is truly diverse in perspective, background and experience.

To that end, Verite is seeking an Audience Engagement Specialist to join our newsroom team.

Do you want to play a pivotal role in deepening the connection between New Orleans and its news?

As our Audience Engagement Specialist, you will share stories, spark conversations, build community, and bring the vibrant culture and critical issues of New Orleans to the forefront.

Your innovative engagement strategies will not only grow our audience but ensure they become active participants in our journalistic journey.

Help us make every story resonate more deeply in the hearts of our New Orleans community, turning passive readers into passionate advocates for impactful journalism.

Key Responsibilities: Content Distribution: Spearhead the distribution of engaging content across diverse platforms to elevate visibility and reader engagement.

Audience Engagement: Foster active and meaningful two-way interactions with our audience, utilizing social media, direct outreach, and innovative engagement tactics.

Collaborative Content Promotion: Partner with our editorial teams to craft compelling promotion strategies that amplify our stories' reach and impact.

Data-Driven Insights: Harness analytics to shape content strategies, providing actionable insights to our newsroom and tailoring approaches to diverse audience segments.

Trend Analysis and Adaptation: Stay ahead of industry trends, continuously refining our engagement strategies to align with evolving reader behaviors and preferences.

Paid Acquisition: Execute social media advertising, boosted posts, lead generation and Google Ad Grant management/strategy to promote stories and coverage Multimedia: Act as on-set associate producer and a liaison between the newsroom and production teams; responsibilities could include script writing, video recording, equipment management, scheduling and coordination, production, editing with closed captioning, posting and promotion Essential Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Communications, Marketing, or Journalism Demonstrated experience in audience engagement, digital marketing, or a related area, preferably in a news or media environment A strong preference will be given to applicants with a journalism background and newsroom experience Proficiency with digital and social media platforms, such as Mailchimp, Buffer for scheduling social media posts, Google Ads, WordPress, SMS/texting and survey tool, with a knack for leveraging them to foster community and conversation Skilled in using analytics tools to guide content strategy and measure engagement success Strong communicator, adept at distilling complex ideas into clear, compelling messages Creative thinker with a strategic mindset, able to innovate and adapt in a fast-paced setting Collaborative spirit, thriving in teamwork and cross-functional projects Passionate about the mission of local journalism and its role in empowering communities Ability to help with video production coordination, set-up and execution Experience in filming and editing video is a plus!

You will report directly to the Distribution & Engagement Specialist at Deep South Today for strategic direction, with a dotted line to the Managing Editor of the respective local newsroom for day-to-day activities and integration.

This dual reporting line ensures strategic coherence across our network while fostering local relevance and autonomy.

What We Offer: A role at the heart of redefining local journalism's connection with its audience Collaboration within a network passionate about impactful storytelling and community service Opportunities for professional growth, learning, and development in audience engagement strategies A supportive, inclusive work environment that celebrates diversity and creativity Competitive market pay Benefits Package that includes: Medical, Dental and Vision 29 days of paid time off (PTO accrual) 3 paid community service days 1 day paid birthday leave Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Professional development opportunities How to Apply: Interested candidates should submit their application through [Link to Airtable application]. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, especially those from traditionally underrepresented communities, including women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, and people with disabilities.

Deep South Today is committed to building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and ages.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome all to apply.

Join us in shaping the future of local news and community engagement.

Day-to-Day: Here's what you can expect your day-to-day to look like: Attend weekly editorial meetings Consistent communication (via in-person, Slack and email) with the Managing editor editorial team to make sure tasks are aligned with the needs of the newsroom Weekly meetings with manager Daily social media posting as stories publish and following a social media action plan Schedule evergreen content on social especially over the weekends Curate and schedule The Truth Dispatch, Verite's bi-weekly newsletter, as well as In the N.O., Verite's weekly newsletter Coordinate with editors and production crew to execute weekly Porch Poppin' video series Sending regular text alerts and monitoring responses Curating, promoting and monitoring results for surveys Identify opportunities and assist in execution of community engagement projects, including virtual and in-person events Engage with readers, responding to comments, messages, and inquiries in a timely and professional manner Assist editors and reporters with story post formatting and visual enhancements, including resizing photos and graphics