Audience Strategy Producer

Job Description

Job Description

The Post and Courier, South Carolina's premier news source, is seeking an Audience Strategy Producer with a journalism background to help shape and execute our coverage. This role is for a journalist who wants to be in the room when coverage decisions are made — not just promoting stories after they publish, but helping decide what we cover, how we frame it and where it reaches readers.

This position is based in Charleston and is part of The Post and Courier's Audience team. The producer will report to the Director of Audience and work most closely with editors and reporters in Charleston. They will also support audience work across our statewide newsrooms.

The Audience Strategy Producer is key to driving audience engagement and subscription growth in the state's fastest-growing region. The role involves pitching stories based on what is trending in search and social, sitting in pitch and news meetings, weighing in on assignments and headlines, and partnering with reporters and editors to make sure our journalism reaches the people it is meant for on the platforms they use.

One major part of this role will be being driving force behind the social video strategy for The Post and Courier. This producer should be prepared to conceptualize, film, edit and promote videos that showcase our journalism, popular stories and staff members. They should have a vision for engaging audiences and raising our brand's profile on these platforms.

The producer will also offer in-the-moment guidance on story ideas, framing, headlines, SEO and social-share text. They will be responsible for monitoring social media, sending breaking news alerts, managing homepages and section fronts, optimizing daily newsletters, and identifying hot topics our newsrooms might be missing. This person will seek new opportunities for us to reach readers on established and emerging digital platforms.

Successful candidates will possess a spirit of collaboration, an enthusiasm for coaching around vertical and social video as well as excellent news judgment. Willingness to experiment across new and emerging platforms is a must. They will also have a solid grasp of data analytics and be able to communicate takeaways and actionable guidance to the editors and reporters they work with.

This position is based in Charleston, South Carolina, a city famed for its beauty and food scene in a state that is among the fastest growing in the country. Journalists who join The Post and Courier find opportunities in a Pulitzer Prize-winning environment to do some of the best work of their career, limited only by their ambition and determination.

Responsibilities

• Sit in on news and pitch meetings; help shape coverage decisions, headlines and story framing.
• Spearhead the creation and promotion of short, engaging videos for social and the website alongside reporters and other staff members.
• Pitch and develop story ideas based on what is trending in search, on social and across our analytics tools.
• Coach reporters and editors on audience best practices, including SEO, headlines, story formats and platform-specific framing.
• Use analytics to make real-time digital decisions, such as sending a push notification for a story that is being widely read.
• Send breaking news alerts for Charleston audience and statewide readers as needed.
• Write and optimize newsletters, including subject lines, story selection and send timing.
• Lead audience tactics across social media platforms — X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube (including Shorts), Reddit and emerging platforms — to engage audiences and develop loyal readers.
• Engage with our audiences online and at in-person events, including Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions, social media takeovers and reader meetups.
• Collaborate across the audience team to execute experiments and share subject-matter expertise.
• Assist with breaking and trending news coverage when needed, including evening shifts and occasional weekend events.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Strong journalism skills and experience in a newsroom environment.
• News judgment to advocate for stories and help shape coverage, not just promote it.
• Experience understanding and communicating analytics to guide decisions, using platforms such as Google Analytics and Marfeel.
• Some experience producing short, engaging videos for social and the web.
• Knowledge of SEO best practices, including how search behavior is shifting with Google Discover, AI Overviews and generative search.
• Experience managing social media accounts for news organizations, with an understanding of how different content excels on different platforms.
• Comfort using AI tools to assist with audience work — headline testing, summarization, trend monitoring — within The Post and Courier's AI policy.
• Strong writing and sharp editing skills.
• Ability to multi-task and quickly troubleshoot.
• A passion for local, state and national news, and a strong awareness of the newsworthiness of a given topic.
• Ability to work flexible hours including early mornings, days, nights and weekends as needed.
• Familiarity with BLOX CMS is a plus.
• Experience working remotely across multiple newsrooms is a plus.

Requirements, minimum education level and experience

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, marketing or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least 3 years of demonstrated journalism experience.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organization and prioritization skills with excellent follow through.

Benefits

The Post and Courier offers a competitive benefits package, including health, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) with company match and paid time off.

Equal opportunity

The Post and Courier is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a newsroom that reflects the communities we cover and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds.