Deputy Director of Reader and Supporter Strategy (Deputy Director)

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world's population sees AP journalism every day.

The Associated Press seeks an experienced journalism leader to serve as deputy director for reader and supporter strategy. As APNews seeks to grow its audience and revenue, you will focus on building meaningful relationships with readers to encourage financial support. The role is an ideal opportunity for a journalist who has worked across teams to develop consumer-focused initiatives or products that deepen audience engagement and support.

Responsibilities:  Based in New York and reporting to the vice president of news for digital platforms, you will create and showcase content that inspires readers to become donors, particularly during timely and breaking news moments, while amplifying awareness of AP News and fostering long-term supporter loyalty.

This role is right for you if you can:

• Identify editorial content that converts casual readers into recurring donors. The deputy director will conceive of, and help create, editorial franchises that have clear audience demand and revenue possibilities. You will also work with editorial teams from the onset to devise donation messaging to accompany news offerings.
• Lead and execute fundraising messaging for all of APNews’ digital platforms. You will identify ways to expand our supporter base through news-driven campaigns on our site, newsletters and email campaigns, and third-party platforms. As such, experience in and/or deep familiarity with fundraising communication, particularly in a non-profit space, is a plus for this role.
• Capitalize on news developments to generate effective donation messaging. The ideal candidate is one who loves being steeped in daily news – and can craft compelling calls-to-action for those news cycles. Such CTAs will run the gamut, from pop up messages to notes from beat leaders.
• Collaborate with product and revenue teams to support reader revenue growth through editorial initiatives, audience engagement strategies and experimentation. While this role sits in the News division, it works at the intersection of news, revenue and product. As such, you will report on reader revenue trends to the wider newsroom and help conceive of new products to connect with readers.
• Partner with data, product and revenue teams to optimize the user journey, focusing on loyalty and revenue opportunities driven by editorial content. You will use news consumption trends onsite and in newsletters to help form the user journey on APNews in terms of onsite, in-app and third-party messaging and re-engagement campaigns. You’ll be invested in the funnel that gets a user to register and donate, constantly reiterating as habits and news change.

Qualifications:

• At least five years of experience working in an editorial capacity in a newsroom. Management experience is a plus.
• Exceptional writing and editing experience, including deep familiarity with AP style.
• Strong news judgement and communication skills to work collaboratively with journalists in all formats – text, photo, video, audio, digital/social, interactive and graphics – and stakeholders on product and revenue teams.
• Demonstrable experience with newsletters, email campaigns and digital fundraising. If you have helped launch a product, that’s a plus. You should have a proven ability to generate innovative ideas to connect with readers and grow our supporter base.
• Data driven, familiar with user testing frameworks, and technically savvy, with experience working in digital platforms that support digital news distribution.
• Strong interest in newsroom innovation, journalism business models, growth strategy, reader revenue and audience engagement, and a strong understanding of newsroom revenue opportunities.
• Highly organized project management skills, with the ability to juggle multiple streams of work and hit tight deadlines.
• Willingness to work nights and on weekends as coverage demands, as AP is a 24/7 operation.
• Must