Director, Newsletters

Newsweek is looking for a strategic Director of Newsletters to lead our operation to all new heights. This position would take on a team that has overseen explosive growth; Newsweek’s newsletter readership has climbed more than 500% over the past year. We’re looking for someone who can take us even further, finding new ways to grow while also bringing focus to retention, engagement and entrepreneurial thinking that balances editorial integrity with business potential.

The perfect candidate will have a strong background in editorial judgement and writing at digital news operations. A passion for news is required, as is a proven track record of growth in the digital media space. They’ll couple that with experience that demonstrates they can position newsletters as unique drivers of revenue.

This leadership position directly oversees our team of newsletter producers and will partner with the core newsroom as well as our sales team for ideas on how to creatively grow the size, engagement and revenue potential of our newsletters.

Newsweek is a growing national media operation with a bright future. It’s in the nation’s top 25 largest news and information sites per Comscore and has a news operation of more than 200 journalists around the world. Our audience and newsletter operations function in an all-hands-on-deck collaborative environment where job titles don’t get in the way of pitching in to make great things happen. If you can think strategically while being unafraid to roll up your sleeves, you’re looking at the right role.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership and Strategy: Develop and implement a comprehensive newsletter strategy aligned with our editorial vision and business objectives. Lead and mentor a team of newsletter writers and producers.
• Analytics and Optimization: Monitor and analyze newsletter performance metrics. Use data-driven insights to continuously improve content, delivery, and subscriber engagement.
• Content Development: Collaborate with editorial teams to create compelling, high-quality content that drives engagement and retention. Ensure newsletters reflect our brand's voice and values.
• Audience Growth: Develop and execute strategies to grow newsletter subscribers, including organic and paid acquisition tactics, partnerships, and promotional campaigns.
• Engagement and Retention: Utilize segmentation, personalization, and A/B testing to optimize content and marketing messages for maximum reader engagement and retention.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with product, marketing, and sales teams to integrate newsletters into broader audience and revenue strategies.
• Hands-on Production: Be prepared to work alongside producers as needed to write, edit or schedule campaigns.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Experience: Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in managing newsletter operations or digital content strategy in a media organization.
• Technical Proficiency: Proficiency with email service providers (ESPs) such as SailThru, Mailchimp, or similar platforms. Familiarity with customer data platforms (CDPs) like Piano and basic understanding of HTML and CSS a plus.
• Content Expertise and Editorial Integrity: Strong understanding of newswriting, content principles and audience engagement. Ability to craft compelling newsletter content while adhering to journalistic standards.
• Analytical Skills: Proficient in using analytics tools to measure performance and drive data-informed decisions. Experience with A/B testing and segmentation strategies.
• Collaboration: Proven ability to work cross-functionally and build strong relationships with editorial, marketing, and product teams.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills. Ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively.

Salary range: $90,000 - $110,000