Mountain State Spotlight, a nonprofit news organization, is looking for a curious and entrepreneurial team member to help focus our journalism and grow our readership.

Join us as Audience Manager and champion the voices of West Virginians.

Mountain State Spotlight tells stories not just about our state’s communities, but for and with our fellow West Virginians. Collaborate with our editorial team to ensure that the stories we tell reflect the experiences of our readers, and work towards making our accountability-driven journalism accessible to those who need it the most. You’ll also work closely with our business team to grow our reader revenue program, building support for West Virginia journalism that makes a difference.

The Role

The audience manager will help Mountain State Spotlight serve West Virginians, grow our readership, and increase our audience revenue by:

• Managing all of our social media feeds, working with reporters, editors and development staff to craft social media content that resonates with our audience.
• Working with editorial staff on headlines and SEO, using analytics and tools like Google Trends and Site Kit for maximum reach. 
• Keeping an eye on metrics for all of Mountain State Spotlight’s platforms, creating monthly reports and recommendations for the editorial and business teams.
• Spearheading Mountain State Spotlight’s engagement with communities around the state, including social media call-outs, engagement events, and story tip outreach.
• Managing Mountain State Spotlight’s membership program, working with the development staff and editors to grow the number of West Virginians that are financially supporting the organization, and retain our current members.
• Writing our weekly newsletter, and working with editorial staff on new products to reach our audience.
• Working with our partners at News Revenue Hub on membership program maintenance, including setting goals, identifying growth opportunities, and developing strategies to meet targets.
• Leading Mountain State Spotlight staff in trainings on best practices for social media and community engagement.

Our audience manager will be part of Mountain State Spotlight’s editorial team, and report to our Deputy Managing Editor. But they will work closely with our business team, helping our organization meet goals for both growing our readership and increasing our audience revenue.

You’re a good fit if you:

• Are passionate about journalism, intrigued by difficult questions and like a challenge
• Wake up scared about the future of local news, but wildly optimistic that we can fill a critical need in West Virginia.. 
• Are mission-oriented: excited about building a new model for journalism for West Virginians that is focused on serving our state and helping our neighbors make it a better place to live.
• Are driven by results, and bring a sense of urgency to shepherding projects through to completion.
• Are flexible and comfortable working in an environment where the pace can be fast, and multitasking is the norm. 
• Are both creative and analytical, and thrive when you’re allowed to use both sets of skills. 
• Like to collaborate, and believe that we’re all stronger when we work together. 
• Are committed to building a successful audience revenue operation that expands readership and makes journalism available to everyone through a financially sustainable donation funnel.
• Have a demonstrated familiarity with various social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, etc.), maintain your own accounts and have clear ideas of how a journalism organization can use each tool and what will come next.
• Are pumped to help make sure as many West Virginians as possible see our journalism, and equally as pumped to help us find important stories by listening to our neighbors.

Do you love the sound of this job, but you don’t quite check all of these boxes? Do you have skills we haven’t thought of yet?  Don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself. We also encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including people of color, veterans, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities.

The Organization

Founded in March 2020, Mountain State Spotlight went from pitch to publish in less than six months — in the midst of a raging global pandemic. We have 13 employees, and a plan to continue expanding our coverage, with bureaus planned across the state.

Compensation and benefits

• Full-time, competitive salary
• Benefits, including 75% company-paid health insurance and 401k
• Twenty-five days of paid time off in addition to holidays and our annual “dark week” between Christmas and New Year’s.
• Paid parental leave.
• Flexible work schedule. Some weekend and evening hours will be required.

Mountain State Spotlight is based in Charleston, West Virginia, a small city where you’ll find friendly neighbors, a low cost of living and numerous opportunities to explore our beautiful state. It’s also full of exciting news to report on, and faces many challenges that demand our vigorous brand of watchdog journalism.  Our newsroom, in an historic building redesigned to Mountain State Spotlight’s specifications, is located in the middle of an exciting neighborhood with lots of opportunities for eating, shopping and socializing. This position is not eligible for remote work.

To apply or to ask questions, email jobs@mountainstatespotlight.org. Please send us a resume and a cover letter that tells us why you are right for Mountain State Spotlight’s team.