The Philadelphia Inquirer seeks an alerts editor

The Philadelphia Inquirer is looking for an Alerts Editor to join its Programming & Audience team. This team manages the digital distribution tactics for The Inquirer’s journalism and works to optimize our coverage for the widest possible reach and engagement. The Alerts Editor will lead our strategy, planning and execution for notifications across mobile, email, desktop and other emerging technology.

What You’ll Do:

• Hundreds of thousands of individual readers, both paying subscribers and non-subscribers, receive email and/or push alerts from The Inquirer. We need somebody to take the lead on serving and growing that audience.
• You’ll be the primary editorial stakeholder for The Inquirer’s alerts strategy. What alerts do we offer? How are they best delivered? What type of coverage should we be alerting to more, or less?
• Evaluate the Inquirer journalism that is best suited for notifications each day and develop short- and long-term distribution plans for alerts across our mobile app and email lists.
• Track the engagement performance of alerts and compile reports and feedback for key stakeholders working on The Inquirer’s digital strategy. Use this data to inform and evolve our approach to notifications.
• This position will work closely with our Senior Newsletter Strategist on the execution and evolution of our email distribution strategy. Collaboration will be required to navigate the lines between newsletters and email notifications and this position will play a key role in complementing our newsletter portfolio.
• Assist with writing and editing alert copy, both in advance and in breaking news situations, and provide feedback to Digital Producers on best practices and formats. Help coach others on best practices for writing alerts and identifying stories best suited for these formats.
• Collaborate with editors from across the newsroom to solicit and identify upcoming stories that can be used for notifications and then create and finalize the language and timing for those alerts.
• SMS texting, messaging apps, desktop notifications and other forms of mobile alerts could become a larger part of this role in time.

What We’re Looking For:

The ideal candidate will have 5-plus years of experience working in digital media. Prior experience working specifically with newsletters, email and mobile notifications is big plus, but not necessarily a requirement. Experience working in social media, curation and other audience development roles is also applicable to this position.

Qualifications:

Strong news judgment and organizational skills are both crucial for this role, as is the ability to quickly distill the most important elements of stories and write and edit concise, accurate and clean copy around them.

• Someone who is comfortable calling the shots. This position will need to take ownership of our alerts portfolio and make decisions on how and when to optimize our journalism for alerts, working with and guiding colleagues in executing those plans.
• The ability to work quickly and under pressure in breaking news situations is required.
• A curiosity for how people consume information as technology and trends continue to evolve. Contribute to building systems and initiatives that encourage people to form a habit of engaging with our journalism.
• A passion for news and familiarity with news industry editorial standards and best practices.

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