Assistant Managing Editor - MMA Junkie

Assistant Managing Editor - MMA Junkie

We are looking for a qualified candidate to lead and serve as assistant managing editor for USA TODAY Sports' award-winning mixed martial arts website, MMA Junkie. The candidate should have a passionate interest and strong knowledge of MMA. He or she should be ready to react to the day's happenings in MMA by assigning, editing, and occasionally writing a mixture of news stories, blog posts, analysis pieces, columns, and more; deliver sharp, creative headlines; demonstrate strong news judgment; manage a team of writers/reporters who are expected to break news and develop original content ideas; be in tune with metrics to capitalize on news and topics that will resonate with our audience; and understand trends and audience behavior on social media. Knowledge of SEO best practices and experience in video editing are a plus.

This position will demand initiative, accuracy, urgency, and attention to detail. It also demands the ability to find and identify stories and trends that are immediate, and not just restricted to the in-cage coverage of MMA. Quick editing skills are crucial. This person can juggle a daily high volume of posts with aplomb, all the while staying focused on the digital details of story production: Headlines, SEO, multimedia assets, and other points of optimization.

Responsibilities

• Lead our newsroom, assigning and editing stories quickly.

• Deliver MMA news via stories, video, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other methods available to reach our audience.

• Work with managing editor in planning ahead for event-based coverage.

• Use metrics to inform story choices and shape strategies. This includes being adept at SEO.

• Identify top stories of the day, based on analytics and audience potential.

• Work with writers to experiment with new ways of informing and engaging audiences on social platforms. This includes experimenting with evergreen content.

• Be a self-starter who is eager to take the lead on new coverage areas.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5-7 years of digital journalism experience. MMA media experience is preferred.

• Able to produce content quickly across platforms: mobile, desktop, and social media.

• Strong command of AP grammar and style, able to produce content that is clean, accurate and "publication ready."

• Passionate and enthusiastic about MMA news and content that will work well with audiences on social platforms.

• Comfortable in a fast-paced environment and able to multi-task.

• Understand reporting ethics and sourcing.

• Collaborate well with others and can work with a team that is remote, across the world.

• Prepared to work fight nights and have a flexible schedule as needed. 

Application Instructions:   

Interested and qualified candidates, please apply here and upload your materials combined into one single document with as much of the following as possible:  your updated resume, a brief cover letter, and a few examples of your work (portfolio/work samples/clips/links, etc.). 

*It's important that these items be combined into a single document attachment/upload (preferably in PDF format). The application will only allow one document upload. Completing these steps will ensure that you receive the highest consideration.