About Us: Straight Arrow is fearlessly dedicated to exposing the hard truths in the stories that are dividing Americans today. We prize stories that connect to our audiences’ daily lives. Check us out at www.san.com and on the Straight Arrow mobile app.
Job Summary
Straight Arrow News is seeking a Director of Social Media to lead social platforms as a core growth and engagement engine for the company. They will be responsible for using social media and social video to expand reach, deepen loyalty and drive measurable subscription growth for Straight Arrow’s journalism.
The director will own how Straight Arrow shows up on social platforms, including how stories are framed, how video is produced and tested, how audiences are built and how attention is converted into long‑term relationships with our journalism. They will manage a team of five social strategists and work closely with editors, video teams and growth leadership to ensure social content is built to perform. This position reports to the SVP of Marketing and Subscription Growth.
The ideal candidate is deeply fluent in how modern platforms actually work, from algorithms to retention mechanics, and has a proven track record of turning social attention into sustained engagement and revenue. This person should be as comfortable discussing hooks, completion rates, and cohort behavior as they are with editorial judgment and brand voice.
Key Responsibilities
- Own social media as a core driver of audience growth, engagement and subscriptions
- Set and execute platform‑specific strategies across major social platforms, with clear performance goals
- Lead the development and testing of social‑native and video‑first formats that drive reach, retention and sharing
- Work closely with editors, reporters and designers to translate journalism into compelling, platform‑optimized storytelling
- Build strategies that convert social audiences into repeat users, app users and paid subscribers
- Monitor and analyze social performance using analytics tools such as Hootsuite, Google Analytics and Parse.ly, and adjust strategies based on audience behavior
- Establish best practices for social packaging, voice and experimentation across the organization
- Manage, mentor and develop a team of social media strategists
- Collaborate with editorial, marketing, brand and tech leadership to align social strategy with broader growth goals
- Uphold Straight Arrow’s standards for credible, unbiased journalism across all social platforms
Desired Skills and Qualifications
- 10+ years of experience leading social media strategy and audience growth for a media company or publisher
- Proven track record using social platforms, especially social video, to drive meaningful engagement and subscription growth
- Deep understanding of how major social platforms and algorithms function, and techniques for building cult-like followings on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, X, Bluesky, YouTube and others
- Strong analytical instincts; comfortable using performance data to guide decisions and experimentation
- Experience managing and developing teams in a fast‑paced media environment
- Ability to balance journalistic integrity with platform‑native storytelling and optimization
- Familiarity with AP Style, SEO, CMS tools and audience analytics platforms
- Highly organized, detail‑oriented and comfortable working across teams and deadlines
- Collaborative, communicative and creative
- Strong interest in media, trust and audience behavior; strong understanding of the current media landscape
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range for this position is $137,000 to $150,000.
Straight Arrow News offers comprehensive health and wellness coverage that ensures our employees have the care and coverage they need to stay healthy, build current and future financial security and maintain work-life balance. All full-time employees and their dependents are eligible to enroll in our benefits. That includes generous paid time off, paid holidays and floating holidays; health coverage, vision and dental plans; retirement plans like the company's 401(k) plan with company match; and more.
About Straight Arrow
Straight Arrow is a publication dedicated to providing deeply reported stories about the biggest issues dividing Americans today, without bias or agenda. Our mission is to deliver clarity and context in a polarized media landscape. We are also building a new subscription-based business model, with exclusive reporting and analysis at its heart.
To apply, please submit your resume below. A cover letter is optional, but appreciated.
Straight Arrow is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees, regardless of race, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status.