Director of Product and Marketing

High Country News, an award-winning news organization covering the communities and environment of the Western United States, seeks a Director of Product and Marketing to join our senior team during an exciting chapter of innovation and growth. This individual will lead the development and marketing of HCN’s website and email newsletters, and the marketing and circulation for our monthly print magazine, as well as spearheading new products and initiatives with the goal of expanding our reach, impact and revenue.

The Director of Product and Marketing will lead and grow a talented team whose tasks include data and analytics, audience growth and retention, direct-mail and email marketing, digital and print subscriptions, renewal and customer service, publicity and promotions, and advertising sales. They will report to the Executive Director, oversee the Customer Service Manager, Senior Marketer, and Sales and Events Coordinator, and collaborate with all teams in the organization. 

The ideal candidate is a seasoned and creative multi-channel media strategist with a knack for using data to drive innovation and the ability to manage a growing team through a time of change. We are looking for someone who can prioritize, plan and execute innovative marketing strategies; someone who can identify core value propositions of our work and communicate them to diverse audiences; someone who is excited about the role that journalism plays in a healthy society and democracy, and who is eager to help us advance that cause.

HCN’s circulation, production, development and customer service teams are housed in Paonia, Colorado.  This position is open to candidates interested in working remotely, with periodic visits to HCN’s offices in Paonia.

Responsibilities:

• Manage and build a team focused on audience growth and retention, customer service, data and analytics, ad sales and strategic partnerships
• Oversee product strategy and development, as well  as vendor relationships for HCN’s website and email newsletters
• Oversee marketing and audience growth strategy for HCN’s print magazine, including direct mail, email marketing, social media, content platforms and strategic partnerships
• Grow and diversify audiences for HCN’s digital and print products, with an eye to  expanding reach, impact and revenue
• Develop new streams of revenue through a range of activities, including events, sponsored content, guidebooks and tours, and media partnerships
• Collaborate with the Editorial Department’s Audience Engagement Team to align its work with the goals of audience growth and retention
• Track audience growth and report regularly to the staff, senior management team and board of directors
• Work collaboratively with the Development Department to strategically target and expand our fundraising efforts
• Work collaboratively with the Art Department to facilitate production of promotional materials from conception to publication
• Work with the Editorial Department to facilitate development of special tools, features and content for HCN’s website
• Develop and manage the annual budget for the Product and Marketing team

Qualifications:

Ideal candidates will have a Master’s degree in marketing or equivalent experience and a strong track record in product management, digital marketing and content management.  Proven experience in supervising and leading a team to success, with an in-depth understanding of performance management to achieve strategic, team and individual goals is an essential requirement.

Candidates should have experience in managing nimble, results-oriented teams in a growth-stage or start-up context, and a deep understanding of the discovery-to-retention model of audience growth for journalism. Proven expertise in executing campaigns that build awareness of brands and products within diverse audiences.

Experience with data analytics and visualization tools such as Google Analytics, Chartbeat, Parse.ly and Tableau is an advantage, combined with a passion for data-driven decision-making and evangelizing for meaningful metrics adoption for media organizations.  

Ideal candidates will demonstrate a passion for HCN’s mission and delivering great user experiences.   

Compensation:

This is a full-time position with health benefits and a salary commensurate with skills and experience.

High Country News is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in our staff, volunteers, programs, and partners. We encourage applicants of diverse abilities, backgrounds, and life experiences to apply. HCN also is committed to equal employment opportunities and prohibits the unlawful discrimination against applicants or employees based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

To apply, please send a résumé and cover letter to [email protected] with “Director of Product and Marketing” in the subject line.

Background:

High Country News is the nation's leading independent source of reporting on the Western United States. Established in 1970, HCN publishes an award-winning monthly magazine and a popular website, along with special reports, books and events. From Alaska and the Northern Rockies to the Desert Southwest, from the Great Plains to the West Coast, HCN is a beloved and essential resource for those who care about this region.

High Country News is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to inform and inspire people to act on behalf of the West's diverse natural and human communities. Its journalism is supported largely by its devoted readership through subscriptions and contributions, with additional grant support and advertising. It has received countless honors and accolades, including a coveted George Polk Award.

HCN’s readers are educated and engaged. They include policymakers, educators, public-land managers, environmental professionals, outdoor enthusiasts and an expanding Native American audience. The organization has roughly 30,000 print and digital subscribers. The website, which includes archives stretching back to the first issue in 1970, attracts approximately 400,000 sessions each month.

High Country News works with a variety of partners, including Climate Desk with Mother Jones and the Institute for Nonprofit News, to expand the coverage of nationally important Western issues while pooling resources and attracting larger readership, and has collaborated with news outlets and organizations such as the Solutions Journalism Network, the Society for Environmental Journalists, the BBC, Buzzfeed, Grist and the University of Montana School of Journalism.

Editorial staff are dispersed across the region. HCN’s $3.9 million annual budget supports three desks — North, South and Indigenous Affairs — and a broad network of approximately 40 staff and freelance journalists. 

In a time of media fragmentation and polarizing soundbites, readers come to High Country News for fact-based, independent journalism and civil conversation across diverse perspectives. With the decline in local newspapers leaving news deserts across the nation, HCN’s relevance is sharper than ever.