Deputy Director, Somos

About Refinery29

Refinery29 is a leading digital newsroom serving young people: The reporting, op-eds, and service journalism we produce interrogates norms, solves real-world problems, champions creativity, and demystifies the forces that disempower us. Our staff produces empathetic, rigorous, and necessary journalism that informs, clarifies, entertains, and educates across all platforms.

We are a fast-paced digital brand. As such, our diverse staff has strong news instincts and solid reporting skills, and abide by the principles of integrity, innovation, and inclusivity.

What you’ll do:

• Oversee the execution of editorial strategy and drive the day-to-day content operations of on-site and off-platform articles for Somos. This includes commissioning, assigning, editing, and fact-checking all published stories that support the team’s mission and fulfills established audience goals

• Develop and oversee the vertical’s editorial calendar which may include off-platform articles and create new ways to connect with the Somos audience especially during cultural moments, developing conversation-driving content relevant to Somos’s diverse community

• Collaborate with R29 and VMG leadership to develop and execute editorial initiatives that specifically speak to business goals. These include features, special packages,recurring series and franchises, editorial-driven partnerships and events

• Operate as key visionary and driver of scaling the Somos brand

• Occasionally write and report high-level enterprise stories

• Serve as the formal manager for Somos staff and the informal project manager between members of external departments who contribute to Somos

• Maintain and grow a list of valuable freelancers and sources

• Collaborate with external and internal teams including but not limited to photo and design, content strategy, social referral, newsletter, multimedia, video and off-platform social teams to ensure published content reach and serve their intended audience. This involves working within and content planning for next-gen storytelling platforms like Google Web Stories and TikTok to execute digital journalism.

• Serve as an external spokesperson for Refinery29 at industry events, functions, and panels to increase public awareness around your team’s work and the newsroom’s mission and projects

• Establish editorial norms, provide resources and support, and serve as a mentor and guide for both the editorial team and the company at large

• Serve as on-camera talent for Somos brand as needed

What you have:

• 5+ years of experience developing editorial strategy and managing digital operations

• Deeply in tune with the intersectionality that exists across the diverse US population who identify as Latinx.

• Sound news judgment, excellent editing skills, a fluency in digital publishing tools

• Willingness and ability to use data to inform decisions

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Formal or informal experience with managing

To be successful here you are:

• Energized by working in a fast-paced, fast-evolving creative newsroom

• Collaborative, a team-player, and comfortable giving and receiving feedback

• Ready to adapt to an ever-changing environment and industry

• Curious, courageous, and careful about your work

• In agreement with journalistic principles and ethics to maintain your personal editorial independence