The Assembly is a digital magazine bringing backroom conversations to North Carolina’s front page. We focus on enterprise stories, revelatory scoops, and authoritative looks at under-covered topics, people, and places. Our stories surprise, inform, and leave readers with a better understanding of the state.
At The Assembly, you’ll be part of a team that’s shaping the future of state-level journalism. We offer a collaborative, innovative work environment where your ideas will be heard and valued. You’ll have the opportunity to make a real impact on our growing organization and on the communities we serve across North Carolina.
We encourage applications from members of traditionally underrepresented communities, including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people who were formerly incarcerated, veterans, and people with disabilities.
Even if our current openings aren’t a good fit, we love to hear from people interested in working with us. Please send us a note with your resume and clips, and we’ll stay in touch for future hiring. Questions and applications should be sent to jobs@theassemblync.com.
Current Openings:
Chief Operating Officer
The Assembly seeks a chief operating officer to lead business strategy, revenue, and internal operations for the organization. The individual will report to and is a close day-to-day partner to The Assembly’s CEO. An ideal COO will be an exceptional manager of executive-level roles who can keep focus on growing recurring revenue and build an internal culture that lets The Assembly grow from a ~20 FTE start-up to a 50+ FTE statewide network.
The COO will oversee all non-editorial areas of work at The Assembly and its regional assets including a combined team of 9 FTEs and external contractors in accounting, legal, marketing, and branding. The full-time team will grow significantly over the next two years. The COO will also partner and collaborate with key editorial leaders, and board members.
The COO must be an efficient and organized leader who is comfortable with change and evolution; who can bring structure and accountability while staying flexible and empathetic. The role is an opportunity to help lead a growing statewide news network and build a new model for providing unusually deep and compelling statewide journalism.
Responsibilities:
The role’s responsibilities include:
Revenue and Product Management (45%)
- Lead or provide management oversight of all revenue sources including subscriptions, advertising, grants, and partner revenue.
Subscriptions
- Oversee and manage VP for audience and growth, monitoring traffic and subscriber goals, and ensuring business plan assumptions and strategies are accurate.
- Manage coordination between editorial and audience teams to ensure growth needs are met while protecting editorial needs.
- Evaluate team’s technology needs and provide ultimate approval on any vendor changes.
- Manage new product strategy, design, and launch
Advertising
- Develop and refine The Assembly’s network-wide advertising sales strategy, including analyzing and presenting audience insights, evaluating pricing and prospecting strategies, and overseeing the creation of special products.
- Personally lead and close advertising sales for top-tier prospects and major clients, with direct support from the CEO.
- Manage sales teams across the statewide team and regional assets and evaluate the need for additional junior and senior level sales roles.
Grants
- Work with CEO and VP for audience and growth to develop a target list for foundation and major donor support, and assist with grant applications, in-person pitches, and reporting.
Partners
- In coordination with the managing editor, lead interaction and negotiation with all revenue-producing external partners, including editorial partners, who license or seek to license Assembly content or brand.
Strategic Planning (20%)
- In partnership with the CEO and other organizational leaders, lead annual budget planning and strategic planning.
- Partner with the CEO to lead The Assembly’s senior leadership team, including bi-weekly agenda, workflow, reporting on metrics and performance, and accountability to timelines.
- Own and coordinate the creation and maintenance of the company’s business plan.
- Coordinate new product and initiative launches, in collaboration with the project lead from business or editorial.
Financial Management and Analysis (20%)
- Oversee outside accounting and audit firms as they keep The Assembly’s books in order.
- Conduct monthly financial reviews, with the help of the outside firm, to evaluate financial performance relative to budget – and properly communicate progress across the organization.
- Liaison with The Assembly’s board of directors on a monthly basis via executive committee and a quarterly basis to the full board, to keep them apprised of progress.
- Alongside the CEO and senior leadership, including the Board, inform strategic reviews by analyzing the impacts of budget changes and varying revenue performance.
Personnel Management and HR (15%)
- Oversee annual personnel reviews for senior management and create unified review structure for all managers to use during budget reviews and strategic updates.
- Identify personnel issues that require formal mitigation and engage with an outside HR contractor to intervene and create a plan for resolution.
- Ensure managers create a sufficient onboarding plan for all new hires, and that new workflows and processes are properly created and documented.
- Manage The Assembly’s operations director, and ensure that administrative functions including compliance, contracts and payroll, and office management, are carried out smoothly.
This role will have at least four direct reports: VP for audience and growth, two senior sales roles, and an operations director. A future CFO hire would also report to this role. The full team reporting into the COO will be around 9 at the onset with plans to double in size over the next two years.
Compensation
We’re looking for a highly motivated professional ready for a core leadership role at a fast-growing, ambitious organization. Starting salary is $120,000, but negotiable based on experience. We’ll ask you to be upfront during the interview process with your needs and we’ll do the same about our abilities. Compensation also includes a significant stock option stake, as well as 20 days paid time off, 12 weeks parental leave, and a strong benefits package.
This position requires relocation to North Carolina and willingness to work periodically in our Durham office.
How To Apply
Initial applications are straightforward: answer four questions and send us a resume.
- Why do you want to join a three-year-old start-up in the media space?
- For The Assembly, describe either a model to emulate, or a cautionary tale to avoid, and tell us what we should learn from it.
- Tell us about what you look for in a team culture and the best example you’ve seen of a leader or institution trying to build that culture.
- What aspects of this position’s job description are most within your interest and experience and why?
Send answers and a resume to info@theassemblync.com. We’ll start reviewing applications on a rolling basis, and expect to begin interviews in July.
Audience Editor – Social Media & SEO
The Assembly is seeking a dynamic audience editor to lead our social media and SEO strategies. This role is crucial in expanding our reach across North Carolina, engaging our audience, and ensuring our impactful journalism finds its way to readers across various platforms. You do not need to come from a journalism background, but you do need to care deeply about the role journalism plays.
Responsibilities
Social Media Management & Strategy
- Develop and execute a comprehensive social media strategy across platforms, with a focus meeting our audience where they are while also reaching emerging audiences on new platforms
- Create engaging, platform-specific content that resonates with our audience and drives engagement
- Monitor social media trends and adapt our strategy to capitalize on emerging opportunities
- Collaborate with our editorial team to amplify our journalism through social channels
Search Engine Optimization
- Lead our SEO efforts, identifying coverage opportunities and optimizing content across a range of topics
- Use analytics to make real-time and long-term strategic decisions
- Train and collaborate with reporters and editors on SEO best practices
- Provide competitive analysis on search performance to newsroom stakeholders
Content Creation & Optimization
- Produce and edit engaging short-form video content for social platforms
- Optimize existing content for better search and social performance
- Pitch story ideas targeting daily and weekly trends and coverage areas to reach new audiences
Who You Are
- You have 2+ years of experience in social media management and content creation
- You’re well-versed in SEO best practices with at least 18 months of relevant experience
- You’re comfortable using tools like Google Search Console, Semrush, or Ahrefs
- You have a passion for journalism and a keen interest in North Carolina’s diverse communities
- You’re an excellent communicator, able to collaborate effectively with various teams
- You’re data-savvy, using analytics to drive decision-making and strategy
- You’re adaptable and thrive in a fast-paced, evolving newsroom environment
Compensation
Starting salary will begin around $57,500; we are open to higher salaries for more experienced candidates. We’ll ask you to be upfront during the interview process with your needs and we’ll do the same about our abilities.
We offer a competitive benefits package, including health care, parental leave, and life insurance.
This position will report to the VP for audience and growth.
How to Apply
Applicants should submit answers to the following questions:
- Tell us about your experience in audience development, whether that was for a media organization or in another field entirely.
- What gets people to read good journalism on social media?
- Give us three ideas for how you would grow The Assembly’s social and search presence.
- Provide a critique of our recent social media presence. Please feel free to keep it short.
Email your answers in a .pdf along with a resume, the names and contact information for two references, and links to three writing samples or clips to jobs@theassemblync.com. You do not need to send a cover letter. We anticipate hiring for this position this fall, but will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis.