Executive Editor of Audience and Digital Production

USA TODAY Executive Editor of Audience and Digital Production Role summary USA TODAY is seeking a visionary, highly accomplished Executive Editor, Audience & Digital Production to serve as key driver of USA TODAY's digital audience strategy and the executive owner of newsroom digital production across platforms. In one of the most critical leadership roles in our organization, this editor will set the agenda for how USA TODAY's journalism is transformed into signature digital experiences that grow reach, deepen engagement, and build enduring reader loyalty. Reporting directly to the SVP of USA TODAY, the Executive Editor, Audience & Digital Production will own and evolve the operating model for audience and production bringing together dedicated digital content pillar teams, platform owners, and a 24/7 central digital production desk into a cohesive, high-performing system. They will oversee a sophisticated organization that spans our core editorial pillars, enterprise-level planning, and experts across web, apps, newsletters, video, social and emerging platforms, ensuring that every major story and franchise is executed with clarity, speed and impact. This executive will be accountable for portfolio-wide digital performance, including growth in loyal users, repeat visitation, engagement depth, and conversion into newsletters and other owned channels. They will work as a true peer and strategic partner to pillar leaders across News/Life, Opinion, Sports and Entertainment shaping digital growth priorities, championing big-bet projects, and making data-driven decisions about where, when and how USA TODAY shows up for its audiences. Central to the role is building a modern, scalable operating system for digital journalism. The Executive Editor will design and continuously refine workflows that make our coverage data-informed, visually distinctive and relentlessly aligned to USA TODAY's brand promise and enterprise priorities. They will lead a disciplined culture of experimentation standing up formal testing programs for formats, distribution strategies and audience journeys, and integrating responsible AI-assisted tools into daily production in ways that strengthen quality, speed and efficiency. As a senior newsroom executive, this editor will lead, inspire and develop a high-caliber team of managers, editors, producers and platform specialists. They will be expected to set a clear vision, translate it into concrete operating standards, and build an inclusive, performance-driven culture grounded in candor, coaching and accountability. This leader will ensure that audience insight, platform intelligence and journalistic ambition come together in a unified strategy. The ideal candidate will bring a track record of leading complex digital news operations at scale, deep fluency in audience analytics and platform dynamics, and a demonstrated ability to drive change in fast-moving environments. They will combine urgency and creativity with sound judgment and integrity and will be energized by the opportunity to build a flagship audience and digital production organization that positions USA TODAY to win the next decade of digital news. This role must be based out of Washington, DC or NYC. Responsibilities: Own the audience strategy across platforms Set and communicate the audience and distribution strategy for USA TODAY's digital portfolio, with a birds-eye view of business needs and growth targets. Ensure the structure intentionally integrates newsletters, social discovery, video/visuals distribution, search, and AI support across all pillars. Accountable for performance, KPIs, and division goals Monitor performance against key metrics (pageviews, unique visits, return visits, loyalty, platform growth) and be accountable for hitting audience and engagement goals. Close the loop between data and editorial decisions by ensuring platform owners and pod leads act on live analytics and audience insights. Leadership of the Compass operating