The Economist
Deputy Head of Social Media
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The Economist is hiring a Deputy Head of Social Media
We are offering a permanent contract in London to work across social media plus notifications, newsletters and emerging digital platforms.
About the Role
The Audience team is at the heart of The Economist’s digital strategy. It distributes our journalism via posts on social-media sites including Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, WhatsApp, TikTok and YouTube; through nearly 30 newsletters, almost all of which are exclusive to our subscribers; by sending notifications to multiple apps and Apple News; by publishing to emerging platforms such as Substack and Google Showcase; and by ensuring that search engines and large language models can locate and recommend our work. Our strategies help to build the next generation of our readers and deepen relationships with our existing subscribers, while remaining true to our 183-year-old brand.
Audience journalists collaborate with our 300-strong global newsroom to accurately, responsibly and speedily promote our articles, podcasts, videos and special projects. They are innovative, unstoppable newshounds with a deep interest in, and knowledge of, geopolitics, business and finance, as well as how the publishing industry is changing and new forms of distribution for digital news. Their writing is crisp and concise; their attention to detail is superb; and they can quickly master and recall our style guide. They understand how The Economist’s coverage differs from that of other publishers, and the risks to our reputation should even a single word be misconstrued.
The Deputy Head of Social Media
We are hiring a Deputy Head of Social Media on a permanent contract in London. (Please note: all applicants must be based in the United Kingdom to take up the role. They must already be in possession of residency, citizenship or a visa that allows them to live and work in London on a permanent basis, without the need for any additional immigration-related process. This is non-negotiable. We cannot sponsor candidates or wait for any immigration-related decisions: it is not enough to say that they intend to secure a visa in the future or are eligible to apply for one.)
The Deputy will report to the Head of Social Media in London and work closely with our other Deputy, who is based in New York. They will be expected to organise, mentor and inspire an award-winning team of around a dozen largely early-career journalists, and to be present in our newsroom in the Adelphi Building to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of our near-24/7 digital operation. This will include deputising for the Head of Social Media and, where appropriate, the Head of Audience, on matters such as the running of the Social team and the attendance of meetings with editors or other senior colleagues.
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The Deputy will work across the full range of our social platforms, as well as producing and publishing newsletters, sending alerts and ensuring we fulfil our commitments to the range of digital platforms above. They will coordinate, check and enhance the work of Audience editors and fellows; devise digital-storytelling materials such as graphics, carousels, polls and quizzes that encourage not only visits to our apps and website but also registrations and subscriptions; liaise closely with senior and section editors from across our newsroom; and act as an ambassador for our department, both internally and externally. They will deploy their deep knowledge and understanding of platforms, and the latest developments on them, to devise and contribute to our wider Social and Audience strategies and to identify opportunities to experiment on new and emerging outlets.
They will ensure we turn articles, podcasts and other media in every area we cover—from business, finance and geopolitics and science, technology and culture—into punchy, succinct social-media posts that are customised by platform. They will monitor analytics and use these data to inform, rather than dictate, their decision-making processes. Generally they will not produce short- or long-form videos or podcasts, which are handled by separate departments. However, they will take the lead on individual platforms and projects, and will liaise closely with colleagues in our Marketing team and the wider Economist Group on activities intended to increase traffic, registrations and subscriptions.
Requirements
Typically a Deputy has at least five years of Audience-focused experience in a newsroom or similar editorial environment. They can cite example after example of strategic success in reaching different audiences, in generating high-quality engagement to meet business goals, and in working well as part of a team. They can demonstrate proven experience of leading and directing a department, perhaps as a Head of Social Media at a smaller publisher or as a senior journalist at another digital outlet. They avoid common mistakes in their applications and show a solid grasp of The Economist, its journalism and its priorities, from platforms to business models.
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How to Apply
To apply, you should submit an assessment of no more than 400 words. Please spend the first third explaining why The Economist is the right fit for you, and the rest analysing our social-media strategy for our editor-in-chief’s recent interview with Elon Musk. What went well, and by which metrics (as far as you can tell)—and what might you have done differently as Deputy, if you were co-ordinating our promotional coverage?
This assessment is the most important part of your application, so make sure you explain your proposals thoroughly and clearly. Initially we will read it blind, without looking at your name. Only if what we submit fits with what we are looking for will we examine your accompanying material. We will not consider applications without an assessment. You must not use AI to write or prepare any element of it.
Please email your assessment, a CV and a brief cover note to edsocialjob@economist.com. The closing date is the end of Sunday August 23rd 2026.
Additional Information
Our team is expected to attend our newsroom for, on average, two to three days per week. For this role some out-of-hours working will be required, on a fair basis with other senior colleagues. Typically this could mean being the senior duty Audience journalist about one weekend per month and/or sharing other out-of-hours cover as required on weekday evenings or bank holidays. The salary will be in the region of £60,000, depending upon experience. There are likely to be three interviews for this job, at least one of which will be in person.
The Economist Group values diversity. We are committed to equal opportunities and creating an inclusive environment for all our employees. We welcome applicants regardless of ethnic origin, national origin, gender, race, colour, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or age.
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