Being an editor in a digital world requires more skills than it used to be for anyone who still wants to remain relevant in the media and communication industry.
Companies and organisations are devising new ways of communicating what they do and hiring highly skilled editors who have more than the usual traditional editorial skills.
They no longer want just media executives to do basic public relations work, they want digital-savvy journalists who are very creative with engaging storytelling skills and very analytical in their thinking.
The requirements in the vacancy below by Paystack, a fintech company provides good insights on the emerging new roles journalists can be hired for if they upgrade their skills.
Job Title: Managing Editor
Location: Remote.
About The Managing Editor Role
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- We’re looking for an experienced editor to help build Africa’s largest digital business media network, and use content to solve problems for Africa’s most ambitious teams.
- We aim to connect African entrepreneurs with the insights they need to grow globally successful businesses. We’re inspired by the examples of other B2B media and trade media publications such as Bloomberg, First Round Review, CB Insights, Industry Dive, Morning Brew, and Increment.
Why is a payments company building out a content operation?
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- At Paystack, we create simple, powerful payments tools that help our customers build incredible products. We’re a growth engine for modern, ambitious businesses in Africa.
- But running a business requires more than just tools.
- It also requires understanding several topics such as recruitment, marketing, tax management, writing performant code, customer success, product design, and so much more. To reach their full potential, our customers need both tools and insight.
- This is why we began investing in content such as blog posts, events, downloadable guides and podcasts. We currently have a decent archive of engaging B2B content (our most consistent asset is the Decode Fintech podcast and newsletter), and we’ve been thrilled by the enthusiastic response to this content from our audience of business owners. We believe that with further investment in our editorial efforts, we can further empower ambitious teams in Africa to dare more and do more.
- We’re looking for someone who is both analytical and deeply creative to take our content efforts to the next level.
What is the Scope of Responsibilities?
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- As the Managing Editor at Paystack, you’ll operate on both tactical and strategic levels.
- On one hand, you’ll lead Paystack’s entire content marketing production process, leading the Editorial team, and working with several teams across the company to help use content to drive leads and deepen our relationship with specific groups of merchant categories.
- With access to thousands of some of the most successful businesses in Africa, as well as Paystack’s proprietary databases, you will have a strong foundation on which to build.
- But just as importantly, you’ll help fundamentally shape the story of entrepreneurship in Africa. Paystack is privileged to power payments for a portfolio of thousands of makers and builders. Our job is to help them win, and that includes telling their story to local, regional, and global audiences.
- As Managing Editor at Paystack, you will help make it so that within our lifetimes, the whole world will know that Africa is the home of a new generation of makers.
A Product-minded Approach To Content
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- Paystack solves problems that African businesses have with the product, and we bring that same philosophy to our content: we genuinely believe that the clarity of informative content can provide as much value to ambitious African teams as software tools. We need your help to bring this idea to life.
- There are relatively few reference points for a role like this in our part of the world. We will give you the resources you need to execute well, including internal writers, video producers, designers, and developers, and a budget for software and freelancers. But we’re looking to you to help us discover what massive success looks like.
- If you believe, as we do, that well-done B2B media can solve problems for – and raise the collective fortunes of – African businesses, we would be thrilled to partner with you to make it so. Another world is possible. Let’s build it together.
- This is a remote-friendly, full-time role, and you’ll report directly to the Head of Growth. The successful candidate will ideally be physically located within the GMT -3 to GMT +3 timezones, although we might make exceptions for great candidates. If you’re based outside Nigeria, the role will require occasional travel to Lagos, Nigeria at least four times a year, when it’s safer to travel.
We’ll Trust You To
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- Lead Paystack’s entire content marketing strategy end-to-end, from ideas to execution, to distribution. You’ll own the editorial calendar of SEO-optimized articles, events, videos, podcasts etc. and ensure a steady publishing and recycling cadence.
- Partner closely with the Product Marketing team to ensure that content is an important acquisition channel for our demand generation efforts. You’ll use content to nurture both prospective and existing merchants through our growth loops.
- Hire and coach members of the Paystack Editorial team, and build a strong network of third party creatives and freelancers.
- Monitor content engagement metrics to understand how well our content is finding new audiences, or contributing towards various business goals.
- Write stories and copy where needed.
- Direct the editorial team to support other teams within the company by line-editing company announcements to ensure they meet our brand and editorial standards.
- Build relationships with the press to ensure that Paystack narratives find wide reach.
- Amplify a culture of learning at Paystack by sourcing a steady cadence of “how we built it” and domain expert content from team members.
Requirements
You’ll thrive as Paystack’s Managing Editor if you
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- Are excited to build a large digital business media organization for Africa
- Have professional experience assigning, editing, and writing content for a B2B audience
- Are a master communicator, able to take complex ideas and articulate them in clear, compelling ways
- Have experience managing a team of editors and/or writers and other creatives
- Understand that while content quality is vital, rigorous distribution is also critical
- Can spot a mangled sentence, typo, or unnecessary double-space-after-period from a mile away
- Enjoy diving into the numbers to understand how content is performing, and why
- Are familiar with the audience development and distribution tactics of modern B2B digital media companies such as CB Insights, Bloomberg, Skift, and Industry Dive
- Are highly organized and detail-oriented, able to manage multiple projects and timelines simultaneously
- Often receive compliments from designers about your great eye for design
- Genuinely enjoy speaking with and supporting ambitious entrepreneurs in Africa in any way you can
Application Closing Date
Sunday, 18th April, 2021 (11:59 pm WAT).
