“If it weren’t for Xtra and The Body Politic (former Pink Triangle magazine) we wouldn’t be where we are now: full legal equality, far greater acceptance and awareness of queer people, and a younger generation for whom homophobia is not the default position.” – Matthew Hays, Globe and Mail, 2015
THE ORGANIZATION
Founded in 1971 to advance the struggle for sexual liberation, we are Pink Triangle Press (PTP), Canada’s leading LGBTQ2S+ media organization. We were founded on the belief that storytelling and sharing experiences is a powerful tool for liberation. We believe that media created by, for and about LGBTQ2S+ communities is critical to their ability to thrive. We seek to amplify the work of activists, creators, thinkers, change makers and caregivers.
As a mission-guided community organization without shareholders, we earn our revenues in the marketplace. Our three main areas of focus are on award-winning journalism, online dating services, and engaging TV & Video productions. We publish Xtramagazine.com, and we also operate the gay adult dating website Squirt.org, the Gay dating app Guy Spy and have produced a number of television projects, including the travel show Bump! and The Gayest Show Ever.
In 2021, Pink Triangle Press will celebrate its 50th anniversary. We are proud to be one of the longest-publishing LGBTQ2S+ media groups in the world. We aim to inspire our communities to pursue a future where everyone is free to celebrate who they are.
THE POSITION
This is a unique opportunity in a dynamic digital media organization serving our growing and highly valued community. The Chief Content Officer (CCO) leads the vision and strategic planning for all content throughout our company. The CCO ensures this content advances our mission, meets our high standards, builds and deepens audience relationships, and drives revenue. As a key partner on the Senior Leadership Team, the CCO helps further institutionalize a culture of accountability, collaboration and excellence.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Content Strategy
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Lead in setting the vision, voice, and strategy for all content and content-driven product development across platforms and formats that is audience-centric, data-informed, and competitive in today’s fast-changing media and business landscape.
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Help identify and create new franchises that appropriately expand how people think of the organization and brands, and that support our strategic objectives.
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Working with Business Development and Growth, drive content enhancements to existing products and services based on customer and market insight and provide input into new-product development.
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Work with Business Development and Growth to identify new opportunities and leverage brands and communities to influence and grow one another.
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Stay abreast of innovations in the content and media world, including the evolution of communication/delivery platforms.
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Help inform decisions on new digital content management systems to provide best-in-class distribution tools and platforms.
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Identify unmet needs, competitive advantages and differentiators to build content that is unique and resonates with our audiences.
Content Production
Meet strategic objectives and fulfill our mission and spirit by leading dynamic teams of digital/video journalists and producers to create engaging, world-class content that attracts, grows, and retains audiences.
Choose the best media for a particular project. Pivot gracefully between text, video, audio, etc.
Build and develop teams who:
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Publish multi-faceted digital media and content, including through the mediums of text, video, audio, infographics, etc.
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Demonstrate impact and generate earned media responses – awards, online mentions, re-posts, shares, reviews, recommendations or content picked up by other media or third parties.
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Develop and uphold content standards (e.g. libel, fairness, ethics, and accuracy, etc.)
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Develop content voices (e.g. style guide, pillars, formats, strategies, etc.)
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Ensure alignment between the editorial content and business development content departments.
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Enforce industry-standard production values to deliver quality content to specifications.
Engagement & Growth
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Produce all types of content, including Journalism, Business and Corporate.
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Work with our Growth team to identify and record KPIs, and use them to manage activities to ensure consistency in engagement and impact.
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Collaborate with Engagement and Growth to solicit and respond to feedback and employ analytics to improve engagement by producing content that resonates with our audiences and builds loyalty.
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Develop partnerships with kindred content producers and partners to expand our reach to chosen audiences and communities.
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Choose creators and partners wisely and enable their talent and creativity.
Leadership & Management
As a key member of the executive team that helps set our strategic direction, the CCO will collaborate at a high level across our organization to help drive product innovation, audience engagement, revenue, ensure superior content design and distribution, and evaluate business propositions to ensure an overall view is taken of opportunities and challenges.
Work strategically with Growth and Business Development to identify areas where we can monetize our content.
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Develop an annual plan to project our voice and content to reach and engage with identified audiences.
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Develop partnerships and joint projects with appropriate organizations.
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Develop activities to maximize audience and customer input into content discussions where appropriate.
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Build and leverage an inclusive culture which values diversity of experience and opinion, recognizing that this is foundational to creativity, innovation, and our future success.
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Manage performance of subordinates: make hiring, termination, promotion, development, and compensation decisions within an established framework.
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Delegate authority within established internal controls.
Qualifications
- Minimum 10 to 15 years as a respected leader in multichannel content creation (publishing, broadcast, journalism, marketing, etc.). with increasing levels of success and responsibility, including 6 years or more of experience at management levels.
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Significant record of accomplishment in media leadership, particularly across the digital space.
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Deep knowledge of LGBTQ2+ communities and their histories, tastes and needs.
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Possesses and maintains comprehensive knowledge of the regulatory and governance requirements and political environment in which we operate.
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Skill at both long-form content creation and real-time (immediate) content creation and distribution strategies and tactics.
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Experience in and knowledge of print or broadcast journalism with a “nose” for the story. Strong news-storytelling and journalism background and proven success in developing content for multiple platforms.
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Experience with creating compelling messages for different target demographics.
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Proven track record combining journalism and information resources with multi-platform strategies to support revenue objectives.
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Constantly expands both internal and external networks, tapping into expertise that helps us increase awareness of the organization, opens up possibilities, expands our influence, and presents opportunities for partners and alliances that will grow and model our business.
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Understands digital audience behaviour and psychology and how to successfully translate into loyalty-building content and products.
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Audience development and subscription strategies experience a plus.
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Must be adept at identifying and responding to changing media trends and emerging communication/distribution technologies, with a clear vision of the ways these media can be used for audience development and revenue growth.
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Understands digital audience behaviour and devises content to grow audiences and build audience loyalty.
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Ability to source beneficial partners, to build relationships and to devise projects that advance our goals, amplify our reach and provide a win-win opportunity.
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Adept at cultivating content partnerships, including co-productions, licensing, broadcasters and distributors.
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A track record of success in developing and launching innovative projects or editorial products.
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Strong editorial judgment and knowledge of ethics, practices and standards, with an understanding of copyright, libel and obscenity laws.
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Multimedia and digital publishing experience; understands and abides by creative and professional standards of various media and legal, regulatory practices.
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Research and analytics: A sophisticated appreciation for analytics, metrics, and how audience and customer data can inform content decisions.
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Fluency in web analytics tools, social media marketing applications, and leading social media monitoring platforms.
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Familiarity with the application of metrics and other data to support wise decision-making, drive results, and increase transparency and accountability.
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Ability to prepare and evaluate concise business cases for projects.
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Familiarity with principles of marketing (and the ability to adapt or ignore them as dictated by data).
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Solid experience leading content managers, production and post-production, and newsrooms.
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Ability to successfully execute operational and transformational change management.
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Comfortable with acting as our company spokesperson and advocate via media appearances, interviews, trade shows, etc.
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Proven effective leadership in areas of team building, collaboration, transparency, and engagement. Experience in leading different types of teams effectively, overcoming hurdles, inspiring confidence, and creating trust.
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Ability to communicate with and motivate staff members, other colleagues, and external audiences.
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Possesses industry-standard production values and proven ability to lead teams to deliver in a deadline-driven environment, on time and on budget.
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Demonstrate financial acumen, business comprehension, governance, and engage in best practices.
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High level of ethics and integrity and ensure confidentiality of highly sensitive material.
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Bachelor’s degree in English, Journalism, Public Relations or related communications field, or equivalent training and experience. MBA in Marketing is a plus.
Attributes
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A clear appreciation of our mission and a readiness to enthusiastically advance our work, demonstrating sex-positivity and nurturing connections with LGBTQ+ communities.
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A commitment to meeting expectations of our audiences, partners, and communities.
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An ambitious creator who wants to have impact, “make their mark” on the world, expand our influence, and grow audiences.
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Enterprise-level strategic thinker with an entrepreneurial mindset. Grasps complexity and strategizes broadly.
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Thinks about the big picture, with multi-year goals that build on successes, including scalable projects and format opportunities.
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Embodies an innovative mindset, nurturing the following traits in themselves and others: risk tolerance, openness to ideas, action-oriented, and emotional stability.
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A born networker who is capable of picking up the phone and cultivates relationships inside and outside the organization and can identify win-win situations.
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A commitment to continuous improvement.
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Demonstrates an agile mindset: is responsive to external forces, adaptive and creative, delivers faster, and reduces waste to improve effectiveness.
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Resilient; A high level of comfort with ambiguity and rapid rates of change.
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Unquestionable integrity and character.
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Demonstrated high standards of moral, ethical, and professional behaviour.
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Strives for excellence in all they do. Tests, evaluates and course corrects. Fosters an environment of learning and constant improvement.
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High emotional intelligence and the ability to apply it appropriately.
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A natural mediator and collaborator who resolves conflict and works effortlessly between groups of stakeholders to get the job done.
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A problem solver who identifies and resolves issues quickly and generates solutions.
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Roll-up-the-sleeves work ethic and a pragmatic, results-oriented approach.
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Delights in the delivery of a job well done.
Please note: The role will begin as a remote work position, given the current circumstances due to Covid-19. When restrictions are lifted and it is safe to work from the office again, the majority of time will be spent in our Toronto office.
HOW TO APPLY
We invite candidates to apply by email with your cover letter stating you found this job on Jeff Gaulin’s Journalism Board and résume no later than September 30th, 2021. Send to Searchlight Partners: PTP@searchlightpartnersgroup.com
We welcome everyone to apply for our roles, and particularly encourage applications from Black and Indigenous people, people of colour, trans and non-binary people and disabled people. We are committed to ensuring accessible services and communications to disabled individuals. Once an applicant has been selected for an interview, requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process. Applicants should make their accommodation needs known when contacted.
We thank applicants for their interest, however, only those advancing in the process will be contacted
E-mail: PTP@searchlightpartnersgroup.com
Web address: http://ww.pinktrianglepress.com
