Sr. Audience Engagement Manager

Sr. Audience Engagement Manager 

About Religion News Service (RNS) 

Religion News Service is the leading independent nonprofit newsroom covering one of the most influential and misunderstood forces shaping our world today: religion. We cover the intersection of faith, politics, race, immigration, education, culture, technology, and global affairs with rigor, nuance, and urgency. Our journalism helps audiences better understand the forces shaping public life — and one another. RNS is not a religious organization. We are an independent newsroom committed to truthful, fair, and deeply informed journalism.  As the media landscape rapidly evolves, we are investing in new ways to reach audiences directly, build loyalty, and ensure our journalism remains impactful across platforms and generations. 

The Role: Sr. Audience Engagement Manager 

RNS is seeking a hands-on Sr. Audience Engagement Manager to lead newsletter production and drive day-to-day audience acquisition and retention efforts. This is an execution-focused role: you will write, design, and ship newsletters; run and measure audience growth tactics; and use data and editorial input to continuously build, refine, or retire the tactics and processes that get RNS journalism in front of readers.  

This is a full-time, exempt position that can be performed remotely, with U.S.-based candidates preferred. You'll work closely with the Chief Product Officer, editorial staff, and the broader audience/data team to turn strategy into shipped, measurable work — proposing tests, running them, and reporting back on what worked. 

What You'll Do 

Own Newsletter Production, Design & Cadence 

• Write, edit, and curate RNS newsletters — from subject lines to body copy to calls-to-action 
• Format and design newsletters in our email service provider (e.g., Mailchimp), maintaining a clean, on-brand template system 
• Manage the newsletter production calendar, cadence, and segmentation across our newsletter portfolio 
• Run A/B tests on subject lines, send times, layout, and content mix to improve opens, clicks, and retention 
• Keep newsletters accessible, mobile-friendly, and consistent with RNS editorial voice 

Propose, Run & Measure Audience Acquisition Tactics 

• Propose specific, testable tactics for growing newsletter subscribers and site audience (on-site prompts, social, partnerships, SEO, etc.) 
• Launch and manage those tactics day-to-day, tracking performance against clear goals 
• Use performance data to recommend which tactics to build on, fix, or kill — and act on those recommendations 
• Maintain a working record of what's been tried, what worked, and what didn't, so learnings compound over time 

Partner with Editorial & Data 

• Work with editors and reporters to package and time newsletter content around key stories and coverage areas 
• Translate audience and engagement data into practical recommendations for newsletter and acquisition work 
• Coordinate with the audience/growth strategy team on shared goals, without duplicating existing dashboards or reporting 
• Flag platform changes, referral shifts, or audience behavior trends relevant to newsletters and acquisition 

Support Process & Workflow Improvement 

• Identify and fix bottlenecks in newsletter production and acquisition workflows 
• Document processes so newsletter production and testing tactics are repeatable and not dependent on one person 
• Recommend new tools or workflow changes where they'd meaningfully improve output or speed 

What We're Looking For 

• 5+ years of experience in newsletter production, audience development, or digital media growth  
• Direct, hands-on experience writing and designing newsletters, including in an email service provider such as Mailchimp 
• Experience with tools such as Google Analytics, Parse.ly, or similar audience/analytics platforms 
• Track record of proposing, running, and measuring audience acquisition tactics — and killing or fixing what doesn't work 
• Comfort working with performance data (opens, clicks, growth, retention) to make decisions 
• Strong writing, editing, and packaging skills; solid news judgment 
• Ability to work independently in a remote environment while collaborating closely with editorial and product 
• Organized, process-minded, and comfortable owning execution rather than only strategy 
• Experience in journalism, nonprofit media, or mission-driven organizations 

Nice-to-Haves 

• Familiarity with religion, politics, culture, or public affairs coverage 
• Basic HTML/email design skills or experience with email template systems 
• Experience with on-site conversion tools or audience funnel optimization 

Compensation & Benefits 

• Salary Range: $85,000 to $95,000 annually, depending on experience. 
• Remote-first culture with flexible work environment 
• Generous PTO and health benefits 
• 401(k) with employer match 
• Professional development support 
• Occasional travel for team meetings and industry events 

To Apply 

If this role speaks to your experience and interests, we’d love to hear from you — click here to apply. Please submit: 

• Resume 
• Brief cover letter 
• Relevant work samples (e.g., newsletter editions you've written/designed) 

RNS is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome candidates of all backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences—especially those historically underrepresented in journalism and media.