Deputy Director for Third-Party and Emerging Platforms (Deputy Director)

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiasednews in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world's population sees AP journalism every day.

We're seeking a senior editorial leader to set and run our social and emerging-platform strategy with a primary focus on video ecosystems - YouTube, TikTok and Instagram - and a clear view of what's next. This is a strategic role on the digital leadership team.

AP serves both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) audiences. Our B2B arm provides content and services to customers worldwide and has a robust, well-established video team. Our B2C arm, APNews.com and related platforms, brings AP journalism directly to the public. This role will sit within AP's consumer-facing operation, while working closely with the B2B video team to identify and commission content that performs well across social and emerging platforms.

Responsibilities: Reporting to the vice president of digital platforms and based in New York or Washington, D.C., the deputy director will oversee staff across multiple time zones, align social strategy with AP's editorial, product and revenue goals and ensure AP's journalism reaches audiences wherever they are.

We're looking for a leader who will:

• Own the social portfolio strategy. Set priorities, use cases and success metrics by platform. Decide what AP publishes where, how often and why

• Build native franchises. Develop repeatable concepts for vertical, live and horizontal video that travel across platforms and ladder up to AP's brand
• Create the playbook and the guardrails. Codify voice, packaging and practices for third-party platforms, including accessibility and attribution
• Lead creators and curators. Manage a global team of social video creators, curators and editors who program AP's social feeds, livestreams and off-platform storytelling across time zones
• Identify talent. Spot and elevate AP journalists with creator potential and identify outside creators who can partner with AP to extend our reach and relevance
• Work across AP's two arms. Partner closely with AP's B2B video team - which serves AP's customers and is already robust and well-established - to identify and commission videos likely to perform well on AP's consumer platforms
• Plan big moments. Direct AP's off-platform plans for elections, conflicts, weather, sports and major culture events. Own rapid response in breaking news
• Make data useful. Set KPIs per platform. Run structured experiments. Translate insights into weekly decisions and quarterly bets
• Own platform relationships. Liaise with third parties, such as YouTube, TikTok and Meta on product tests, policy changes and opportunities. Advocate for AP's needs
• Partner for impact. Collaborate with product teams on tooling and taxonomy, and with revenue teams to align social strategies with growth and monetization goals
• Scan the horizon. Pilot on emerging surfaces and formats. Evaluate AI-assisted workflows where they improve speed, quality or distribution

What success looks like in 12 months

• Clear channel strategies and playbooks in place, adopted across desks
• Two to three durable social franchises launched with regular cadence
• Measurable lift in video revenue, watch time, saves and shares, plus documented referral gains to APNews.com
• A steady experiment pipeline with published results and go/no-go calls
• At least five in-house or external creators successfully integrated into AP's platform presence

Required Qualifications

• Proven management experience is required. This role oversees staff across multiple time zones and applicants without direct, demonstrable management experience will not be considered.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, such as at least five years as a social, video or audience leader with direct people management.
• Eligibility to work in the U.S. or the ability to obtain permission to do so.
• Advanced-level professional proficiency in both written and spoken English; proficiency in additional languages is a plus.
• The ability and willingness to work occasional early mornings, evenings and some weekends as you juggle a 24/7 news cycle and a team that spans time zones.
• Commitment to AP standards of accuracy, integrity and inclusive coverage.

Preferred qualifications:

• A track record of setting platform-specific strategy for news or video at scale - not just execution, but also deciding the mix, formats and measures of success
• Experience leading and mentoring diverse teams of creators and curators, with a focus on inclusive leadership and professional growth
• History of identifying and cultivating content creators who resonate with digital audiences
• Strong news judgment and the ability to lead through high-pressure moments
• Fluency in platform and creator tools - YouTube Studio, TikTok Creator tools, Meta Business Suite - plus analytics stacks like Parse.ly or equivalents
• Working knowledge of non-linear editing software like Premiere or Davinci Resolve and common packaging tools like Photoshop or Canva
• Clear, collaborative communication skills. You can brief executives, align peers and coach staff at every level
• Comfort guiding teams on SEO where it intersects with social discovery

We know great leaders don't all follow the same path. If you don't check every box in this posting but bring vision, leadership and curiosity to the work, we'd like to hear from you. What matters most is that you can guide a diverse team across time zones, make smart strategic calls and help AP grow on the platforms where audiences are. Use your cover letter to tell us not only what you've done, but also how you'd help shape AP's future.

The application period will expire at 11:59pm on September 26, 2025.

AP seeks to build an inclusive organization grounded in respect for differences. We support all aspects of diversity and provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a veteran, or other characteristic protected by law.