Apply to be a Campaign Editorial Director with us!

People vs Big Tech is an open movement of civil society organisations and concerned citizens working together to challenge the power and abuses of Big Tech. Its mission is to ensure today’s tech titans and their legions of lobbyists are not allowed to be the dominant designers of tomorrow’s technology regulations. It does this by distilling key enforcement priorities in European regulation, highlighting moments for targeted action, and amplifying opportunities anywhere for people-powered mobilisation in the fight to increase public and political support for Big Tech accountability.

The Citizens was founded in 2020 by Pulitzer-nominated journalist Carole Cadwalladr in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica /Facebook scandal. It is a not-for-profit journalism organisation with a focus on democracy, data rights and disinformation. It fights to hold political leaders, Big Tech executives, and disinformation superspreaders to account. It has taken legal actions against the U.K. government, sued the SEC and set up the Real Facebook Oversight Board …Why? Because a toxic information space undermines our democratic rights and freedoms.

We are combining forces and bringing together academics, experts, civil society and policy makers with filmmakers, activists, journalists and cultural leaders – to catalyse a shared response.

We are on a mission to educate and mobilise the public about Big Tech, and build a campaign that will bridge multiple creative projects over a multi-year span. Our focus countries are the UK, US and EU.

You will have access to our incredible networks, providing opportunities for interviews, op-eds, explainer films, as well as to filmmakers with major cinema and streamer releases planned over the next 18 months. Your job is to harness this into compelling, informative multimedia output that increases the public’s understanding of how Big Tech works and how they can fight for it to work better for us!

We’re looking for an experienced campaign editorial director to help us seed and scale this initiative. It’s a fresh new idea, and will feel like a start up so we need someone who thrives in that environment – we don’t have all the answers, we are still fundraising to grow the team, but we have endless opportunities, an entrepreneurial mindset and a team deeply committed to our mission.

Role: Campaign Editorial Director

About you

You will be experienced in delivering news and investigations in the technology sector – with the motivation to drive the project forwards and a track record of developing teams of highly skilled freelancers. The successful candidate will be constantly on the pulse of technology news, with a nose for a good story, an ability to write a killer headline, and the ability to react with speed. The role is full-time and will start with a fixed term contract and 3 month probationary period.

You will be the first hire and we will need you to take charge of producing a weekly newsletter while we develop the concept, format and bring in the right freelance support.

Key areas of responsibility

• Producing and later commissioning and editing a weekly newsletter for the public
• Commissioning a team of freelancers to deliver written and filmed content on tight deadlines
• Commissioning multi-media content for website, newsletters and social media (including TikTok and Twitter).
• Running high impact advocacy campaigns across press and social media
• Working with high-level creatives and interviewing high-profile figures
• Audience growth and identification of new audience
• Monitoring content using data and reader feedback

Skills and experience

• Strong ideas to create differentiated content and significant digital publishing experience
• Demonstrable editing experience and the ability to write compelling copy
• Deft at identifying stories that matter and conveying them in ways that resonate and engage audiences
• Commissioning experience on a national news, investigations or technology desk
• Expansive contact book of excellent writers and ideally filmmakers or social media content creators
• Deep knowledge of current events and knowledge of (or willingness to become knowledgeable on) the latest updates on the laws governing Big Tech
• A commitment to the Citizens’ editorial standards of impartial and incisive coverage
• Good knowledge of media law and the Editors’ Code of Practice
• In addition to English, fluency in German or French would be desirable, but not essential. We may look to produce multi-language content in the future.

It is a full-time position, with a 3 months probation period. We are ideally looking for someone who is based in the UK, the US or Europe. It is a remote work position.

Salary will be competitive and commensurate with experience. To apply please send us your CV and a cover letter that includes your ideas on how a weekly newsletter can cut through the noise of all the other stories and how you could use this opportunity to advocate effectively for a cause. Send to info@the-citizens.com

Deadline to apply for this position is 17 March 2024.