Ziff Davis
Editor-in-Chief, CNET Job at Ziff Davis in New York
Ziff Davis, New York, NY, United States, 10261
Description Position at Consumer Tech
The Opportunity: CNET, part of the Ziff Davis portfolio, is looking for an inspired editorial leader to run and grow the most longstanding and well-respected tech publishing brand as it doubles down on consumer technology content in the age of AI. You are: an experienced, high-energy and ambitious editorial thinker who is passionate about tech and the impact it has on a broad audience. You’re ready to crack the nut of publishing on the modern Internet with your knack for organic audience connection and growth. You’re a player-coach who likes to work alongside other smart leaders, and you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and collaborate on new ideas. You have a well-honed news sense, you’re a powerful on-camera and speaking presence and you have deep experience connecting with readers on all platforms. You like to roll up your sleeves with a large and geographically diverse team, leading by example both in and out of the newsroom. You’re also a nerd who likes to understand, deeply, how technology works and how to recommend products and services to an audience. You must be comfortable communicating and creatively collaborating with commercial and sales teams as well as setting unambiguous church/state guidelines. Key Responsibilities:- Content Strategy: Develop and execute a comprehensive content strategy that positions CNET, over the course of the next 12 months, to lead public discourse on AI tools, consumer technology choices and the tech landscape writ large. Goals include audience growth, audience retention, and brand awareness and loyalty.
- Editorial Leadership: Lead and mentor a team of accomplished editors, writers, and contributors. Foster a collaborative and innovative work environment, encouraging creativity, career growth and high standards of journalistic excellence. Model and cultivate collaboration with teams across the organization.
- Content Creation: Oversee the creation, editing, and publishing of high-quality articles, reviews, news stories, features, and multimedia content, collaborating with peers in video and audience teams.
- Data and Commerce Journalism: You must have vision and authority on creating the next generation of buying advice formats and approaches. You will establish new and creative ways to evaluate consumer tech hardware and software to provide standout, helpful buying advice. You will also have interest and insight into the logistics and opportunity around labs-based testing and data-informed storytelling.
- News Muscle: You will train your team to engage and build their reporting skills with an eye to speed and a knack for finding unique stories in a crowded landscape.
- Unique Voice: Develop and grow the brand’s unique voice, which will differentiate CNET from competitors and establish frequent, direct visits to the site and its presence across diverse platforms. Ensure content is consistent in tone, style, and branding.
- Audience Engagement: Understand the CNET audience’s needs and preferences. Use analytics and feedback to refine content strategies, enhance reader engagement, and establish new growth patterns. You must know – but not rely on – SEO best practices and be comfortable leveraging social media, newsletters and other tactics to drive growth.
- Collaboration with Revenue Teams: Work closely with commercial and sales teams to ensure content aligns with the organization's monetization strategy. Build and maintain relationships with industry experts, influencers, and partners.
- Experience: Minimum of 7-10 years of editorial experience in tech media, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership role, ideally within professional media.
- Proven track record leading an editorial team and significantly growing traffic and audience, ideally outside the search environment
- Strong editorial and news judgment and writing/editing skills
- Prior experience with news and/or product reviews workflows, ideally both
- Ability to lead and inspire a diverse team across geographic and remote locations
- Excellent understanding of SEO, the AI overview landscape, and audience development on multiple platforms
- Proficiency with content management systems (CMS) and analytics tools
- Strong project management and organizational skills
- Ability to work under tight deadlines and manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Personal Attributes:
- Passion for technology and respect for a broad audience
- Creative thinker with a strategic mindset
- Exceptional communication, leadership and interpersonal skills
- Commitment to both editorial rigor and economic success