Social Media Producer

Social Producer

The Houston Chronicle is seeking a creative, visually-driven Social Producer to join our audience team and shape how our journalism connects with readers across an evolving landscape of social platforms. This role requires more than sharp writing—it demands someone who thinks in visuals, understands how to tell stories through video, graphics, and images and is eager to experiment with new formats and emerging platforms.

This producer will play a key role in both driving traffic and building community across social platforms. That includes creating platform-native content for TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts, while also leveraging high-performing referral platforms like Facebook to deliver smart packaging and timely promotion that brings readers back to our journalism. The ideal candidate is eager to experiment on newer platforms like LinkedIn, Threads, and Bluesky, and understands how to adapt content to fit tone, audience, and opportunity.

Key responsibilities:

• Create and distribute visually compelling content across platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn, and emerging social networks.
• Drive traffic and engagement, particularly through Facebook and Instagram, by optimizing story packaging, visuals, headlines, and posting cadence.
• Work closely with the visuals, video, design, and editorial teams to translate Chronicle journalism into scroll-stopping, platform-native content that drives engagement.
• Develop and produce social-first visuals—short-form videos, graphics, reels, and animations—to promote Chronicle journalism in engaging, accessible ways.
• Collaborate with visuals, video and reporting teams to adapt newsroom storytelling into platform-native formats that thrive on social.
• Monitor social trends, viral formats, and visual styles to keep our approach fresh, timely, and relevant to target audiences.
• Respond to breaking news and major events with real-time visual coverage tailored for each platform.
• Use social analytics to evaluate performance and iterate strategy to reach new audiences and improve engagement.

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has 2+ years of experience creating social content in a newsroom or digital media environment, with a strong portfolio of visual work.
• Thinks visually first—whether through short-form video, motion graphics or striking photography.
• Understands how to drive traffic from Facebook through smart, timely, and engaging content packaging.
• Is skilled in tools like Canva, Adobe Premiere, Photoshop, or similar, and is eager to experiment with emerging visual tools
• Experience with social publishing platforms like True Anthem is a plus
• Is deeply familiar with what works on TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts—and curious about how journalism can live on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and Bluesky.
• Can quickly turn complex stories into eye-catching, digestible visual content that meets audiences where they are.
• Understands the importance of accessibility, ethical sourcing, and community engagement in visual storytelling.
• Thrives in a fast-paced newsroom and works collaboratively across teams to support shared goals.

Success is measured by:

• Increased referral traffic from social platforms
• Growth in reach, video views, and engagement across all visual platforms.
• High-performing visual content that deepens audience connection to Chronicle journalism.
• Strong collaboration across newsroom and audience teams to extend the life and reach of important stories.
• Platform experimentation that helps future-proof our social strategy and reach emerging audiences.

If you’re passionate about visual storytelling and want to help shape the future of local journalism on social media, we’d love to hear from you.

About the Houston Chronicle:

The Houston Chronicle, recognized for its Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism, serves its 2.3 million residents with content and marketing solutions across two of Houston’s largest websites — HoustonChronicle.com and Chron.com, along with our magazine, television and newspaper brands.  Our mission is to spark conversations that inspire action to create a better Houston.  All our content and the innovative business solutions we provide invite Houstonians to join conversations about a community we’ve been committed to covering and helping prosper for more than 120 years. The community we all call home.

WHAT WE OFFER:

There has never been a more exciting time to join the Houston Chronicle. Our business is growing and transforming every day.  Advertisers are partnering with us to help them navigate new marketing strategies in today’s increasingly complex digital environment. Simply put, the Houston Chronicle is a media company that uses its rich history and data to deliver the most impactful media campaigns for our customers. We leverage our substantial audience reach, coupled with best in class advertising solutions to keep our customer’s brand in front of the right people at the right time.

 Why are we different? Our people! Our company is diverse and filled with smart, passionate people who want to make a difference in their community, regardless of the role they play in the company. We offer an upbeat and collaborative working environment and expect our people to challenge the norm.

About Hearst Newspapers:

With 2,500 employees across the nation, HNP encompasses a network of 24 daily and 52 weekly publications, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Albany Times Union, several top digital-only news and lifestyle sites, marketing services businesses, and entertainment businesses such as King Features Syndicate. 

At HNP, we are investing in new and innovative ways to tell stories – growing newsrooms, diversifying tools, evolving platforms – to support the millions of people who trust us each month to help them make decisions, take action and be inspired.  

Be a part of something bigger – your headline awaits.

Recognizing the diverse needs of our candidates, if you are interested in applying for employment and need assistance or an accommodation to use our website or regarding the application process, please contact us by email at [email protected].  Please do not use this email address to inquire about the status of applications. We will only respond to inquiries concerning requests for a reasonable accommodation through this email address.

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