Content Manager

*** This position has remote flexibility, however, the ideal candidate will reside within the footprint of Forum Communications Company - North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, or Wisconsin ***

Summary

The Content Manager for Best of the Midwest will be the primary point-of-contact behind bestofthemidwest.com. This is a role for an entrepreneurial self-starter who enjoys writing, creating engaging social content and finding hidden gem travel destinations.

Essential Functions

Content Creation

• Plan, write, and package service journalism (roundups/listicles, short features, utility guides) across food & drink, things to do, places to stay & visit, outdoors, shopping, etc.
• Curate and re-package high-performing and high-engagement stories from the Forum Communications news network for Best of the Midwest and its social channels.
• Maintain a consistent brand voice across the website, social channels, and newsletters.
• Build daily/weekly social calendars, newsletter calendars and lightweight reels/graphics in partnership with design/video.
• Monitor social media trends, website traffic and engagement and adapt strategy to maximize reach and impact.
• Work to develop brand awareness, grow audience, and drive continuous traffic to our website by leveraging social platforms, newsletters, and marketing campaigns.

Operations

• Own the publishing process from start to finish: content planning & creation, asset requests, deadlines, stakeholder approval and routing, QA, and on-time launch.
• Keep the master content calendar (site + social + newsletter) aligned with market contests and seasonal themes.
• Manage CMS tasks: content creation, formatting, editing,  image crops/captions/alt text, internal links, tags, SEO keywords, schema basics, and UTM link standards.
• Coordinate with designers/video for thumbnails, graphics, and image rights; track versioning and approvals.
• Oversee creation and monitor promo placements (website modules, banners, onsite promo blocks, newsletter slots, social pinning/boosting).
• Update bestofthemidwest.com contest buttons, navigation links and pages during contest periods to promote key calls to action on the site
• Run pre-flight checks (links, tracking, SEO basics, accessibility) and post-launch checklists.

Promotion

• Coordinate with marketing team to develop a promotional plan to drive traffic to our website, increase engagement with contests, and grow the overall audience on Best of the Midwest channels.
• Repackage content stories into new, high-engaging formats for social channels, and promote Best of the Midwest content across all applicable social platforms
• Track core KPIs (pageviews, engaged sessions, CTR from social, newsletter signups) and turn insights into content experiments, decisions, and growth opportunities.
• A/B test headlines, social packaging, and timing to optimize performance; share monthly highlights and next steps with stakeholders.
• Actively engage with online communities and followers to build loyal audiences and promote community sharing.

Collaboration

• Coordinate with advertising and news teams in ensuring key tasks related to contest deployment, engagement and results publishing happen on schedule.
• Work closely with editorial members, market divisions,  product and analytics teams to align audience engagement strategies with broader company goals.
• Participate in brainstorms and editorial planning meetings to bring audience insights and ideas to the table.
• Basic project management duties.

Qualifications

• Associate’s  Degree or equivalent work experience.
• 2–5 years of experience in digital content, audience, or content operations (newsroom, lifestyle, or brand publishing).
• Demonstrated skills in writing, digital content creation, fast packaging, and CMS publishing.
• Strong project-management habits; applicants must have comfort driving deadlines across multiple contributors.
• Familiarity with GA4, social/native schedulers, basic SEO, and UTM hygiene.
• Bonus if you have background in light design/video skills (InDesign/Adobe), newsletter builders, and experience curating digital content!

Expected compensation for this role is between $50,000 and $60,000/year, based on qualifications and experience.

About The Company

We are a family-owned media and technology company that has been providing trustworthy, quality journalism and business solutions for more than a century. We’ve always been in the business of telling stories, but we’re more than just a newspaper today. As one of the Upper Midwest’s largest media organizations, we are leaders in the business of print and digital news, technology, telebroadcasting, printing, and agency advertising.

The company is comprised of passionate and purpose-driven people fueled by collaboration and innovation. In addition to a generous benefits package, you’ll enjoy development and growth opportunities, an inclusive and creative culture, and a safe working environment. We believe in supporting each other, working hard towards common goals, and having fun. Come for the perks. Stay for the people.

Forum Communications Company offers the following for all full time and 32 benefited employees:

• Health, dental, and vision packages 
• Company paid short term disability and life insurance coverage
• Critical illness, accident, and hospital indemnity coverage options 
• Paid maternity and parental leave
• Retirement benefits 
• Generous PTO and paid volunteer hours

We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. FCC currently does not offer employer sponsorship.