Job Description

California Video Producer & Social Media Specialist
Drive audience growth with video production and acquisition and social storytelling in California
Video Producer & Social Media Specialist
The USA TODAY NETWORK is seeking an energetic, innovative, and collaborative video producer and social media specialist to join our California team. This role is central to driving audience development through producing dynamic original video and acquiring and retaining publishing rights to user-generated content (UGC) for California audiences.
Must be willing to relocate to the Los Angeles area.
Role Overview:

• Collaborate closely with reporters, editors, the audience team, local visual journalists and national video colleagues to enhance multimedia storytelling and amplify news coverage for Californians.
• Actively seek, secure, and retain publishing rights to compelling UGC video content in real time, leveraging social platforms and direct community engagement.
• Produce and edit UGC video, optimizing it for California viewers and ensuring it aligns with the USA TODAY NETWORK's editorial standards.
• Conceive, shoot, and produce original vertical video stories.
• Design engaging content for TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and emerging platforms to maximize reach, watch time, and retention among California audiences.
• Develop and execute audience growth strategies, using real-time analytics and audience insights to expand and retain viewership.
• Serve as a visible on-camera brand ambassador for the network, delivering standups from news scenes or studio setups, and contributing stills as needed.
• Stay on top of social trends, platform developments, and innovative UGC acquisition techniques to keep our content fresh, relevant, and audience focused.

Responsibilities:

• Assign, shoot, produce and experiment with video to grow and engage California audiences in real time.
• Acquire, produce, and deliver vertical UGC and original video, maintaining accuracy, journalistic integrity, and creative storytelling tailored to California.
• Engage with the local community both online and in-person to source, vet, and acquire UGC video publishing rights efficiently and ethically.
• Participate in planning meetings, pitching new ideas that focus on UGC integration, audience development, and editorial strategy for video and social media.
• Promote the USA TODAY NETWORK brand with strategic, shareable video content, driving loyalty and traffic within California.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's or master's degree in journalism, media production, communications, or related field; or equivalent professional experience.
• Proven track record shooting and editing original video and acquiring and producing UGC video, with a portfolio that demonstrates audience-centric storytelling and growth on social platforms.
• Expertise with mobile video creation tools, professional editing software (Adobe Premiere Pro, Photoshop, social platform apps), and UGC vetting and rights management.
• Ability to work under deadline pressure and adapt to rapidly changing news situations, especially when acquiring and publishing UGC in real time.
• Strong understanding of social media algorithms, audience analytics, and UGC trends, with a passion for local California stories and communities.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills; able to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation to cover stories and source UGC across California as needed.
• Flexible schedule including mornings, evenings, and weekends, as required by news and UGC acquisition needs.

Application Instructions
We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don't limit your upload to a resume; show us what you've done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order: * Your resume - one to two pages.

• A cover letter detailing your approach to real-time UGC video acquisition and production for California audiences.
• links to 15-20 recent examples of your work on social platforms.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.
#Newsgnt
#LI-NC1
The annualized base salary for this role will range between $50,500 and $78,906. Base compensation is reflective of many factors, including, but not limited to, the market in which one lives/works, individual education level, skills, certifications and experience. Note: variable compensation is not reflected in these figures and based on the role, may be applicable.

Skills Required