We're hiring! DPReview is looking for a full time Community Manager

Do you want to shape the online experience for one of the world's largest audiences of photography enthusiasts? DPReview is hiring! We're looking for a full-time Community Manager with experience building active and engaged online spaces to join our Editorial team and help grow our online forums.

Community Manager, DPReview

The Role

We're looking for an experienced and passionate Community Manager to lead the charge in revitalizing and growing our online forums. This is a critical role for someone who thrives on building active, engaged online spaces and understands how to foster a positive and inclusive environment. You won't just be managing; you'll be innovating, strategizing, and executing plans to boost participation and breathe new life into our community discussions. If you have a proven track record of growing online communities and a knack for building active, engaging, and welcoming forums or discussion groups, we want to hear from you.

This role requires a high-energy self-starter with a strong bias for action. You see opportunities for engagement and growth and pursue them independently, without needing constant oversight. You’ll be a key ambassador, bridging the gap between our editorial team and our users, and you’ll play a vital part in shaping the future of our community.

What you will do:

• Own the strategy: Define, own, and execute the community growth strategy, setting measurable goals for participation, engagement, and user satisfaction. Identify opportunities to increase forum engagement and participation.
• Analyze and refine: Regularly analyze community data and user feedback to identify trends, report on progress, and refine strategies to boost forum participation.
• Engage and connect: Be an active, visible presence in our forums. Engage directly with users, answer questions, and spark conversations. Act as the primary liaison between our community and the editorial team.
• Innovate and program: Design and implement engaging community programs, campaigns, and events (e.g., Q&As, contests, themed discussions) to foster interaction and attract new members.
• Lead and develop moderators: Provide guidance and structured training to our dedicated team of volunteer moderators. Ensure moderation is consistent and aligned with our community guidelines. Develop resources and programs to support moderator effectiveness, handle recruitment and orientation, and arbitrate conflicts when they arise.
• Help create and publish content: Proactively seed discussions and solicit user contributions in the forums to develop unique, community-driven stories, and identify existing organic content opportunities, transforming both into engaging, publication-ready articles that meet DPReview's high editorial standards.
• Advocate: Serve as the primary advocate for the community within DPReview, channeling user feedback to the editorial and product teams.
• Manage and administer: Oversee the moderation queue, review and approve flagged posts, and handle user requests.

What You Bring:

• Proven community growth experience: Significant (3+ years preferred) experience managing large-scale online communities (forums, social media groups, etc.). Crucially, you have demonstrated success in growing communities, ideally including experience in revitalizing forums with declining engagement
• Initiative and drive: You are a proactive, energetic self-starter who doesn’t wait to be told what to do. You can identify needs, formulate plans, and execute them quickly and effectively.
• Exceptional writing skills: You possess exceptional writing skills with demonstrated experience authoring and publishing written content for a publication with high editorial standards. You can craft engaging articles that are ready for publication.
• Diplomatic communication: You possess excellent communication skills, capable of interacting clearly, professionally, and with empathy, especially when navigating sensitive community disputes or moderation issues.
• Strategic and analytical thinking: You can analyze the landscape, identify factors influencing community health, use data to make decisions, and develop creative solutions.
• Passion for photography (highly desired): A genuine interest in and knowledge of cameras, photography, and related technology is strongly desired and will be invaluable for connecting with our community.
• Authentic voice: An understanding of how to communicate authentically and establish a trusted, approachable presence that aligns with the DPReview brand.
• Experience with volunteers (a plus): Familiarity with managing or working alongside volunteer teams is beneficial.
• Flexibility: Ability to work flexible hours as needed to engage with a global community.

What a typical week might look like:

This is a new full-time position at DPReview, and as such, the role will likely evolve. However, we think it’s safe to say your week will be driven by strategic action. Your primary focus will be advancing initiatives designed to revitalize and grow our forums, analyzing results, and planning your next moves. Alongside strategic work, you'll spend time actively participating in key forums, talking with users, and getting a feel for the community pulse. You'll check in with moderators, provide support and training, and ensure moderation standards are applied consistently. You'll dive into community discussions to unearth interesting content ideas and dedicate time to writing articles for the main site. You'll also manage user support requests and review flagged posts.

Why DPReview?

We’re a small, passionate team dedicated to the world of cameras and photography. This is a chance to make a tangible impact on one of the most respected photography communities online. You'll have the opportunity to shape strategy and see your ideas come to life. If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and build something special, we'd love to talk.

How to Apply:

Please send your CV/resume, LinkedIn profile link, and cover letter to the Managing Editor, Dale Baskin ([email protected]), with the subject heading: “Community Manager.”

• A brief introduction of yourself that includes an overview of why you believe you are a good fit for the Community Manager Position.
• In your message, please include examples of past work managing and growing communities that you believe are most related to this role.

Only those candidates considered for an interview will be contacted. Please regard your resume as having been received unless your email bounced back.

The salary range and final title for this position is $70,000 to $90,000, depending on the candidate's experience. Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on, among other factors, actual ranges for current/former employees in the subject position; the associated discipline; market considerations, budgetary considerations, geographical considerations; tenure and standing with the company (applicable to current employees); as well as the employee's/applicant's background, pertinent experience, and qualifications.

DPReview strives to be a diverse and inclusive company. We firmly believe that different voices, experiences and points of view are an essential component of our current and future success. We do not discriminate on the basis of an individual’s gender, age, race, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, genetics or any other personal characteristics protected by law.