Marketing Manager (National)

Lookout Local
Location: Santa Cruz, CA or Eugene, OR (Hybrid or Remote within Pacific Time preferred)

Reports to: Chief of Staff

Time horizon: Supporting two current Lookout cities and building scalable playbooks for the next three Lookout launches through 2028

About Lookout

Lookout Local is growing — fast. We’re expanding a network of independent, community-first newsrooms across the West, starting with Lookout Santa Cruz and Lookout Eugene-Springfield. We’re looking for a Marketing Manager to help lead the next phase of our audience growth.

Lookout is building the next generation of local news—independent, digital-first, community-rooted, and financially sustainable. We are a modern replacement for the legacy newspaper: mission-driven, membership-supported, and built to reach a significant majority of each community we serve.

Lookout’s ambition extends beyond traditional news consumption. We aim to become each community’s trusted metro information center—the place people turn to daily not only for journalism, but for answers, guidance, context, and practical help navigating local life.

Our product ecosystem is intentionally broad and evolving. Today it includes browser experiences (desktop and mobile), native apps, newsletters, and live events. Next up: a local Answer Engine (Ask Lookout) and a growing suite of AI-assisted products designed to deepen engagement, expand reach, and unlock new revenue opportunities—while strengthening local journalism.

This role sits at the intersection of growth marketing, PR, and execution. You’ll be responsible for strengthening Lookout’s local and national profile and driving top-of-funnel audience growth, maximizing our earned, owned and paid channels. This is a hands-on role for someone who loves building, testing, measuring, and refining — from strategy through design, copy, launch, and reporting. You’ll work closely with our energetic teams of business-side managers and newsrooms as Lookout accelerates its success and growth.

What You’ll Do

Top-of-Funnel Audience Growth (Core Focus)

Own Lookout Local’s top-of-funnel growth strategy across current and new markets, meeting growth goals
Drive awareness, reach, and first-touch engagement with new readers, newsletter subscribers, and app users
Identify who our next best audiences are in each market and how their needs, habits, and entry points differ
Grow newsletter signups, app installs, and first-time readers with a focus on quality, not just volume
Ensure Lookout’s value proposition is clear to people who have never heard of us before
Work seamlessly with Membership Growth Manager in working the entire funnel toward sustained conversion and retention

Audience Intelligence & Analytics

Lead audience learning across markets: who is coming to our platforms (website, app+), where they’re coming from, and what converts
Track and report on top-of-funnel KPIs (reach, acquisition sources, engagement signals, cost efficiency)
Partner with editorial, membership, and leadership to connect acquisition behavior to downstream outcomes (engagement, retention, conversion)
Use GA4, newsletter data, campaign performance, and platform insights to identify patterns and opportunities
Turn insights into action — refining messaging, channels, audience targeting, and timing
Help leadership understand what’s working, what’s scalable, and what’s not worth repeating

Campaign Strategy & Demand Generation

Design and execute multi-channel acquisition campaigns (email, social, partnerships, paid, earned media)
Continuously test messaging, formats, and channels to improve acquisition efficiency
Identify high-performing growth loops (newsletters, events, referrals, app, SEO, social) and help scale them
Work with leadership staff to create repeatable growth playbooks that can be adapted and reused as Lookout enters new markets
Balance experimentation with discipline — learning fast while avoiding one-off or unsustainable wins

Brand, PR & Market Expansion Support

Strengthen Lookout Local’s brand locally and nationally as a growing network of newsrooms
Support launches of new sites, products, newsletters, and major milestones with clear go-to-market strategies
Lead or support earned media and partnership outreach to expand reach and credibility
Ensure consistent positioning across markets while preserving each newsroom’s local voice and relevance

Execution & Cross-Team Collaboration

Own campaigns end-to-end: planning, creative coordination, launch, optimization, and reporting
Collaborate closely with newsroom leaders, membership, product, and community engagement teams
Translate editorial priorities and product launches into audience-facing growth opportunities
Manage multiple campaigns across multiple markets without losing clarity or momentum
Balance experimentation with discipline, building a sustainable growth engine rather than one-off wins

What We’re Looking For

5+ years of experience in growth marketing, audience development, or digital marketing
Proven ability to own campaigns end-to-end, from strategy to execution to reporting
Strong writing and editing skills, with an eye for clear, effective messaging
Experience with email marketing platforms (ActiveCampaign or similar)
Comfort working in CMS-driven websites (WordPress/Newspack a plus)
Analytical mindset with experience using data to drive decisions
Highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing multiple campaigns at once
Excited by local journalism, civic engagement, and building something meaningful

Bonus Points

Experience working in media, journalism, or subscription-based businesses
Smart, evolving use of AI
Familiarity with Broadstreet, Newspack, Firebase, or newsroom workflows
Experience supporting multi-market or networked organizations
Background in PR, partnerships, or brand marketing

Why Lookout Local

You’ll help grow independent local journalism at a critical moment
You’ll have real ownership and influence as the company expands
You’ll work with a smart, collaborative team that values experimentation and impact
Competitive salary, benefits, stock options and flexible work environment