USA TODAY Co., Inc. · 1 month ago
Play Writer
United States
Full-time
Remote
Senior Level
$53K/yr - $83K/yr
5+ years expUSA TODAY Co., Inc. is a diversified media company dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. They are seeking a Play Writer to lead and define the voice of Play, producing content tied to popular games, horoscopes, and comics while collaborating with various teams to shape the future of USA TODAY’s games ecosystem.
AdvertisingDigital MediaMarketingLifestyleMedia and EntertainmentPublishingSoftwareContentDigital MarketingEventsMarketing AutomationNews
No H1B
Responsibilities
Establish and maintain the editorial voice and standards for Play, ensuring content is smart, approachable, inclusive and habit‑forming
Own all editorial content around Play, including explanatory, promotional and feature storytelling tied to games, puzzles, horoscopes and comics
Develop a clear point of view on how games & horoscopes fit into readers’ daily lives—and how USA TODAY can stand out in a crowded games landscape
Write and edit a weekly Play newsletter, using it as a key audience-growth and engagement driver
Write articles inspired by Play content areas, including behind-the-scenes looks, how-to guides, habit‑building stories, cultural tie‑ins and launches
Craft on-platform copy, promotional units, push language and campaign messaging tied to Play products and launches
Oversee editorial content tied to daily and monthly horoscopes and comics, including launch coverage and reader education and relevant stories
Use audience data and performance insights to guide content decisions, growth strategies, drive loyalty, repeat usage and subscription value
Collaborate with social, newsletter and growth teams to extend the reach of Play content across platforms
Partner closely with the product team to inform and shape the overall games strategy, bringing editorial insight into product development and launches
Help define how editorial, UX and content packaging work together to grow Play as a daily destination
Participate in testing, iteration and launch planning for new games, features and experiences
Qualification
Required
5+ years of experience in digital journalism, editing or content strategy; games, lifestyle, entertainment or product-adjacent experience is a plus
Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to translate utility-driven content into engaging storytelling
Strong audience-first mindset, with experience using analytics to inform decisions
Comfort collaborating with product, design and growth teams—and influencing strategy beyond traditional editorial lanes
Creative, organized and self-directed, with the ability to manage multiple content streams and deadlines
Enthusiasm for puzzles, games, comics, horoscopes—or the curiosity to quickly develop deep fluency in those spaces
Company
USA TODAY Co., Inc.
USA TODAY Co., Inc.
10001+ employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Michelle Crossman
Manager of Columbus Magazines Group- Columbus Monthly, Columbus CEO, Columbus Weddings
Mike Reed
Chairman / CEO
Recent News
NYT > Business
2025-11-05
Morningstar.com
2025-11-04
thefly.com
2025-11-04
Company data provided by crunchbase