The Communications Associate based in Washington DC creates engaging, platform-specific content across X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to expand audience reach and bring coverage of the pope, the Vatican, and related news closer to Catholics and the general public. The role supports multimedia journalists based in Rome by transforming longer-form reporting into short-form videos, reels, stories, and innovative social media experiences that drive engagement and strengthen the organizations digital presence.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
- Edit engaging, platform-specific content across X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok that supports and expands coverage of the pope, the Vatican, and news related to the Catholic Church provided by the CNS Rome journalists.
- Collaborate closely with journalists, photographers, and podcast/video staff to transform longer-form reporting into compelling short-form videos, reels, stories, clips, and visual explainers that attract audiences to the organizations core journalism.
- Support original social media storytelling that functions as a complete audience experience in itself, not solely as promotion for longer-form content.
- Help establish, manage, and grow the organizations TikTok presence through creative concepts, audience-focused storytelling, and platform-specific engagement strategies.
- Identify trends, emerging formats, and new digital storytelling opportunities that strengthen audience reach, relevance, and engagement across all social media platforms.
- Participate in editorial planning and daily coordination with the multimedia team.
- Monitor content performance, audience behavior, and platform analytics to improve content strategy and optimize reach, engagement, and growth.
- Maintain high standards of journalism and editorial accuracy, professionalism, and sensitivity when producing content related to religious, institutional, and international news coverage.
Educational Level:Bachelor's degree
Major Field/Specialty:Journalism, Communications, Digital Media, Multimedia Production or a related field.Equivalent professional training or demonstrated expertise in digital storytelling and social media content production may also be considered.
Other Specialized Training:
- Good knowledge of the Catholic Church and familiarity with workings of the Vatican.
- Specialized training in social media strategy, short-form video production, mobile journalism, audience engagement, and digital analytics is highly desirable.
- Proficiency in video editing platforms such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, CapCut, or equivalent tools is important, along with experience using social media scheduling and analytics platforms, such as Hootsuite.
- Training in visual storytelling, SEO for digital content, podcast/video promotion, and platform-specific best practices for Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok would be considered a strong advantage.
- Familiarity with newsroom workflows and multimedia journalism in a fast-paced editorial environment is also beneficial.
Type and Nature of Professional Experience:
- Social media content creation, digital journalism, multimedia storytelling, or a related communications role (including internships or freelance work).
- Demonstrated ability to create engaging content for major social media platforms, especially Instagram, YouTube, X, Facebook, and TikTok.
- Strong video editing skills for short-form content using industry-standard editing tools and mobile-first production workflows.
- Excellent understanding of platform-specific audience behavior, trends, and best practices for engagement and growth.
- Ability to present complex news stories in clear, accurate, and engaging ways.
- Interest in international news, religion, Church affairs, and Vatican coverage is highly desirable.
- Creativity, initiative, adaptability, and strong organizational and communication skills are essential.
Experience Required:1-3 years of relevant experience
