Media of Birmingham

Our pal Wells sent in these openings for Compass Marketing:

Online managing editor (full time)

Are you a researcher, writer, editor, marketer, salesperson, manager, analyst and results-getter? Would you like to put all these skills — the whole enchilada! — to use every day in a dynamic, start-up-type work environment? If so, read on, amigo!

For more than 20 years, our company has been a leader in engaging leisure travelers with useful content and travel tools, and connecting them with advertisers and travel service providers across the Southeastern U.S. We’re building a new online business unit here in Birmingham which will focus on developing a unique suite of interactive platforms and solutions to serve the leisure travel market. We’re looking for an Online Managing Editor to join our Birmingham team and lead the development of a content-fueled model that will power substantial growth and innovation.

Strategic Objectives: Create happy readers and empowered travelers while maximizing revenue and profit

Key Metrics: content posts and email deadlines, Web site pages, search engine impressions and arrivals, inbound links, email sign-up conversion rate, email file size, contact frequency, revenue per thousand, retention rate

Strategic Activities and Key Metrics

• Content Development: Works with content partners to create tips, information, travel/destination reviews, innovative digital media tools, and multi-faceted promotional packages for use in the Web site network, email newsletters, and content syndication. Develops new content concepts (travel guides, blogs, targeted landing pages, community-generated content, etc.). Collaborates with Content Team (members of Sales/Production/Editorial) to convert Print content to Web-ready content.
• Search Engine Optimization: Optimizes all content for search engines and develops keyword/tag strategies to maximize SEO effectiveness.
• Link Building: Initiates and maintains relationships with complementary travel media and their Web sites by both monitoring their content and making frequent contributions, links, etc.
• Web site Conversion: Plans, executes and optimizes all Web site conversion architecture including Landing Pages, Floaters, OFIEs, OFINs and test links required to capture email sign-ups, client leads and other key transactions.
• Email Marketing: Plans, executes and optimizes email marketing campaigns using links, embedded advertising and display advertising.

Ideal candidate: The successful candidate will have the following:

• Bachelor’s Degree in interactive media, journalism, communications, marketing, creative writing or equivalent experience coupled with a dynamic “left brain-right brain” mix of creativity and analytical skills.
• Two to three years of relevant online marketing and writing/editing experience, ideally with direct experience in the travel market.
• Working knowledge of fundamental strategies, tactics and metrics associated with content-focused online business models.
• Experience using a WordPress Web site platform would be a great plus.
• Working knowledge of generating organic search engine traffic through keyword research and content optimization.
• Experience using social media, blogging, linking tactics to build engagement and drive response.
• Top-notch project management and coordination skills.
• Goal-driven with the ability to adapt to change and to new opportunities.
• Ability to work independently as well as a team and community member. Ability to manage content creators stationed across the Southeast, as well as manage interns.
• Positive, can-do attitude and ability to laugh at any time, even at bad puns.

Web designer-developer (full time)

Are you a wily WordPress weaver, tricking-out WordPress Web sites with customized themes/templates, useful plug-ins, and effective calls to action – and tying it all together with diverse backend databases and fulfillment platforms? If you said “yes!” please keep reading – opportunity is knocking!

For more than 20 years, Compass Marketing, Inc. has been a leader in engaging leisure travelers with useful content and travel tools, and connecting them with advertisers and travel service providers across the Southeastern US. Compass is building a new online business unit here in Birmingham which will focus on developing a unique suite of interactive platforms and solutions to serve the leisure travel market. We’re looking for a Web Designer-Developer to join our Birmingham team and lead the transition of our Web site properties to a WordPress-based model that will fuel substantial growth and innovation.

Strategic Objectives: Design, build and maintain Compass Web sites in order to engage, inform, empower and retain online visitors.

Key Metrics: page views/visit, bounce rate, transaction conversion rates (e.g., email sign-ups, downloads, clicks to sponsor sites, lead generation), internal search success rate, site uptime, release/update deadlines

Ideal candidate: The successful candidate will have the following:

• Specifically: Demonstrated, hands-on experience building WordPress sites — creating and customizing themes/templates, integrating diverse plug-ins, synchronizing with backend systems, etc.
• Generally: 3+ years of frontend-backend experience with web applications and technologies in a direct results-driven environment
• Experience in full Web site production lifecycle: requirements gathering, wireframes, comp, prototype, development, deployment
• Ability to analyze challenges and opportunities, develop creative and practical solutions, and exercise sound judgment based on UI/UE best practices and core business objectives
• Good understanding of cross-platform browser compliance
• Working experience with design tools like Photoshop, Illustrator and Flash (would be a bonus skill!) or related tools
• Solid knowledge of PHP and mySQL
• Strong experience with JavaScript
• Excellent project management skills, including managing freelance/agency resources, scheduling/trafficking/coordinating to meet mission-critical business milestones
• Goal-driven with the ability to adapt to change and to new opportunities
• Fluent translator of tech-to-english (and vice versa!), and enjoys building consensus and understanding through practical communication
• Ability to work independently, collaborate with a diverse set of internal/external partners, speak up as well as listen
• Enthusiastic team player who can check ego at the door and likes to laugh

To apply for either position: E-mail Compass.Bham@yahoo.com.

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