Surprise! DC is hiring for three big executive positions

After they laid off dozens or scores of employees, you might think there would be a hiring freeze at DC Comics, but no! According to job listing site Indeed they are looking to fill two very key executive positions, and WB Entertainment is looking for a TV liaison as well.

The first position is VP, Editorial Strategy & Programming, which could likely be filling the position vacated by Marie Javins’s promotion to editor in chief. The position calls for:

D.C. Publications, Inc. seeks a VP, Editorial Strategy & Programming for the Executive department.

The VP, Editorial Strategy & Programming will develop strategic recommendations to optimize DC Comics annual editorial slate and promotional programming plans across key retail & digital distribution channels. This role will work closely with the Editor-in-Chief to develop editorial priorities for the Editorial staff to enhance character and narrative content to entertain our global DC fanbase.

This role will help strategize, organize, and communicate the overall publishing content strategy across all DC Comics imprints. Success will be measured by increased fan engagement, positive sentiment, growth in DC Universe Infinite subscriptions, and achievement of DC Comics annual Publishing revenue goals.
THE DAILY

• Works with Editor-in-Chief to develop content and editorial strategy to expand worldwide consumer reach of DC Publishing content across print and digital platforms.
• Provides editorial and creative input for DC imprints based on consumer insights, sales data, candid community feedback, and market intelligence.
• Develops editorial creative briefs & on-going briefing process to inform Editorial content pitches & priorities.
• IN partnership with Editor-in-chief, leads portfolio strategy development across DC imprints to ensure each imprint has a single-minded, clear, & compelling “Fan First” publishing content vision.
• Position will recommend new product formats and Talent voices to ensure DC Comics remains culturally relevant and exceeds fans’ high standards, while adhering to DC brand vision and strategy.
• On a project-by-project basis, this role will collaborate with cross-functional DC Comics and WarnerMedia stakeholders to develop “Fan First” brand-building and revenue opportunities.
• Works with SVP/General Manager and Publisher/Chief Creative Officer to ensure the DC Publishing strategy effectively supports key Franchise initiatives across the Studio & Networks group.

Notably, success will not be gauged by comics sales. But “positive sentiment” counts so someone with a good Twitter following might think of applying.

The second position is even more interesting: Head of Digital & Mobile Product Strategy. We know DC is going all in on digital so this will be a very powerful position indeed.

The Job

Head of DC’s Digital & Mobile Product Strategy is the main product owner & strategist behind the DC Universe Infinite (DCUI) digital product and portfolio of future properties, including DCComics.com (DC Free). This role will be responsible for setting & executing the vision, business case, and development of all DC digital products.

The Daily
Serve as product lead for DCUI, driving the strategy and complete product development lifecycle across DC’s web & mobile product portfolio.

• Serve as product lead for DCUI, driving the strategy and complete product development lifecycle across DC’s web & mobile product portfolio.
• In partnership with DC’s GM & VP of Sales, serve as business owner for DC’s digital products – DCUI and DC brand website.
• Collaborate with key internal and external stakeholders and internal technical leads across WarnerMedia to champion, build buy-in, and launch new consumer-facing products or systems improvements to drive core DC Digital business objectives.
• Accelerate revenue growth for DC’s digital properties, in partnership with Sales, Editorial, Finance, & Marketing leads.
• Enhance overall fan engagement and audience growth on DC owned & operated digital properties, particularly DCUI site/app and the DC brand website.
• Be a functional expert in building world class digital products & subscription services technology across conception, feature design, execution, and ongoing management.
• Understand technical requirements and architecture diagrams related to the products.
• Increase fan recruitment, readership, & overall viewership for DC sites & apps, in partnership with Marketing, Social, & Content teams.
• Gather, document, and organize critical product specifications, roadmaps, and related deliverables.
• Help generate first-party data capture and fan data, in partnership with the CRM lead.

“In partnership with DC’s GM & VP of Sales, serve as business owner for DC’s digital products — DCUI and DC brand website.” — working with Daniel Cherry III and Nancy Spears then? This should be the subject of its own post, really, but just how many digital comics does DC think it can sell? Because history tells us the numbers are not insanely high.

If these positions are not challenging enough for you, WB is also advertising for a VP, Television, a bland sounding title for…oh look, it’s DC again, although the listing mistakenly calls it E.C. Publications, Inc.??? That is a typo from an old boilerplate job listing but someone might want to fix it in this age of branding.

The Daily

• Work with team to develop and execute TV content strategy to drive DC brand and in support of franchise priorities.
• Writes and develops pitches, character and concept summaries based on DC properties for television.
• Works on the strategic slate of development.
• Reviews scripts and creative materials for television that are in production.
• Provides notes regarding character usage looking at the entire DCE portfolio and makes recommendations for modifications as appropriate.
• Works directly with Producers, WBTV and appropriate partners to implement modifications.
• Represents DCE in meetings regarding current projects (both internally and with the entities producing the projects).
• Works with internal colleagues and departments – Global Franchise Management, Marketing, PR and Legal to share relevant information on production.
• Manages and develops staff.
• Performs other related duties as assigned

This is an odd one since they just laid off Dan Evans,  who held the title of Vice President, Creative Affairs at DC and would be the perfect person for this job! Unfortunately for DC, he just teamed up with Steve Niles and Shannon Eric Denton to launch Monster Forge Productions.

As for the TV, VP that seems like a pretty high level job to be posted as a classified, but what do I know about Hollywood.

Anyway, on the one hand it is good to see that DC is actually hiring some high-level people to keep their publishing business going.  On the other hand, these listings hint at where that publishing plan is going and it’s still puzzling.