---
title: 'Product Storyteller at Substack'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/product-storyteller-substack-san-francisco-zg3adf4pam5s'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-08'
---

# Product Storyteller at Substack

- **Company:** Substack
- **Location:** San Francisco, CA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-10-27
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-08
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/substack/85ccb19d-f46b-46b1-9bdb-ec88cc7df1f0

## Job description

Substack is building a new economic engine for culture, giving the brightest, most interesting, and most creative people on the internet the power of their own publishing platform. Substack empowers independent writers, artists, videographers, podcasters, and creators of all types to create, share, and make a living off their work through subscriptions, while offering them creative freedom, ownership, and a direct connection to their audiences. We’re looking for a Product Storyteller to help writers and creators understand what they can do on Substack and how to put its tools to work. Working closely with product, communications, creator partnerships, and editorial, this person will turn product developments into compelling stories and useful resources, from launch announcements and creator features to practical guides and short videos. The ideal candidate is an exceptional writer with sharp editorial instincts, curiosity about how products work, and enthusiasm for creator education. They enjoy digging into a feature and making it understandable, and have the insight to uncover the human story behind it. They can explain what’s changing, why it matters, and how people might use a feature, with the judgment to choose the right story and format for each update. This position will sit on the editorial team within Brand & Communications and will report directly to the editor of On Substack. Core responsibilities

- Own product storytelling. Write launch stories and creator-facing features for On Substack—our creator-focused publication with millions of subscribers—finding the reporting, examples, and framing that make a product development meaningful to publishers. Connect individual launches to Substack’s broader story of creative independence, ownership, and direct relationships with audiences.
- Develop creator resources. Produce clear, useful guides that help creators get started, try new tools, and build their publications. Audit and update existing materials as the product changes.
- Manage Product Lab and Bestseller communications. Own editorial production for Product Lab and the Bestseller publication, working with contributors and product experts to develop ideas, edit drafts, and maintain a useful publishing rhythm.
- Stay close to what’s shipping. Build relationships with product teams, ask questions early, and test the tools yourself. Gather creator examples, data, screenshots, and other materials to ensure stories are accurate and ready for publication.
- Work directly with creators. Serve as an external-facing voice for Substack, regularly collaborating with writers and creators to conduct interviews, gather testimonials, and surface the real stories behind how people use the platform.
- Shape coverage and timing. Work with the editorial and communications teams to recommend the right treatment for product updates, from standalone stories to thematic roundups. Collaborate with social colleagues on material they can adapt for their channels, with attention to audience interest and publishing cadence.
- Carry projects through publication. Coordinate drafts, factual reviews, assets, and approvals. Keep collaborators informed about what’s needed and when, and adapt as launch plans change.
- Move fast with a high bar: Write copy quickly, while maintaining editorial quality and integrity. Have a fast metabolism for storytelling, and execute with urgency.

## About You

- 5+ years of relevant experience. A background in comms, journalism, or editorial, with experience in tech preferred.
- Exceptional writer and editor. A portfolio that demonstrates clarity, voice, and strong editorial judgment. Relevant experience could come from journalism, product storytelling, service journalism, or creator education.
- Genuine interest in product. Curious about how things work and willing to learn the details. Able to translate a complicated feature into a clear explanation without losing what matters.
- Sharp storytelling instincts. Able to identify a compelling creator example, develop a strong angle, and explain the “why” alongside the “what.” You know what makes a story worth someone’s time and can distinguish a useful claim from hype.
- Strong project management. Organized, proactive, and self-directed, with the ability to manage several projects and communicate clearly across teams in a fast-moving environment.
- Comfort across formats. Able to make simple, useful video and visual explainers, including recording walkthroughs and making basic edits. Advanced production skills are welcome.
- Creator fluency. An understanding of Substack’s voice and an interest in the needs of writers, podcasters, and other independent creators, including the practical work of helping them use the platform.
- Engage with all voices. Willing to collaborate with any writer or creator on the platform, regardless of their views.

Substack offers a competitive compensation package that includes salary, equity, and exceptional benefits. The salary range for this role is $120k-$165k, with final offers based on experience and expertise. Substack is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or transgender status), age, national origin, veteran or disability status. We’re seeking people passionate about enabling independent expression and building a better business model for creators. If you want to see what media, communities, and content can become when unmoored from advertising models, and you have the skills and experience to contribute, we’d love to meet you. Please see our Privacy Notice for details regarding Substack's collection and use of personal information relating to the application and recruitment process by clicking [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UjmY1acxnd27iIde83PxR7XdecR29aIyfkkmEOwAMGY/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.a0wuzmt3mjmm).

## About Substack

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Substack provides a platform for independent writers, podcasters, and creators to publish, build audiences, and earn revenue directly through paid subscriptions.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series C)
- **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, USA (with a new office in New York City)
- **Founded**: 2017
- **Founders**: Chris Best (CEO), Jairaj Sethi (CTO), Hamish McKenzie (CWO)

## Core Business
- Primary industry/industries: Media, Publishing, Creator Economy, SaaS
- Target customers: Individual writers, podcasters, video creators, independent publishers, media companies, experts, and educators (B2C and B2B)
- Mission or purpose statement: "To build a new economic engine for culture — empowering writers, creators, and publishers to own their work, own their audience, and earn directly from their ideas."

## Products & Services
- **Publishing Platform**: A full-featured CMS and writing tool designed for longform content, with support for posts, newsletters, scheduling, and media embedding.
- **Substack App**: A mobile and web app that connects readers with creators, featuring discovery tools like recommendations, Notes, trending topics, and leaderboards.
- **Native Podcasting**: Built-in recording studio and live video capabilities, with automatic distribution to Substack, Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, including premium episode options.
- **Payments & Subscription Management**: Handles all billing, subscriber management, and revenue tools (welcome sequences, win-back campaigns, analytics). Creators keep 90% of revenue minus credit card fees.
- **Community Tools**: Subscriber chats, comment threads, and moderation features to turn publications into communities.
- **Substack Defender**: Legal support program providing publishers access to legal fees, advice, and pre-publication review for defamation, trademark, and copyright issues.
- **Network Discovery**: Built-in growth engine where more than half of new subscribers come from within Substack’s network, including recommendations and collaborations.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (last raised $100M in Series C in July 2025)
- **Key Metric**: Over 5 million paid subscriptions across the network; more than 30% of paid subscriptions come from within Substack’s network; tens of millions of posts discovered daily in the app.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Andreessen Horowitz, BOND, The Chernin Group (TCG); part of Y Combinator’s winter 2018 batch.
- **Growth Signals**: Raised $100M Series C in July 2025; team has grown to over 100 people across the US, Canada, and UK; opened a new New York City office; top writers earn millions annually.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Creator-first economic model**: Writers keep 90% of revenue, own their audience and content, and can leave anytime with no platform fees or contracts.
- **Built-in network effects**: More than half of new subscribers come from within the platform’s discovery tools, reducing the need for creators to build audiences from scratch.
- **All-in-one platform**: Combines publishing, payments, growth tools, analytics, podcasting, video, and community management — no technical expertise required.
- **Legal support**: Substack Defender provides unique legal protection that reduces risk for independent publishers.
- **Brand trust and ecosystem**: A recognized leader in the creator economy with a strong network of high-profile writers and millions of paying subscribers.

## Strategic Focus
- Expanding the platform beyond newsletters into a full "media app" for all creator formats (writing, podcasting, video, live content).
- Growing the network effect through recommendations, Notes, and app-driven discovery to reduce customer acquisition costs for creators.
- Scaling the enterprise offering for media companies and full newsrooms.
- Deepening community features to increase subscriber engagement and retention.
- Building out the New York City office to expand talent and presence on the East Coast.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Small but growing team (100+ people) with a strong mission-driven focus on empowering creators and independent culture. Every employee participates in customer support to build empathy with users.
- **Remote/Hybrid Policy**: Hybrid model; employees can work from San Francisco HQ, the new New York office, or remotely across the US, Canada, and UK.
- **Benefits**: 100% premium coverage for employees and dependents (health care), fully funded HRA plans, generous parental leave, monthly internet/phone stipend, flexible vacation, 12 paid holidays, and a winter office shutdown between Christmas Eve and New Year’s.
- **Engineering Culture**: Pragmatic approach to problem-solving, shipping high-quality products; team works on a platform that directly impacts millions of creators and subscribers.
- **Perks**: Home office customization allowance, internet stipends, and a strong emphasis on work-life balance with flexible time off.

## Sources
1. [substack.com/about](https://substack.com/about)
2. [substack.com/jobs](https://substack.com/jobs)
3. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/substack](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/substack)
4. [builtin.com/company/substack](https://builtin.com/company/substack)
5. [linkedin.com/company/substack](https://www.linkedin.com/company/substack)

## Other roles at Substack

- [Strategic FP&A Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/strategic-fp-a-manager-substack-san-francisco-azg6w11ft34n) — San Francisco, CA
- [Head of Social](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-social-substack-new-york-wgn1tcdqedyd) — New York, NY
- [Senior Communications Manager, Sponsorships](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-communications-manager-sponsorships-substack-new-york-tdxwkq331r28) — New York, NY
- [Product Manager - Payments](https://feeny.ai/job/product-manager-payments-substack-san-francisco-wcvj0nvd9ba6) — San Francisco, CA
- [Senior Communications Manager, Shows](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-communications-manager-shows-substack-san-francisco-42pdnv2yk6sf) — San Francisco, CA
- [Full Stack Software Engineer - Payments](https://feeny.ai/job/full-stack-software-engineer-payments-substack-san-francisco-9kvewxz2yzx2) — San Francisco, CA
- [Head of People](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-people-substack-san-francisco-ej54dzqhv1pb) — San Francisco, CA
- [Product Operations, Brand Partnerships](https://feeny.ai/job/product-operations-brand-partnerships-substack-new-york-smr101qdrf0y) — New York, NY
- [Product Manager - Sponsorships](https://feeny.ai/job/product-manager-sponsorships-substack-new-york-g0tg7z0qm7fr) — New York, NY
- [Product Analyst](https://feeny.ai/job/product-analyst-substack-san-francisco-4t2gz7pmahn0) — San Francisco, CA