diff --git a/.github/actions/load-docker-image/action.yml b/.github/actions/load-docker-image/action.yml
index ad1197cfe4e..bc0573974f6 100644
--- a/.github/actions/load-docker-image/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/load-docker-image/action.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ inputs:
     description: 'Docker image tags (multi-line string)'
     required: true
   artifact-name:
-    description: 'Name of the artifact to download (fork PRs only)'
+    description: 'Name of the image artifact to download'
     required: false
     default: 'docker-image'
 
@@ -20,15 +20,17 @@ runs:
       uses: actions/download-artifact@3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c # v8
       with:
         name: ${{ inputs.artifact-name }}
+        path: ${{ runner.temp }}/${{ inputs.artifact-name }}
 
     - name: Load image from artifact (artifact)
       if: inputs.use-artifact == 'true'
       shell: bash
       env:
-        ARTIFACT_NAME: ${{ inputs.artifact-name }}
+        ARTIFACT_PATH: ${{ runner.temp }}/${{ inputs.artifact-name }}/${{ inputs.artifact-name }}.tar.gz
       run: |
+        trap 'rm -f -- "$ARTIFACT_PATH"' EXIT
         echo "Loading Docker image from artifact..."
-        gunzip -c "${ARTIFACT_NAME}.tar.gz" | docker load
+        gunzip -c "$ARTIFACT_PATH" | docker load
         echo "Available images after load:"
         docker images
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index ae3e4c7c5b6..831d6393257 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -2060,28 +2060,33 @@ jobs:
       - name: Setup Docker Registry Mirrors
         uses: ./.github/actions/setup-docker-registry-mirrors
 
-      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
-        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@bb05f3f5519dd87d3ba754cc423b652a5edd6d2c # v4
+      - name: Pull Tinybird CLI image
+        id: pull_tb_cli
+        if: matrix.analytics == 'true' && needs.job_setup.outputs.changed_tb_cli != 'true'
+        run: |
+          COMPOSE_IMAGE="${COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME:-ghost-dev}-tb-cli"
+          if docker pull ghcr.io/tryghost/tb-cli:latest; then
+            docker tag ghcr.io/tryghost/tb-cli:latest "$COMPOSE_IMAGE"
+            echo "Pulled tb-cli from GHCR"
+            echo "build_required=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          else
+            echo "GHCR image not available, building from source"
+            echo "build_required=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          fi
 
-      - name: Pull or build Tinybird CLI Image
-        if: matrix.analytics == 'true'
+      - name: Build Tinybird CLI image
+        if: matrix.analytics == 'true' && (needs.job_setup.outputs.changed_tb_cli == 'true' || steps.pull_tb_cli.outputs.build_required == 'true')
         env:
           CHANGED_TB_CLI: ${{ needs.job_setup.outputs.changed_tb_cli }}
         run: |
           COMPOSE_IMAGE="${COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME:-ghost-dev}-tb-cli"
-          # GHCR's :latest is only republished from main, so it can't reflect a
-          # Dockerfile change under review — build from source when this PR
-          # touches it, otherwise take the prebuilt fast path.
           if [[ "$CHANGED_TB_CLI" == 'true' ]]; then
             echo "docker/tb-cli changed, building from source"
-            docker buildx build --load -t "$COMPOSE_IMAGE" -f docker/tb-cli/Dockerfile .
-          elif docker pull ghcr.io/tryghost/tb-cli:latest 2>/dev/null; then
-            echo "Pulled tb-cli from GHCR"
-            docker tag ghcr.io/tryghost/tb-cli:latest "$COMPOSE_IMAGE"
           else
             echo "GHCR image not available, building from source"
-            docker buildx build --load -t "$COMPOSE_IMAGE" -f docker/tb-cli/Dockerfile .
           fi
+          docker build --tag "$COMPOSE_IMAGE" --file docker/tb-cli/Dockerfile .
+          docker builder prune --all --force
 
       - name: Load Image
         uses: ./.github/actions/load-docker-image
@@ -2103,6 +2108,12 @@ jobs:
         # (admin, apps, ghost/core). Scope the install to cut shard setup time.
         run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile --filter @tryghost/e2e...
 
+      - name: Report Analytics runner disk usage
+        if: matrix.analytics == 'true'
+        run: |
+          df -h /
+          docker system df
+
       - name: Prepare E2E CI job
         env:
           GHOST_E2E_IMAGE: ${{ steps.load.outputs.image-tag }}
diff --git a/ghost/core/core/server/api/endpoints/posts.js b/ghost/core/core/server/api/endpoints/posts.js
index add78359041..ce378911f08 100644
--- a/ghost/core/core/server/api/endpoints/posts.js
+++ b/ghost/core/core/server/api/endpoints/posts.js
@@ -129,9 +129,8 @@ const controller = {
       method: 'importContent',
     },
     async query(frame) {
-      // The CSV must be parsed before the response goes out: the uploaded temp file is
-      // deleted as soon as it is sent. The posts are written by a background job behind
-      // the 202.
+      // The content-import service stages and validates the upload before this response;
+      // Multer deletes the request temp file as soon as the 202 is sent.
       const { importId, total } = await contentImportService.importCSV({
         filePath: frame.file.path,
         fileName: frame.file.name,
diff --git a/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/import/importer.ts b/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/import/importer.ts
index c36b6fe3f33..836395f86ee 100644
--- a/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/import/importer.ts
+++ b/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/import/importer.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ import type { Clock, ImportRun, ImportRunStore, RowOutcome } from './store';
 import type { PreparedImportSource } from './source';
 import type { PreparedPostRow, PreparedPostRows } from './reader';
 import { MediaInliningFailure, type PostMediaInlining } from './media';
+import type { ImportFileStager, StagedImportFile } from './staged-file';
+import ContentCSVImportJob from '../jobs/content-csv-import-job';
 
 export type { ImportRequest } from './schema';
 
@@ -20,9 +22,9 @@ const errors = require('@tryghost/errors');
 const logging = require('@tryghost/logging');
 const tpl = require('@tryghost/tpl');
 
-// The CSV is parsed inside the request (the uploaded temp file is deleted when the
-// response is sent); the parsed rows are handed to an in-process background job
-// that writes one post per row.
+// The upload is staged because the request temp file is deleted with the response.
+// Request-time parsing preserves synchronous validation and the current row count;
+// the class-based job reparses the staged file so its payload stays serializable.
 
 // The id is what a completion report will be looked up by.
 export interface ImportAccepted {
@@ -54,7 +56,7 @@ const messages = {
 
 function logLifecycle(message: string): void {
   try {
-    logging.info(`[Background Job] content-import ${message}`);
+    logging.info(`[Background Job] ${ContentCSVImportJob.type} ${message}`);
   } catch {
     // Observability must not change whether an import is queued or resolves.
   }
@@ -72,7 +74,8 @@ interface ImporterDeps {
   getCleanHTML: () => CleanHTML;
   createMediaInliner: () => PostMediaInlining;
   email: EmailNotifications;
-  addJob: (job: { job: () => Promise<void>; offloaded: boolean; name: string }) => void;
+  dispatchJob: (job: ContentCSVImportJob) => Promise<void>;
+  fileStager: ImportFileStager;
   report: FailureReporter;
   store: ImportRunStore;
   urlForPost: (post: WrittenPost) => string;
@@ -97,7 +100,8 @@ class ContentCSVImporter {
   private _getCleanHTML: () => CleanHTML;
   private _createMediaInliner: () => PostMediaInlining;
   private _email: EmailNotifications;
-  private _addJob: ImporterDeps['addJob'];
+  private _dispatchJob: ImporterDeps['dispatchJob'];
+  private _fileStager: ImportFileStager;
   private _report: FailureReporter;
   private _store: ImportRunStore;
   private _urlForPost: (post: WrittenPost) => string;
@@ -114,7 +118,8 @@ class ContentCSVImporter {
     getCleanHTML,
     createMediaInliner,
     email,
-    addJob,
+    dispatchJob,
+    fileStager,
     report,
     store,
     urlForPost,
@@ -130,7 +135,8 @@ class ContentCSVImporter {
     this._getCleanHTML = getCleanHTML;
     this._createMediaInliner = createMediaInliner;
     this._email = email;
-    this._addJob = addJob;
+    this._dispatchJob = dispatchJob;
+    this._fileStager = fileStager;
     this._report = report;
     this._store = store;
     this._urlForPost = urlForPost;
@@ -141,66 +147,103 @@ class ContentCSVImporter {
 
   async importCSV(request: ImportRequest): Promise<ImportAccepted> {
     const emailRecipient = request.requestUserEmail ?? (await this._email.getDefaultRecipient());
-    const source = await this._prepareSource(request);
-    let preparedRows: PreparedPostRows;
+    let stagedFile: StagedImportFile;
     try {
-      const result = await this._readRows(source.filePath, request.mapping);
-      preparedRows = Array.isArray(result)
-        ? { columns: [], rows: result.map((data, index) => ({ data, line: index + 2 })) }
-        : result;
+      stagedFile = await this._fileStager.stage(request);
     } catch (error) {
-      await this.cleanupSource(source.cleanup);
       throw new errors.ValidationError({
         message: tpl(messages.unreadableFile),
         err: error,
       });
     }
+    let handedOff = false;
 
-    // Temporary while import state is held in memory: the durable job
-    // system milestone removes the cap.
-    if (preparedRows.rows.length > MAX_POSTS) {
+    try {
+      const stagedRequest = {
+        filePath: stagedFile.path,
+        fileName: stagedFile.name,
+        mapping: request.mapping,
+        requestUserEmail: request.requestUserEmail,
+      };
+      const { source, preparedRows } = await this.readPreparedRows(stagedRequest);
       await this.cleanupSource(source.cleanup);
-      throw new errors.ValidationError({
-        message: tpl(messages.tooManyPosts, { max: MAX_POSTS }),
+
+      this.assertWithinPostLimit(preparedRows.rows);
+
+      const runId = this._newRunId();
+      const importTagNames = buildImportTagNames(runId, this._getTimezone(), this._now());
+      this._store.create(runId, preparedRows.rows.length, preparedRows.columns);
+      const job = new ContentCSVImportJob({
+        importId: runId,
+        file: stagedFile,
+        mapping: request.mapping,
+        importTagNames,
+        emailRecipient,
       });
+
+      logLifecycle('queued');
+      try {
+        await this._dispatchJob(job);
+      } catch (error) {
+        this._store.fail(runId, messageOf(error));
+        this._store.release(runId);
+        throw error;
+      }
+
+      handedOff = true;
+      return { importId: runId, total: preparedRows.rows.length };
+    } finally {
+      if (!handedOff) {
+        await this.cleanupStagedFile(stagedFile);
+      }
     }
+  }
 
-    const runId = this._newRunId();
-    const importTagNames = buildImportTagNames(runId, this._getTimezone(), this._now());
-    this._store.create(runId, preparedRows.rows.length, preparedRows.columns);
+  async handle(job: ContentCSVImportJob): Promise<void> {
+    let source: PreparedImportSource | undefined;
 
-    logLifecycle('queued');
     try {
-      this._addJob({
-        job: () =>
-          this.runImportJob(runId, importTagNames, preparedRows.rows, source, emailRecipient),
-        offloaded: false,
-        name: 'content-import',
+      const prepared = await this.readPreparedRows({
+        filePath: job.file.path,
+        fileName: job.file.name,
+        mapping: job.mapping,
       });
+      source = prepared.source;
+      this.assertWithinPostLimit(prepared.preparedRows.rows);
+      await this.processRows(
+        job.importId,
+        job.importTagNames,
+        prepared.preparedRows.rows,
+        prepared.source,
+      );
     } catch (error) {
-      this._store.fail(runId, messageOf(error));
-      await this.cleanupSource(source.cleanup);
-      this._store.release(runId);
+      this._store.fail(job.importId, messageOf(error));
       throw error;
+    } finally {
+      if (source) {
+        await this.cleanupSource(source.cleanup);
+      }
+      const run = this._store.get(job.importId);
+      if (run) {
+        await this.settle(() => this._email.send(run, job.emailRecipient));
+      }
+      this._store.release(job.importId);
+      await this.cleanupStagedFile(job.file);
     }
+  }
 
-    return { importId: runId, total: preparedRows.rows.length };
+  allSettled(): Promise<void> {
+    return this._store.allSettled();
   }
 
-  // Must resolve in every case: the job manager reads a rejected inline job as a
-  // defect in the job itself, and there is no retry behind it.
-  private async runImportJob(
+  private async processRows(
     runId: string,
     importTagNames: string[],
     rows: PreparedPostRow[],
     source: PreparedImportSource,
-    emailRecipient: string,
   ): Promise<void> {
-    const startedAt = Date.now();
-    logLifecycle('started');
     let urlFailureCount = 0;
     let firstUrlFailure: unknown;
-    let failed = false;
 
     try {
       if (source.assets) {
@@ -347,19 +390,36 @@ class ContentCSVImporter {
       this.reportUrlFailures(urlFailureCount, firstUrlFailure);
       this._store.finish(runId);
     } catch (error) {
-      failed = true;
       this.reportUrlFailures(urlFailureCount, firstUrlFailure);
-      this._report(error);
-      this._store.fail(runId, messageOf(error));
-    } finally {
+      throw error;
+    }
+  }
+
+  private async readPreparedRows(
+    request: ImportRequest,
+  ): Promise<{ source: PreparedImportSource; preparedRows: PreparedPostRows }> {
+    const source = await this._prepareSource(request);
+    try {
+      const result = await this._readRows(source.filePath, request.mapping);
+      const preparedRows = Array.isArray(result)
+        ? { columns: [], rows: result.map((data, index) => ({ data, line: index + 2 })) }
+        : result;
+      return { source, preparedRows };
+    } catch (error) {
       await this.cleanupSource(source.cleanup);
-      const run = this._store.get(runId);
-      if (run) {
-        await this.settle(() => this._email.send(run, emailRecipient));
-      }
-      this._store.release(runId);
-      const outcome = failed ? 'failed after' : 'completed in';
-      logLifecycle(`${outcome} ${Date.now() - startedAt}ms`);
+      throw new errors.ValidationError({
+        message: tpl(messages.unreadableFile),
+        err: error,
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
+  private assertWithinPostLimit(rows: PreparedPostRow[]): void {
+    // Temporary while import state is held in memory: M8 removes the cap.
+    if (rows.length > MAX_POSTS) {
+      throw new errors.ValidationError({
+        message: tpl(messages.tooManyPosts, { max: MAX_POSTS }),
+      });
     }
   }
 
@@ -393,6 +453,14 @@ class ContentCSVImporter {
     }
   }
 
+  private async cleanupStagedFile(file: StagedImportFile): Promise<void> {
+    try {
+      await this._fileStager.remove(file);
+    } catch (error) {
+      this._report(error);
+    }
+  }
+
   private async settle(operation: () => Promise<unknown>): Promise<void> {
     try {
       await operation();
diff --git a/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/import/staged-file.ts b/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/import/staged-file.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3ded349c1fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/import/staged-file.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import crypto from 'node:crypto';
+import os from 'node:os';
+import path from 'node:path';
+import fs from 'fs-extra';
+
+export interface StagedImportFile {
+  path: string;
+  name: string;
+}
+
+export interface ImportFileStager {
+  stage(file: { filePath: string; fileName: string }): Promise<StagedImportFile>;
+  remove(file: StagedImportFile): Promise<void>;
+}
+
+export function createImportFileStager(): ImportFileStager {
+  return {
+    async stage({ filePath, fileName }) {
+      const stagedPath = path.join(os.tmpdir(), `content-csv-import-${crypto.randomUUID()}`);
+
+      try {
+        await fs.copyFile(filePath, stagedPath, fs.constants.COPYFILE_EXCL);
+        await fs.chmod(stagedPath, 0o600);
+      } catch (error) {
+        await fs.remove(stagedPath).catch(() => {});
+        throw error;
+      }
+
+      return { path: stagedPath, name: fileName };
+    },
+
+    async remove(file) {
+      await fs.remove(file.path);
+    },
+  };
+}
diff --git a/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/import/store.ts b/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/import/store.ts
index e25d42445f2..e82f3d2d569 100644
--- a/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/import/store.ts
+++ b/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/import/store.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ const MAX_RUN_AGE_MS = 60 * 60 * 1000;
 export class ImportRunStore {
   // Insertion-ordered, so count-eviction drops the oldest run first.
   private _runs = new Map<string, ImportRun>();
+  private _settledWaiters = new Set<() => void>();
   private _now: Clock;
 
   constructor({ now = () => new Date() }: { now?: Clock } = {}) {
@@ -95,12 +96,34 @@ export class ImportRunStore {
 
   release(id: string): void {
     this._runs.delete(id);
+    this.resolveSettledWaiters();
+  }
+
+  allSettled(): Promise<void> {
+    if (this._runs.size === 0) {
+      return Promise.resolve();
+    }
+
+    return new Promise((resolve) => {
+      this._settledWaiters.add(resolve);
+    });
+  }
+
+  private resolveSettledWaiters(): void {
+    if (this._runs.size > 0) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    for (const resolve of this._settledWaiters) {
+      resolve();
+    }
+    this._settledWaiters.clear();
   }
 
   // A running run is never evicted, whatever its age: the job holds only the runId,
   // so evicting mid-import would silently turn its record()/finish() calls into
   // no-ops and lose the report. The count cap can briefly overshoot while several
-  // imports run at once; the inline job queue bounds how many that can be.
+  // imports run at once; the jobs backend bounds how many that can be.
   private evict(): void {
     const cutoff = this._now().getTime() - MAX_RUN_AGE_MS;
     for (const [id, run] of this._runs) {
diff --git a/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/index.ts b/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/index.ts
index 5efde634691..43167a719ee 100644
--- a/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/index.ts
+++ b/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/index.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ import { prepareImportSource } from './import/source';
 import { PostMediaInliner } from './import/media';
 import { isLocalMediaUrl } from './import/local-media-url';
 import { urlForImportedPost } from './import/post-link';
+import { createImportFileStager } from './import/staged-file';
+import ContentCSVImportJob from './jobs/content-csv-import-job';
+import { getInstance as getJobsService } from '../jobs-service';
 
 // The request is built from HTTP upload metadata, so it is validated at the
 // service boundary rather than trusted.
@@ -30,7 +33,6 @@ function makeImporter(): ContentCSVImporter {
   // are guaranteed loaded.
   const models = require('../../models');
   const lexicalLib = require('../../lib/lexical');
-  const jobsService = require('../jobs');
   const settingsCache = require('../../../shared/settings-cache');
   const urlService = require('../url');
   const urlUtils = require('../../../shared/url-utils').default;
@@ -40,8 +42,8 @@ function makeImporter(): ContentCSVImporter {
   const { GhostMailer } = require('../mail');
   const ghostMailer = new GhostMailer();
 
-  // Inline jobs never reach the job manager's Sentry handler, which is wired to the
-  // offloaded worker path only, so a throw here would be seen by nobody.
+  // Row aggregates and best-effort cleanup are intentionally reported without
+  // failing a run. Fatal handler errors are reported by the class-based jobs service.
   const report: FailureReporter = (error) => {
     try {
       logging.error(
@@ -82,7 +84,8 @@ function makeImporter(): ContentCSVImporter {
           }),
       }),
     email,
-    addJob: jobsService.addJob.bind(jobsService),
+    dispatchJob: (job) => getJobsService().dispatch(job),
+    fileStager: createImportFileStager(),
     report,
     store: new ImportRunStore(),
     urlForPost: (post) =>
@@ -122,3 +125,21 @@ export function importCSV(request: ImportRequest): Promise<ImportAccepted> {
 
   return importer.importCSV(parsedRequest.data);
 }
+
+export function handleJob(job: ContentCSVImportJob): Promise<void> {
+  if (!importer) {
+    throw new errors.InternalServerError({ message: 'Content import service used before init' });
+  }
+
+  return importer.handle(job);
+}
+
+// Test-facing parity with the legacy inline queue while the import run store
+// remains in memory. M8 removes this together with that store.
+export function allSettled(): Promise<void> {
+  if (!importer) {
+    return Promise.resolve();
+  }
+
+  return importer.allSettled();
+}
diff --git a/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/jobs/content-csv-import-job.ts b/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/jobs/content-csv-import-job.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..118fed22ca1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ghost/core/core/server/services/content-import/jobs/content-csv-import-job.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { Job } from '../../jobs-service/job';
+
+export interface ContentCSVImportJobData {
+  importId: string;
+  file: {
+    path: string;
+    name: string;
+  };
+  mapping?: Record<string, string>;
+  importTagNames: string[];
+  emailRecipient: string;
+}
+
+export default class ContentCSVImportJob extends Job {
+  static type = 'content-csv-import';
+  readonly importId: string;
+  readonly file: ContentCSVImportJobData['file'];
+  readonly mapping?: Record<string, string>;
+  readonly importTagNames: string[];
+  readonly emailRecipient: string;
+
+  constructor(data: ContentCSVImportJobData) {
+    super();
+    this.importId = data.importId;
+    this.file = data.file;
+    this.mapping = data.mapping;
+    this.importTagNames = data.importTagNames;
+    this.emailRecipient = data.emailRecipient;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/ghost/core/core/server/services/jobs-service/register-job-handlers.ts b/ghost/core/core/server/services/jobs-service/register-job-handlers.ts
index 9e1451df159..166ca2bce9a 100644
--- a/ghost/core/core/server/services/jobs-service/register-job-handlers.ts
+++ b/ghost/core/core/server/services/jobs-service/register-job-handlers.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import * as gifts from '../gifts';
 import CleanGiftsJob from '../gifts/jobs/clean-gifts-job';
 import ExternalMediaInliner from '../media-inliner/external-media-inliner';
 import ExternalMediaInlinerJob from '../media-inliner/external-media-inliner-job';
+import ContentCSVImportJob from '../content-import/jobs/content-csv-import-job';
+import * as contentImport from '../content-import';
 
 interface RegisterJobHandlersDependencies {
   jobsService: JobsService;
@@ -57,4 +59,8 @@ export default function registerJobHandlers({
   jobsService.handle(ExternalMediaInlinerJob, async (job) => {
     await mediaInliner.inline(job.domains);
   });
+
+  jobsService.handle(ContentCSVImportJob, async (job) => {
+    await contentImport.handleJob(job);
+  });
 }
diff --git a/ghost/core/test/e2e-api/admin/posts-importer.test.js b/ghost/core/test/e2e-api/admin/posts-importer.test.js
index 76fc0bc5a6e..11910d42fa2 100644
--- a/ghost/core/test/e2e-api/admin/posts-importer.test.js
+++ b/ghost/core/test/e2e-api/admin/posts-importer.test.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ const path = require('path');
 const nock = require('nock');
 const papaparse = require('papaparse');
 const models = require('../../../core/server/models');
-const jobsService = require('../../../core/server/services/jobs');
+const contentImportService = require('../../../core/server/services/content-import');
 const mediaInlinerService = require('../../../core/server/services/media-inliner');
 const {
   PostMediaInliner,
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
   afterEach(async function () {
     // Every accepted upload schedules a background import — drain it so a job
     // doesn't run on into another test (or another file on this fork's DB)
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
     await cleanupRemoteImportedMedia();
     await Promise.all(getImportedAssetPaths().map((filePath) => fs.rm(filePath, { force: true })));
     mockManager.restore();
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
       .post('posts/upload/')
       .attach('postsfile', completionCsvPath)
       .expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const email = mockManager.assert.sentEmail({
       subject: 'Your content import is complete',
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     );
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', preExistingPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
     mockManager.assert.sentEmail({ subject: 'Your content import is complete' });
 
     const reportPath = await csvFile(
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     );
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', reportPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const email = mockManager.assert.sentEmail({ subject: 'Your content import is complete' });
     assert.match(email.html, /processed 6 rows/);
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     });
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').body(form).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const email = mockManager.assert.sentEmail({
       subject: 'Your content import was unsuccessful',
@@ -309,23 +309,27 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
       contentType: 'text/csv',
     });
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').body(retryForm).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
     mockManager.assert.sentEmail({ subject: 'Your content import was unsuccessful' });
   });
 
   it('Keeps content import initialization idempotent and rejects invalid service requests', async function () {
-    const contentImportService =
+    const isolatedContentImportService =
       await import('../../../core/server/services/content-import/index.ts?coverage-lifecycle');
 
     assert.throws(
-      () => contentImportService.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/posts.csv', fileName: 'posts.csv' }),
+      () =>
+        isolatedContentImportService.importCSV({
+          filePath: '/tmp/posts.csv',
+          fileName: 'posts.csv',
+        }),
       /Content import service used before init/,
     );
-    contentImportService.init();
-    contentImportService.init();
+    isolatedContentImportService.init();
+    isolatedContentImportService.init();
 
     assert.throws(
-      () => contentImportService.importCSV({ filePath: '', fileName: '' }),
+      () => isolatedContentImportService.importCSV({ filePath: '', fileName: '' }),
       (error) => {
         assert.equal(error.errorType, 'ValidationError');
         assert.match(error.message, /Too small/);
@@ -333,7 +337,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
       },
     );
     await assert.rejects(
-      contentImportService.importCSV({
+      isolatedContentImportService.importCSV({
         filePath: path.join(tmpDir, 'missing.csv'),
         fileName: 'missing.csv',
       }),
@@ -382,7 +386,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     const filePath = await csvFile('remote-media.csv', csv);
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', filePath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     for (const request of requests) {
       assert.equal(request.isDone(), true, request.pendingMocks().join(', '));
@@ -436,7 +440,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     );
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', filePath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     assert.equal(request.isDone(), true, request.pendingMocks().join(', '));
     const post = await models.Post.findOne({ title: 'Unsupported remote media', status: 'all' });
@@ -479,7 +483,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     );
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', filePath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     sinon.assert.notCalled(importUrl);
     const post = await models.Post.findOne({ title: 'Local media', status: 'all' });
@@ -606,7 +610,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     );
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', filePath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(importUrl, sourceUrl);
     const post = await models.Post.findOne({ title: 'Unexpected media failure', status: 'all' });
@@ -631,7 +635,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     const { body } = await agent.post('posts/upload/').body(form).expectStatus(202);
     assert.equal(body.meta.total, 1);
 
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
     const post = await models.Post.findOne({ title: 'ZIP mapping post', status: 'all' });
     assert.ok(post);
     assert.match(post.get('html'), /Mapped from ZIP/);
@@ -658,7 +662,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
       .attach('postsfile', zipPath)
       .expectStatus(202);
     assert.equal(body.meta.total, 3);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     sinon.assert.notCalled(importUrl);
 
@@ -719,7 +723,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
       .attach('postsfile', zipPath)
       .expectStatus(202);
     assert.equal(body.meta.total, 1);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     for (const filePath of getImportedAssetPaths().slice(4, 7)) {
       assert.equal(await fs.stat(filePath).then(() => true), true, `${filePath} was stored`);
@@ -760,7 +764,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     });
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', zipPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const post = await models.Post.findOne({ title: 'ZIP failed assets', status: 'all' });
     assert.equal(post, null);
@@ -785,7 +789,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     });
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', zipPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const post = await models.Post.findOne({ title: 'ZIP partial file failure', status: 'all' });
     assert.equal(post, null);
@@ -806,7 +810,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     });
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', zipPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const post = await models.Post.findOne({ title: 'ZIP cross-group failure', status: 'all' });
     assert.equal(post, null);
@@ -835,7 +839,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     });
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', zipPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const post = await models.Post.findOne({ title: 'ZIP incomplete rollback', status: 'all' });
     assert.equal(post, null);
@@ -1058,7 +1062,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     assert.match(body.meta.import_id, /^[0-9a-f]{24}$/);
     assert.equal(body.meta.total, 2);
 
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const { data: posts } = await models.Post.findPage({
       filter: `title:~'Content check post'`,
@@ -1133,9 +1137,9 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     );
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', duplicateCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', duplicateCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const { data: posts } = await models.Post.findPage({
       filter: "slug:'csv-deduplication-check'",
@@ -1157,7 +1161,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
         'CSV source ID original,csv-source-id-original,m5-source-id-primary\n',
     );
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', originalCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const comparisonCsvPath = await csvFile(
       'posts-import-source-id-comparisons.csv',
@@ -1176,7 +1180,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
       contentType: 'text/csv',
     });
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').body(form).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const original = await models.Post.findOne({ slug: 'csv-source-id-original', status: 'all' });
     const sourceDuplicate = await models.Post.findOne({
@@ -1208,7 +1212,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
         'CSV update slug original,csv-update-by-slug,,2025-01-01T00:00:00.000Z\n',
     );
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', originalCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const updatesCsvPath = await csvFile(
       'posts-import-update-comparisons.csv',
@@ -1221,7 +1225,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
         'CSV update after invalid,csv-update-after-invalid,,2025-04-01T00:00:00.000Z\n',
     );
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', updatesCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const newer = await models.Post.findOne({
       comment_id: 'm5-update-source',
@@ -1258,7 +1262,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', paidSiteCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
 
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const post = await models.Post.findOne({ title: 'Visibility check post', status: 'all' });
     // left to the model, visibility would have followed default_content_visibility
@@ -1298,7 +1302,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     });
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').body(form).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const post = await models.Post.findOne(
       { title: 'Mapped field post', status: 'all' },
@@ -1361,7 +1365,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     });
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').body(form).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const post = await models.Post.findOne(
       { title: 'CSV existing relations', status: 'all' },
@@ -1396,7 +1400,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     );
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', authorsCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const contributor = await models.User.findOne(
       { email: 'new-csv-contributor@example.com', status: 'all' },
@@ -1447,7 +1451,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     );
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', authorsCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     assert.equal(
       await models.User.findOne({ email: 'csv-rollback-contributor@example.com', status: 'all' }),
@@ -1469,14 +1473,14 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
         'CSV created tags two,"#CSV Internal Tag,New CSV Tag"\n',
     );
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', firstCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const secondCsvPath = await csvFile(
       'posts-import-reused-tags.csv',
       'title,tags\nCSV reused tags,New CSV Tag\n',
     );
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', secondCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const publicTags = await models.Tag.findAll({ filter: "name:'New CSV Tag'" });
     const internalTags = await models.Tag.findAll({ filter: "name:'#CSV Internal Tag'" });
@@ -1534,7 +1538,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     );
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', tagsCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     assert.equal(await models.Tag.findOne({ name: 'CSV Rollback Tag' }), null);
     assert.equal(await models.Post.findOne({ title: 'CSV tag rollback', status: 'all' }), null);
@@ -1556,7 +1560,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     });
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').body(form).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const post = await models.Post.findOne({ title: 'Markdown field post', status: 'all' });
     assert.ok(post);
@@ -1573,7 +1577,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
     );
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', cleanupCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const post = await models.Post.findOne({ title: 'Clean HTML post', status: 'all' });
     assert.ok(post);
@@ -1601,7 +1605,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', badRowsCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
 
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const { data: posts } = await models.Post.findPage({
       filter: `title:~'Bad rows check'`,
@@ -1632,7 +1636,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
 
     await agent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', garbageCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
 
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const {
       meta: {
@@ -1661,7 +1665,7 @@ describe('Posts Importer API', function () {
 
     assert.match(body.errors[0].message, /more than 100 posts/);
 
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const { data: posts } = await models.Post.findPage({
       filter: `title:~'Over cap post'`,
diff --git a/ghost/core/test/e2e-webhooks/posts-importer.test.ts b/ghost/core/test/e2e-webhooks/posts-importer.test.ts
index e709ad138db..c9eb406a42b 100644
--- a/ghost/core/test/e2e-webhooks/posts-importer.test.ts
+++ b/ghost/core/test/e2e-webhooks/posts-importer.test.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 const DomainEvents = require('@tryghost/domain-events');
 const { agentProvider, mockManager, fixtureManager, dbUtils } = require('../utils/e2e-framework');
 const models = require('../../core/server/models');
-const jobsService = require('../../core/server/services/jobs');
+const contentImportService = require('../../core/server/services/content-import');
 
 // The importer's key safety guarantee: a bulk import sends zero newsletter emails
 // and fires zero per-post webhooks. Every consumer of post events checks
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ describe('CSV content import side-effects', function () {
   });
 
   afterEach(async function () {
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
     mockManager.restore();
   });
 
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ describe('CSV content import side-effects', function () {
     );
 
     await adminAPIAgent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', csvPath).expectStatus(202);
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
 
     const updateCsvPath = path.join(tmpDir, 'posts-import-update-side-effects.csv');
     await fs.writeFile(
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ describe('CSV content import side-effects', function () {
     );
     await adminAPIAgent.post('posts/upload/').attach('postsfile', updateCsvPath).expectStatus(202);
 
-    await jobsService.allSettled();
+    await contentImportService.allSettled();
     await DomainEvents.allSettled();
     // The negative needs a settle window: a wrongly-fired webhook reaches nock a
     // beat after the model event, and asserting too early would pass vacuously
diff --git a/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/content-import/import/importer.test.ts b/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/content-import/import/importer.test.ts
index cbafbd96a70..1893f085381 100644
--- a/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/content-import/import/importer.test.ts
+++ b/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/content-import/import/importer.test.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import type { PostImportRow } from '../../../../../../core/server/services/conte
 import type { PostData } from '../../../../../../core/server/services/content-import/import/post-data';
 import type { PostWriteMetadata } from '../../../../../../core/server/services/content-import/import/post-repository';
 import type { ImportRun } from '../../../../../../core/server/services/content-import/import/store';
+import ContentCSVImportJob from '../../../../../../core/server/services/content-import/jobs/content-csv-import-job';
 
 const row = (title: string, html = `<p>${title}</p>`): PostImportRow => ({
   title,
@@ -23,7 +24,9 @@ function harness(
 ) {
   const created: Array<{ data: PostData; options: object; metadata?: PostWriteMetadata }> = [];
   const reported: unknown[] = [];
-  const jobs: Array<{ name: string; offloaded: boolean; job: () => Promise<void> }> = [];
+  const jobs: ContentCSVImportJob[] = [];
+  const stagedFiles: Array<{ path: string; name: string }> = [];
+  const removedFiles: Array<{ path: string; name: string }> = [];
   const createFailures = new Map<string, unknown>();
   const duplicateSlugs = new Set<string>();
   const updatedTitles = new Set<string>();
@@ -99,9 +102,19 @@ function harness(
       send: sendEmail,
       getDefaultRecipient,
     },
-    addJob: (job: { name: string; offloaded: boolean; job: () => Promise<void> }) => {
+    dispatchJob: async (job: ContentCSVImportJob) => {
       jobs.push(job);
     },
+    fileStager: {
+      stage: async ({ fileName }: { fileName: string }) => {
+        const file = { path: `/tmp/staged-${stagedFiles.length + 1}`, name: fileName };
+        stagedFiles.push(file);
+        return file;
+      },
+      remove: async (file: { path: string; name: string }) => {
+        removedFiles.push(file);
+      },
+    },
     report: (error: unknown) => {
       reported.push(error);
     },
@@ -120,14 +133,14 @@ function harness(
 
   const importer = new ContentCSVImporter(deps);
 
-  // The scheduled job is invoked directly rather than through the job manager.
+  // The dispatched job is invoked directly rather than through the jobs backend.
   const run = async () => {
     const accepted = await importer.importCSV({
       filePath: '/tmp/posts.csv',
       fileName: 'posts.csv',
     });
     for (const job of jobs) {
-      await job.job();
+      await importer.handle(job);
     }
     return accepted;
   };
@@ -151,6 +164,8 @@ function harness(
     created,
     reported,
     jobs,
+    stagedFiles,
+    removedFiles,
     createFailures,
     duplicateSlugs,
     updatedTitles,
@@ -184,7 +199,7 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     sinon.restore();
   });
 
-  it('accepts the upload with the row count and defers the writes to one inline job', async function () {
+  it('accepts the upload with the row count and dispatches one serializable job', async function () {
     const h = harness();
 
     const accepted = await h.importer.importCSV({
@@ -194,8 +209,15 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
 
     assert.deepEqual(accepted, { importId: 'run_test', total: 2 });
     assert.equal(h.jobs.length, 1);
-    assert.equal(h.jobs[0].name, 'content-import');
-    assert.equal(h.jobs[0].offloaded, false);
+    assert.equal(h.jobs[0].constructor, ContentCSVImportJob);
+    const serialized = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(h.jobs[0]));
+    assert.deepEqual(serialized, {
+      importId: 'run_test',
+      file: { path: '/tmp/staged-1', name: 'posts.csv' },
+      importTagNames: ['#Import 2026-01-01 11:30', '#Import Run run_test'],
+      emailRecipient: 'owner@example.com',
+    });
+    assert.deepEqual(JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(new ContentCSVImportJob(serialized))), serialized);
     assert.equal(h.created.length, 0, 'nothing is written until the job runs');
     assert.equal(
       h.store.get('run_test')?.status,
@@ -204,14 +226,30 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     );
   });
 
-  it('logs the searchable lifecycle of the inline job', async function () {
+  it('logs when the class-based job is queued', async function () {
     const h = harness();
 
     await h.run();
 
-    sinon.assert.calledWithExactly(infoLog, '[Background Job] content-import queued');
-    sinon.assert.calledWithExactly(infoLog, '[Background Job] content-import started');
-    sinon.assert.calledWithMatch(infoLog, /^\[Background Job\] content-import completed in \d+ms$/);
+    sinon.assert.calledWithExactly(infoLog, '[Background Job] content-csv-import queued');
+    assert.deepEqual(h.removedFiles, [{ path: '/tmp/staged-1', name: 'posts.csv' }]);
+  });
+
+  it('settles only after the dispatched import has finished reporting and cleanup', async function () {
+    const h = harness();
+    await h.importer.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/posts.csv', fileName: 'posts.csv' });
+    let settled = false;
+    const waiting = h.importer.allSettled().then(() => {
+      settled = true;
+    });
+
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    assert.equal(settled, false);
+
+    h.releaseRun.restore();
+    await h.importer.handle(h.jobs[0]);
+    await waiting;
+    assert.equal(settled, true);
   });
 
   it('carries original source columns and cells into the completed run', async function () {
@@ -262,7 +300,7 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
       fileName: 'posts.csv',
       requestUserEmail: 'requester@example.com',
     });
-    await h.jobs[0].job();
+    await h.importer.handle(h.jobs[0]);
 
     sinon.assert.notCalled(h.getDefaultRecipient);
     sinon.assert.calledOnce(h.sendEmail);
@@ -315,7 +353,7 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
       throw failure;
     });
 
-    await h.run();
+    await assert.rejects(h.run(), failure);
 
     sinon.assert.calledOnce(h.sendEmail);
     assert.equal(h.sentRuns[0].status, 'failed');
@@ -329,7 +367,7 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
 
     await h.importer.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/posts.csv', fileName: 'posts.csv' });
     h.store.release('run_test');
-    await h.jobs[0].job();
+    await h.importer.handle(h.jobs[0]);
 
     sinon.assert.notCalled(h.sendEmail);
     assert.equal(h.created.length, 2);
@@ -341,7 +379,7 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     const importer = new ContentCSVImporter(deps);
 
     await importer.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/posts.csv', fileName: 'posts.csv' });
-    await h.jobs[0].job();
+    await importer.handle(h.jobs[0]);
 
     assert.ok(h.store.get('run_test')?.startedAt instanceof Date);
     assert.ok(h.store.get('run_test')?.finishedAt instanceof Date);
@@ -365,11 +403,11 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
 
   it('passes a caller-supplied mapping to the CSV reader', async function () {
     const h = harness();
-    let receivedMapping: Record<string, string> | undefined;
+    const receivedMappings: Array<Record<string, string> | undefined> = [];
     const importer = new ContentCSVImporter({
       ...h.deps,
       readRows: async (_path, mapping) => {
-        receivedMapping = mapping;
+        receivedMappings.push(mapping);
         return [row('Mapped')];
       },
     });
@@ -379,8 +417,10 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
       fileName: 'posts.csv',
       mapping: { Headline: 'title' },
     });
+    await importer.handle(h.jobs[0]);
 
-    assert.deepEqual(receivedMapping, { Headline: 'title' });
+    assert.deepEqual(receivedMappings, [{ Headline: 'title' }, { Headline: 'title' }]);
+    assert.deepEqual(h.jobs[0].mapping, { Headline: 'title' });
   });
 
   it('reads a prepared archive source and cleans it after the job', async function () {
@@ -399,9 +439,9 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     await importer.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/upload', fileName: 'posts.zip' });
 
     assert.equal(receivedPath, '/tmp/extracted/posts.csv');
-    sinon.assert.notCalled(cleanup);
-    await h.jobs[0].job();
     sinon.assert.calledOnce(cleanup);
+    await importer.handle(h.jobs[0]);
+    sinon.assert.calledTwice(cleanup);
   });
 
   it('stores and rewrites every asset before resolving content converters', async function () {
@@ -436,11 +476,11 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     });
 
     await importer.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/posts.zip', fileName: 'posts.zip' });
-    await h.jobs[0].job();
+    await importer.handle(h.jobs[0]);
 
     assert.deepEqual(events.slice(0, 4), ['store', 'rewrite', 'convert', 'inline']);
     assert.match(h.created[0].data.lexical ?? '', /unique\.jpg/);
-    sinon.assert.calledOnce(cleanup);
+    sinon.assert.calledTwice(cleanup);
   });
 
   it('fails the run without converting or creating posts when asset storage fails', async function () {
@@ -464,15 +504,15 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     });
 
     await importer.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/posts.zip', fileName: 'posts.zip' });
-    await h.jobs[0].job();
+    await assert.rejects(importer.handle(h.jobs[0]), failure);
 
     assert.equal(h.converterResolutions(), 0);
     assert.equal(h.created.length, 0);
     assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test')?.status, 'failed');
     assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test')?.failureReason, 'storage unavailable');
-    assert.equal(h.reported.at(-1), failure);
+    assert.deepEqual(h.reported, []);
     sinon.assert.notCalled(rewriteRows);
-    sinon.assert.calledOnce(cleanup);
+    sinon.assert.calledTwice(cleanup);
   });
 
   it('writes one post per row, in order, under the importing options', async function () {
@@ -520,7 +560,7 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     });
 
     await importer.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/posts.csv', fileName: 'posts.csv' });
-    await h.jobs[0].job();
+    await importer.handle(h.jobs[0]);
 
     assert.deepEqual(events, ['convert', 'inline', 'write']);
   });
@@ -529,9 +569,9 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     const h = harness([row('Cached media')]);
 
     await h.importer.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/first.csv', fileName: 'first.csv' });
-    await h.jobs[0].job();
+    await h.importer.handle(h.jobs[0]);
     await h.importer.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/second.csv', fileName: 'second.csv' });
-    await h.jobs[1].job();
+    await h.importer.handle(h.jobs[1]);
 
     sinon.assert.calledTwice(h.createMediaInliner);
     assert.notEqual(
@@ -601,11 +641,11 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     const failure = new Error('media importer defect');
     h.inlineMedia.rejects(failure);
 
-    await h.run();
+    await assert.rejects(h.run(), failure);
 
     assert.equal(h.created.length, 0);
     assert.equal(h.inlineMedia.callCount, 1);
-    assert.deepEqual(h.reported, [failure]);
+    assert.deepEqual(h.reported, []);
     assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test')?.status, 'failed');
     assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test')?.failureReason, failure.message);
   });
@@ -681,6 +721,28 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     assert.equal(h.jobs.length, 0, 'no job was scheduled');
     sinon.assert.calledOnce(cleanup);
     assert.equal(h.reported.at(-1), cleanupError);
+    assert.deepEqual(h.removedFiles, [{ path: '/tmp/staged-1', name: 'posts.csv' }]);
+  });
+
+  it('reports an upload that cannot be staged as an unreadable file', async function () {
+    const h = harness();
+    const importer = new ContentCSVImporter({
+      ...h.deps,
+      fileStager: {
+        ...h.deps.fileStager,
+        stage: async () => {
+          throw new Error('copy failed');
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    await assert.rejects(
+      importer.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/posts.csv', fileName: 'posts.csv' }),
+      /The file could not be parsed as a CSV file/,
+    );
+
+    assert.equal(h.jobs.length, 0);
+    assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test'), undefined);
   });
 
   it('resolves the html converter once per run, not per row', async function () {
@@ -738,15 +800,65 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test'), undefined, 'no run was registered');
     sinon.assert.notCalled(storeAssets);
     sinon.assert.calledOnce(cleanup);
+    assert.deepEqual(h.removedFiles, [{ path: '/tmp/staged-1', name: 'posts.zip' }]);
   });
 
-  it('cleans a prepared source if scheduling throws', async function () {
+  it('rechecks the temporary cap inside the job before writing', async function () {
+    const h = harness();
+    let readCount = 0;
+    const importer = new ContentCSVImporter({
+      ...h.deps,
+      readRows: async () => {
+        readCount += 1;
+        return readCount === 1
+          ? [row('Preflight')]
+          : Array.from({ length: 101 }, (_, i) => row(`Post ${i + 1}`));
+      },
+    });
+
+    await importer.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/posts.csv', fileName: 'posts.csv' });
+    await assert.rejects(importer.handle(h.jobs[0]), /more than 100 posts/);
+
+    assert.equal(h.created.length, 0);
+    assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test')?.status, 'failed');
+    assert.match(h.store.get('run_test')?.failureReason ?? '', /more than 100 posts/);
+    assert.deepEqual(h.removedFiles, [{ path: '/tmp/staged-1', name: 'posts.csv' }]);
+  });
+
+  it('fails and emails the run if the staged file cannot be reparsed by the job', async function () {
+    const h = harness();
+    let readCount = 0;
+    const importer = new ContentCSVImporter({
+      ...h.deps,
+      readRows: async () => {
+        readCount += 1;
+        if (readCount === 2) {
+          throw new Error('staged file unavailable');
+        }
+        return [row('Preflight')];
+      },
+    });
+
+    await importer.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/posts.csv', fileName: 'posts.csv' });
+    await assert.rejects(importer.handle(h.jobs[0]), /could not be parsed as a CSV/);
+
+    assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test')?.status, 'failed');
+    assert.match(h.store.get('run_test')?.failureReason ?? '', /could not be parsed as a CSV/);
+    sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(
+      h.sendEmail,
+      sinon.match({ status: 'failed' }),
+      'owner@example.com',
+    );
+    assert.deepEqual(h.removedFiles, [{ path: '/tmp/staged-1', name: 'posts.csv' }]);
+  });
+
+  it('cleans a prepared source if dispatch fails', async function () {
     const h = harness();
     const cleanup = sinon.stub().resolves();
     const importer = new ContentCSVImporter({
       ...h.deps,
       prepareSource: async () => ({ filePath: '/tmp/extracted/posts.csv', cleanup }),
-      addJob: () => {
+      dispatchJob: async () => {
         throw new Error('queue unavailable');
       },
     });
@@ -760,6 +872,7 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     sinon.assert.calledOnce(cleanup);
     sinon.assert.notCalled(h.sendEmail);
     sinon.assert.calledOnceWithExactly(h.releaseRun, 'run_test');
+    assert.deepEqual(h.removedFiles, [{ path: '/tmp/staged-1', name: 'posts.zip' }]);
   });
 
   it('reports cleanup failures without rejecting the completed job', async function () {
@@ -776,10 +889,30 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     });
 
     await importer.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/posts.zip', fileName: 'posts.zip' });
-    await h.jobs[0].job();
+    await importer.handle(h.jobs[0]);
 
     assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test')?.status, 'complete');
-    assert.equal(h.reported.at(-1), cleanupError);
+    assert.deepEqual(h.reported, [cleanupError, cleanupError]);
+  });
+
+  it('reports a staged-file cleanup failure without rejecting the completed job', async function () {
+    const h = harness();
+    const cleanupError = new Error('staged cleanup failed');
+    const importer = new ContentCSVImporter({
+      ...h.deps,
+      fileStager: {
+        ...h.deps.fileStager,
+        remove: async () => {
+          throw cleanupError;
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    await importer.importCSV({ filePath: '/tmp/posts.csv', fileName: 'posts.csv' });
+    await importer.handle(h.jobs[0]);
+
+    assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test')?.status, 'complete');
+    assert.deepEqual(h.reported, [cleanupError]);
   });
 
   it('accepts a file exactly at the cap', async function () {
@@ -1038,20 +1171,19 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     );
   });
 
-  it("still reports a run-level failure that is nobody's row", async function () {
+  it("rejects a run-level failure that is nobody's row for the jobs service to report", async function () {
     const h = harness();
     const failure = new Error('converter unavailable');
     h.setHtmlToLexicalFactory(() => {
       throw failure;
     });
 
-    await h.run();
+    await assert.rejects(h.run(), failure);
 
-    assert.deepEqual(h.reported, [failure]);
+    assert.deepEqual(h.reported, []);
     assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test')?.status, 'failed');
     assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test')?.failureReason, 'converter unavailable');
     assert.ok(h.store.get('run_test')?.finishedAt instanceof Date);
-    sinon.assert.calledWithMatch(infoLog, /^\[Background Job\] content-import failed after \d+ms$/);
   });
 
   it('stops the run for an unexpected row-processing failure', async function () {
@@ -1064,9 +1196,9 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
     });
     const h = harness([badRow, row('Never reached')]);
 
-    await h.run();
+    await assert.rejects(h.run(), failure);
 
-    assert.deepEqual(h.reported, [failure]);
+    assert.deepEqual(h.reported, []);
     assert.equal(h.created.length, 0);
     assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test')?.status, 'failed');
     assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test')?.failureReason, 'unexpected row failure');
@@ -1078,9 +1210,9 @@ describe('ContentCSVImporter', function () {
       throw {};
     });
 
-    await h.run();
+    await assert.rejects(h.run(), () => true);
 
-    assert.deepEqual(h.reported, [{}]);
+    assert.deepEqual(h.reported, []);
     assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test')?.status, 'failed');
     assert.equal(h.store.get('run_test')?.failureReason, 'Unknown error');
   });
diff --git a/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/content-import/import/staged-file.test.ts b/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/content-import/import/staged-file.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..26a1b011ae0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/content-import/import/staged-file.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import os from 'node:os';
+import path from 'node:path';
+import fs from 'fs-extra';
+import sinon from 'sinon';
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, it } from 'vitest';
+import { createImportFileStager } from '../../../../../../core/server/services/content-import/import/staged-file';
+
+describe('content import staged file', function () {
+  let sourceDirectory: string;
+  let sourcePath: string;
+  const stagedPaths: string[] = [];
+
+  beforeEach(async function () {
+    sourceDirectory = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'content-import-stager-test-'));
+    sourcePath = path.join(sourceDirectory, 'upload');
+    await fs.writeFile(sourcePath, 'title\nA staged post\n');
+  });
+
+  afterEach(async function () {
+    sinon.restore();
+    await Promise.all(stagedPaths.map((stagedPath) => fs.remove(stagedPath)));
+    stagedPaths.length = 0;
+    await fs.remove(sourceDirectory);
+  });
+
+  it('copies uploads to unique private files and removes them idempotently', async function () {
+    const stager = createImportFileStager();
+    const first = await stager.stage({ filePath: sourcePath, fileName: 'posts.csv' });
+    const second = await stager.stage({ filePath: sourcePath, fileName: 'posts.csv' });
+    stagedPaths.push(first.path, second.path);
+
+    assert.notEqual(first.path, second.path);
+    assert.equal(first.name, 'posts.csv');
+    assert.equal(await fs.readFile(first.path, 'utf8'), 'title\nA staged post\n');
+    assert.equal((await fs.stat(first.path)).mode & 0o777, 0o600);
+
+    await stager.remove(first);
+    await stager.remove(first);
+    assert.equal(await fs.pathExists(first.path), false);
+  });
+
+  it('removes a partial staged file when securing it fails', async function () {
+    const stager = createImportFileStager();
+    const remove = sinon.spy(fs, 'remove');
+    sinon.stub(fs, 'chmod').rejects(new Error('chmod failed'));
+
+    await assert.rejects(
+      stager.stage({ filePath: sourcePath, fileName: 'posts.csv' }),
+      /chmod failed/,
+    );
+
+    sinon.assert.calledOnce(remove);
+    assert.equal(await fs.pathExists(remove.firstCall.args[0]), false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/content-import/import/store.test.ts b/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/content-import/import/store.test.ts
index 4c9c1fcf19c..79c73f8989d 100644
--- a/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/content-import/import/store.test.ts
+++ b/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/content-import/import/store.test.ts
@@ -93,6 +93,35 @@ describe('ImportRunStore', function () {
     assert.equal(failed?.finishedAt, finishedAt);
   });
 
+  it('settles immediately when no imports are running', async function () {
+    const store = new ImportRunStore();
+
+    await store.allSettled();
+  });
+
+  it('settles waiters only after every import has finished its reporting and is released', async function () {
+    const store = new ImportRunStore();
+    store.create('run_1', 1);
+    store.create('run_2', 1);
+    let settled = false;
+    const waiting = store.allSettled().then(() => {
+      settled = true;
+    });
+
+    store.finish('run_1');
+    store.release('run_1');
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    assert.equal(settled, false);
+
+    store.fail('run_2', 'failed');
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    assert.equal(settled, false);
+
+    store.release('run_2');
+    await waiting;
+    assert.equal(settled, true);
+  });
+
   it('keeps only the most recent finished runs', function () {
     const store = new ImportRunStore();
 
diff --git a/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/content-import/index.test.ts b/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/content-import/index.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..52d16055c34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/content-import/index.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { describe, it } from 'vitest';
+import ContentCSVImportJob from '../../../../../core/server/services/content-import/jobs/content-csv-import-job';
+
+const contentImport = require('../../../../../core/server/services/content-import');
+
+describe('content import service', function () {
+  it('fails loudly when a job is delivered before the service is initialised', async function () {
+    const job = new ContentCSVImportJob({
+      importId: 'run_test',
+      file: { path: '/tmp/staged-import', name: 'posts.csv' },
+      importTagNames: ['#Import 2026-01-01 10:30', '#Import Run run_test'],
+      emailRecipient: 'owner@example.com',
+    });
+
+    assert.throws(() => contentImport.handleJob(job), /Content import service used before init/);
+    await contentImport.allSettled();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/jobs-service/register-job-handlers.test.ts b/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/jobs-service/register-job-handlers.test.ts
index 8717b7427ed..48c976f3206 100644
--- a/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/jobs-service/register-job-handlers.test.ts
+++ b/ghost/core/test/unit/server/services/jobs-service/register-job-handlers.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import logging from '@tryghost/logging';
 import { JobsService } from '../../../../../core/server/services/jobs-service/jobs-service';
 import ExternalMediaInliner from '../../../../../core/server/services/media-inliner/external-media-inliner';
 import ExternalMediaInlinerJob from '../../../../../core/server/services/media-inliner/external-media-inliner-job';
+import ContentCSVImportJob from '../../../../../core/server/services/content-import/jobs/content-csv-import-job';
 
 const registerJobHandlers =
   require('../../../../../core/server/services/jobs-service/register-job-handlers').default;
@@ -116,4 +117,20 @@ describe('register-job-handlers', function () {
       await externalMediaInlinerHandler(job);
     }, error);
   });
+
+  it('routes content CSV import jobs to the content import service', async function () {
+    const job = new ContentCSVImportJob({
+      importId: 'run_test',
+      file: { path: '/tmp/staged-import', name: 'posts.zip' },
+      mapping: { Headline: 'title' },
+      importTagNames: ['#Import 2026-01-01 10:30', '#Import Run run_test'],
+      emailRecipient: 'owner@example.com',
+    });
+    const contentImportHandler = handlerFor('content-csv-import');
+
+    await assert.rejects(
+      () => contentImportHandler(job),
+      /Content import service used before init/,
+    );
+  });
 });