As Brand Editor, your primary goal is to lead the strategic development of What Hi-Fi? and its staff to ensure that the brand remains the most authoritative and trusted source of sound and vision tech reviews, news and comment.
In the immediate term, this means overseeing What Hi-Fi? through a period of transition with the following objectives:
• Structuring staff, resources and time management (yours and theirs) to ensure that What Hi-Fi? capitalises on its status as the most trusted consumer tech reviews brand in the tech market and produces the best online and print products possible.
• Fostering a culture of change that encourages staff to think of themselves as working for What Hi-Fi?, not the magazine or the website.
In short, the priority is to understand the wants and needs of different What Hi-Fi? audiences, and manage resources to ensure that it delivers whatever they want, whenever and however they want it.
To achieve this, you will need to define and head up a revised editorial structure that promotes flexibility and the ability to switch priorities according to what’s required.
This structure must break down the walls that exist between the current magazine and website teams, and allow both to capitalise on the opportunities (and resources) at their disposal. You will play a key role in driving good communication between staff and devising practical ways in which they can work closely and efficiently together.
Staff development is an important part of your role, and one-to-one coaching should also be a part of your weekly responsibilities. This will involve regular reviews of print and online content and assistance with forward planning and development on both platforms.
Generally, you will not be required to be part of the production team. However, it is your role to identify and resolve weaknesses within What Hi-Fi?’s products and activities, and to ensure that each department adjusts its performance to facilitate this. This may require you to ‘join’ a department for a short period to identify areas for improvement and introduce best practice.
What Hi-Fi?’s web business is your priority and you must be able to demonstrate an instinct for understanding traffic and the accompanying ability to attach numbers to a content strategy.
There will be occasions when you will be required as an ambassador for the brand in the wider tech world. However, it is anticipated that the lion’s share of your time will be spent in the office ensuring that the brand operates effectively, rather than in the market
Specific responsibilities
Staff and resourcing
• Develop a team of high quality, motivated and effective staff.
• Ensure good communication and teamwork throughout the team.
• Take responsibility for editorial budgeting across the brand, ensuring that resources are directed appropriately and efficiently.
• Support the Publishing Director in the running of all key aspects of the brand.
Strategy
• Develop, along with the Publishing Director, a robust product strategy for What Hi-Fi? that is flexible enough to withstand the rapid growth of digital.
• Build strong relationships with section heads in the editorial, sales and production teams.
• Demand the highest standards of journalism and production across the brand.
• Communicate strategy to all staff, ensuring everyone is aware of common goals and targets, and that they have the resources necessary to do their jobs.
• Ensure that organisational systems are easily understood by all and manageable in your absence.
• Monitor rivals and adjust the performance of What Hi-FI? to compete if necessary.
• Work with editorial and publishing colleagues on Stuff to maintain a common goal of joint success in the tech market.
• Develop a successful relationship with the online product manager and the head of the digital team to ensure a successful product development process underpinned by Agile principles
• Work closely with the editorial director and head of search to define, and execute, the editorial content strategy
Day to day
• Take responsibility for quality control across everything that goes under the What Hi-Fi? masthead: relevance, accuracy, tone, style, legality.
• Work with editors to ensure that the magazine and website run smoothly and without friction.
• Plan well ahead, ensuring that all staff have a clear understanding of short- and long-term objectives - and their part in realising them.
• Generate ideas for additional projects, including print and digital products and events.
• Work to ensure that your projects operate within allocated budgets.
• Set a high standard in terms of general behaviour, appearance and professionalism
Haymarket is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all areas of the community.
If you are interested in applying for this position please email your CV and covering letter to: recruitment@haymarket.com