Content and Community Editor

• Business: emap
• Brand: Independent Retail News
• Base Location: Croydon/Hybrid ( 3 days from home, 2 days in the office)
• Employment Type: Full time, Permanent
• Salary: from £30,000  DOE

emap is a progressive media, content, events, subscription, and networking business. We connect influential people and organisations to a high-value network of decision-makers, data, and ideas through our industry-leading business to business portfolio of brands.

Our unrivalled relationships with experienced and highly skilled professionals in niche industries are of high value and interest to companies looking to influence and engage decision makers in those sectors. We deliver access to these highly sought-after business professionals through award-winning print and digital content, live events, intelligence services and recruitment solutions.

Independent Retail News is a monthly magazine for owners of independent convenience stores. Originally launched as Independent Grocer in 1981, the magazine changed its name to Independent Retail News in 1995. It provides must-have information that helps in the day-to-day running of stores and keeps readers up to date with the latest news and product information.

.Overall Purpose of the Role:

• Produce written content for the Product News sections of both the website and its sister magazine.
• Curate the Product News section of Independent Retail News
• Manage feature briefs for the Product Focus section and write some of the features
• Write occasional magazine features such as Retailer Profiles.
• Look after other sections of the magazine as required, including Giveaways, Reader Offers, Contents Page, And Finally.
• Manage Giveaways and Reader Offers online.
• Use social media to increase the reach of the web content and raise the profile of our brands among our core readership and key influencers within the wider trade.
• Attend industry functions and launches as an ambassador for the brands and to develop and nurture relationships with suppliers, advertisers and PR agencies.
• Look after the Product Launch of the Year section of the Retail Industry Awards and help with other elements of the awards such as judging days and writing up winners’ citations
• Support the Digital Editor as required with tasks such as news writing, uploading magazine content, managing podcasts and video content
• Support the Editor and Digital Editor in efforts to create a more engaged user base

Responsibilities:

• Sourcing and writing product news stories for TalkingRetail.com and maintaining a daily rolling news service.
• Uploading stories to the website on a regular and timely basis
• Sourcing and sizing images and adding them to stories
• Using Twitter and other social media to broadcast these stories to a wider audience, drive awareness, increase traffic and raise the profile of our brands.
• Curating those stories on a monthly basis to produce the Product News section in Independent Retail News.
• Proof-reading and editing the Product News section of the magazine.
• Sourcing and writing general industry news for www.talkingretail.com and Independent Retail News.
• Producing copy that is easy-to-read, interesting, varied, informative, engaging and accurate that will prove valuable to readers of the magazine and website.
• Helping shape the digital strategy, contributing ideas and implementing changes where necessary
• Writing category features for Independent Retail News.
• Managing the flow of copy to the Editor and ensuring deadlines are met.
• Ensuring copy complies with house-style and has good grammar, spelling and punctuation.
• Sourcing and organising photographs to illustrate product features and news stories as required.
• Interviewing people at all levels within the industry, from chief executives to brand managers, small independent retailers and their staff.
• Liaising with the sales team to keep them informed about companies that are mentioned in product news and features copy for sales leads purposes.
• Representing Independent Retail News at press launches, industry shows, conferences, seminars and other events.
• Contributing to supplements as and when necessary.
• Helping with the Retail Industry Awards in a variety of capacities, such as attending judging sessions, note-taking, report writing, copy and script editing, proof-reading AV and marketing materials.
• Other tasks as and when required by the Editor, such as writing retailer profiles, contributing to website, attending shows and conferences, producing video content and photography
• To adhere to company policies including the Anti-Bribery and Corruption policy.

Personal Specifications and Competencies:

• Excellent writing skills to produce engaging, informative and accurate copy tailored for the target audience of business professionals
• Highly developed social media skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills – both internally and externally
• Ability to develop and nurture contacts
• Keen editing and proofreading skills
• Ability to consistently translate marketing jargon and sales speak into plain, factual English that can be easily understood by readers
• Ability to write clear, interesting copy and adhere to magazine style guide
• Headline writing skills
• Writing for the web and SEO skills
• Excellent time management and organisation
• Good commercial awareness and ability to liaise with advertising team
• Ability to interview people at all levels and elicit interesting and accurate material from such interviews, telephone or face-to-face
• Creativity and ability to come up with new ideas and treatments
• Hard working and professional, with high standards
• Cost-conscious
• Confident and self-motivated
• Flexible, adaptable and pro-active. Able to work on own initiative.
• Confidence around digital technology, particularly social media, websites and content management systems (particularly WordPress), as well as Microsoft Office products.
• Self-reliance and ability to take on and manage projects, while at the same time knowing when to ask for guidance, assistant and advice
• Great communicator
• Inquisitive and persistent
• Well organised

Benefits: emap is part of Metropolis Group. Together we are committed to providing a happy and healthy place to work, so we offer fantastic benefits and perks to our employees.

• 25 days of holiday per year (with the option to buy or sell)
• Health plan
• Life insurance cover
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Discounted gym memberships
• Retail discount vouchers
• Rail season ticket loans
• Continuous learning & Development opportunities for Editors
• Quarterly Editorial Excellence Awards
• Optional- one paid volunteer day per year
• Private virtual GP access
• Seasonal flue jabs on site
• Pension scheme
• Income Protection and more

Equipment: Due to hybrid working laptops are provided.

Place of work: This exciting position is a full-time hybrid role. 2 days in the office, 3 days from home. This could change over time depending on business needs.

Privacy:  Metropolis Group respects the privacy of every person for whom we have personal data. We comply with data protection legislation such as the Data Protection Act 1998 and the General Data Protection Regulation which regulates the processing of data and ensures that your data is processed fairly and lawfully, is kept secure and only that data necessary for any processing is kept. You can see our privacy policy at www.metropolis.co.uk/privacy.

Diversity and Inclusion:  We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusion.  All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, age, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability status.

How to apply: Please send your CV covering letter with notice and salary expectations to bobby.pepelyashka@emap.com.  Due to the volume of applications, we receive, we are unable to give individual feedback at the application stage, however if you are successfully shortlisted you will be contacted within 10 working days of the closing date.