Further information

The job holder is responsible for overseeing features, special reports/supplements and news desks of Employee Benefits (print and online). This includes providing written and strategic input into all aspects of editorial content, ensuring maximum readership and/or web user impact from news, features and special reports/supplements. The job holder has responsibility for content for established events such as the Employee Benefit Awards.

Context of the Role

Centaur is a leading business information, publishing and events group providing marketing and information solutions within high value professional and commercial market communities.

This position is based in the Employee Benefits team of Centaur’s Business Publishing division. Employee Benefits is a monthly publication and website aimed at HR professionals who decide on the benefits offered to employees. It is the only feature-led business magazine focussing on employee benefits and is read by nearly 10,000 benefits decision-makers every month. It is the leading benefits website reaching 20,000 users a week. It runs roughly five major events a year, with these making up half of its business.

Key Accountabilities

Strategic

Contributing to the editorial direction of the magazine and website.
Meeting with the Editor and Commercial Director to agree annual features and supplement schedule.
Meeting with the Editor, Publisher, Events Manager and Commercial Director to set strategy for Employee Benefits Awards.

Operational Responsibilities

Deputising in the absence of the Editor and contributing fully to all editorial dimensions of the brand.
Working with Editor, Associate Editor, Features Editor and editorial team in deciding topics and stance for features in the magazine and supplements/special reports.
Ensuring content is engaging for Employee Benefits readership and online users.
Ensuring each issue meets relevant deadlines and copy (print and digital) is error free and of a high standard.
Continually thinking of new angles, different ways of approaching features and encouraging team to be innovative so as to ensure content is appealing and engaging to the Employee Benefits readership and online users.
Ensure all stories written for the web maximise SEO, links, tagging, cross heads and related stories.
Manage monthly ‘set live’ schedule of the website to ensure features go live evenly throughout the month and dovetail with email alerts.
Overseeing setting up of daily email alerts (daily news alert and morning update alerts), ensuring these are sent out to agreed timescales.
Ensuring email alerts contain engaging content using compelling headlines and subject lines.
Meeting with news team each month to agree magazine upfront section.
Overseeing and signing off daily online news.
Use social media to promote Employee Benefits website content and events to the market (Twitter, LinkedIn etc).
Meeting with sponsors as needed with regards to sponsored content in print, magazine and online.
Commissioning paid-for content to sponsors as required.
Defining categories and judges for Employee Benefits Awards – in agreement with the Editor. Judging the Employee Benefits Awards along with Editor and Associate Editor.
Chairing sessions at Employee Benefits events and roundtable discussions as needed.

Relationship Management

Developing and maintaining contacts with key industry figures.
Meeting with sponsors of events, print or online products as required.
Meeting with Publisher, Commercial Director or Events Sales Director as relevant across online/print or events.
Liaising internally with the team to develop features, news stories, supplements and the upfront section.
Communicating externally with their own contacts with regards to the stories and events they will cover.

Establishing and maintaining good communication with the team and wider departments (especially production) ensuring smooth workflow (events, print, online, emails) is achieved to deadline.

People Management

Managing the team and magazine in the absence of the editor.

Working with the Editor to train and develop new members of staff as necessary.
Encouraging writers to get case studies and build strong relationships with contacts.
Ensuring features are submitted to deadline to ensuring publishing deadlines are met.

Key Skills & Knowledge

Essential

Excellent understanding of the news process and strong news sense.
Excellent feature writing and editing experience.
Excellent online skills including SEO, social media and writing for websites.
Good understanding of what makes attractive event content.
Awareness of commercial pressures and a strong sense of editorial integrity.
Excellent communication skills and ability to represent the publication at seminars and industry events.
Experience of commissioning writers and managing and motivating teams.

Desirable

Good knowledge of the industry.
Understanding the Employee Benefits readership.
Public speaking or event chairing skills.
Social media skills.
Data journalism skills

Key Competencies

Relationship Management

Delegation

Leadership

Organised

Attention to detail

Commercial

Balanced Judgement

Decisive

Communication

Applications should be emailed to: debbie.lovewell-tuck@centaur.co.uk