News Content Editor - Manchester Evening News (Maternity cover)

Do you want to work in one of the country's most vibrant newsrooms, covering the best city in the world? The Manchester Evening News is the largest regional website in the country with a huge audience and we are looking for a Content Editor to join us on an 8 month maternity cover contract, managing, editing and publishing news and other content. Here at the MEN, we pride ourselves on setting the agenda, producing the highest standard of content and engaging audiences across Manchester and beyond.

This senior role on the newsdesk is responsible for - as part of a team - managing reporters and photographers and running the Manchester Evening News website, so we are looking for an experienced news editor or a senior journalist with newsdesk experience. This role is home and hub based linked to our Manchester Hub. We are therefore looking for candidates based in and around Greater Manchester.

What will the role involve?

• Commissioning, managing, editing, producing, publishing and sharing the highest standard of content that appeals to our readers on both the MEN home page and app.
• Providing a superb news and entertainment service to the people of Greater Manchester and beyond.
• Producing and publishing content using images, video, audio, blogs and other digital storytelling tools that drive traffic and help to reach digital targets.
• Putting the audience at the heart of decision-making to ensure our content engages our readers.
• Mentoring and developing our team of talented journalists, inspiring them to produce engaging content.
• Cultivating a high-performance, trust-based environment by providing feedback, recognising achievements, leading change initiatives and guiding journalists on how to build contacts and stories.
• Understanding the Manchester Evening News brand and maintaining the editorial, ethical and legal standards across digital platforms in line with Reach publishing standards.
• Helping to manage the brand social channels ensuring they have a consistent voice and spotting content opportunities through social media.
• Overseeing, as part of a team, content dissemination including newsletters, WhatsApp communities and push notifications.
• Using audience data, insights and analytics to help inform content decisions and planning.
• This role will involve working shifts on a rota basis including some weekends and evenings, so a flexible approach is required.

Who are we looking for?

Content editors are senior members of the newsroom responsible for managing the news operation to a high standard. This is a perfect role for an experienced journalist able to demonstrate strong content management skills, digital publishing knowledge and:

• An NCTJ or equivalent senior journalist qualification (or relevant time-served experience) with up to date media law and IPSO code knowledge.
• Strong people management skills and experience motivating and developing a team (essential).
• A proven track record of curating, editing and publishing news content in a fast-paced digital news room environment (essential).
• You have a solid understanding of the different requirements of content referrers such as Google Organic/Discover as well as good working knowledge of social media platforms.
• You understand - or are willing to learn - how to use analytics to inform content commissioning and production.
• You are an adaptable and creative journalist with a positive attitude, who thrives in team settings and works effectively under pressure, always meeting deadlines with ease.
• Your first-class organisational skills and excellent attention to detail allow you to confidently present at conferences.

What can we offer you?

• We are offering a competitive salary, and benefits including: Help saving for your retirement - join our pension scheme and we’ll match contributions up to 6%.
• 25 days’ holiday per year when you join. After three, five and ten years’ service with Reach, you’ll accrue one additional day of annual leave. We also have a Holiday Purchase Scheme.
• Giving back day - an additional day’s leave each year to support a cause close to your heart.
• Enhanced family leave - including maternity, paternity and adoption - and you’ll be eligible after just six months’ employment.
• Private Healthcare Cash Plan - free health cash plan so you can claim back cash for a range of medical expenses.
• As one of the UK’s top 50 Inclusive Employers, everyone’s invited to join our events, programmes and networks to celebrate diversity and build an environment where all our people can thrive.
• Wellbeing support - including a 24/7 employee assistance programme (EAP) for you and your nearest and dearest.
• Awesome career opportunities - you’ll have support from your line manager and a range of learning & development programmes.
• We are also a member of the 30% Club, a global campaign aimed at increasing gender diversity at board and senior management levels.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested please apply early to avoid disappointment. Reach plc believes diversity brings benefits for our customers, our business and our people. This is why we are committed to being an inclusive employer and encourage applications from all suitable applicants irrespective of background, circumstances, age, disability, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or belief and sexual orientation.