Food Editor and Test Kitchen Manager

Base pay range: up to £34,000 PT - 4 days a week, 12 month fixed term contract.

Immediate is home to some of the biggest and most loved consumer brands in the UK, including Radio Times, Good Food and BBC Gardeners World magazine. Our trusted, quality content reaches millions of people a month across digital, print, video, podcasts, apps and live events. We are here to inspire, fuel, encourage and educate.

About the role:

As a Food Editor and Test Kitchen Manager, you will play a central role in maintaining and elevating our food content during a maternity leave period. You will oversee the full recipe development lifecycle, manage day-to-day Test Kitchen operations, uphold editorial quality standards, and support content creation across multiple formats. This role is essential in ensuring continuity, consistency, and creativity across all food output.

You will love this role if:

• You are energised by hands-on creativity in the kitchen and enjoy developing, testing, and perfecting recipes that people genuinely want to cook.
• You thrive in an organised, fast-moving environment where you can plan, prioritise, and keep multiple projects running smoothly.
• You care deeply about editorial quality, from recipe precision to clear, engaging food writing.
• You are motivated by problem-solving, keeping workflows smooth and finding smart solutions when priorities shift.
• You take pride in delivering high-quality output, even on tight deadlines.

Responsibilities:

• Manage the Test Kitchen, including scheduling, workflow planning, resourcing, and maintaining a productive and safe working environment.
• Develop, write, and refine recipes that meet our editorial standards and deliver exceptional results for our audience.
• Copy edit and fact-check recipes and food features to ensure accuracy, clarity, and consistency.
• Coordinate recipe scheduling, aligning development with editorial, video, and social content calendars.
• Oversee and support the Test Kitchen Assistant, providing guidance and ensuring smooth daily operations.
• Collaborate with the video team on recipe-based shoots, contributing to ideation, preparation, on-set support, and quality control.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders to facilitate Test Kitchen usage for events such as agency cook-offs, talks, dinners, and brand or partner experiences.
• Maintain content output levels, helping the team deliver against deadlines and uphold quality benchmarks throughout the maternity leave period.

Requirements:

• At least 2 years' experience in a similar role, ideally within food media, publishing, or a professional Test Kitchen environment.
• A deep knowledge of food and cooking, including strong technical understanding of ingredients, methods, and recipe development.
• Solid writing and editorial skills, with proven experience editing recipes and food copy for accuracy and clarity.
• Experience developing and testing recipes from concept to final publication.
• Strong organisational and project management abilities, with confidence managing schedules, workflows, and deadlines.

Benefits:

• A relaxed working environment with regular socials including a summer festival.
• Supportive well-being initiatives and benefits, talks & workshops, and Mental Health First aiders & Champions.
• 25 days holiday plus a day for your birthday.
• Our offices will be closed between Christmas and New Year’s which are in addition to your annual entitlement.
• Tailored training and development through both our in-house learning platform and LinkedIn Learning.
• A progressive and transparent culture focused on your development.
• Flexible / hybrid working plus early finish Fridays.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Enhanced Family Policies including paternity, adoption and surrogacy leave.
• We also provide a pregnancy loss, fertility, and carers policy.
• Competitive pension plans and Life Assurance.
• A newly renovated modern office with lots of collaborative spaces.

At Immediate, we pride ourselves on our open, collaborative, and dynamic culture that empowers our people to thrive and give their best. We care deeply about our people, environment, and impact. Our active Diversity & Inclusion network, comprehensive well-being programs, and clear sustainability strategies reflect this commitment. People are at the heart of our business and creating an inclusive working environment is extremely important to us.

Immediate is an equal opportunities employer. We will never treat anyone less favourably because of their sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, marital/civil partnerships, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, age, religion or belief or disability. We are also committed to supporting applications from those who are returning to work following a career break, maternity leave or caring responsibilities. Immediate is a place where you can grow, be supported, and make a difference.