Editor

About the role

Norstella is seeking a creative and enthusiastic Editor to lead its multi‑award‑winning editorial team in central London.

Reporting to the VP, News & Insights, the successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the revered 160‑year‑old Chemist+Druggist (C+D) publishing brand – from its award‑winning breaking news and analysis, to its podcasts, peer‑to‑peer C+D Community platform and the industry‑leading C+D Awards.

C+D has built a strong news operation with a loyal and engaged audience.

The next phase is about adding data‑informed analysis and insight to that news output: content that goes further, carries more authority, and gives advertisers and readers alike stronger reasons to stay.

The goal is to raise the quality and depth of what C+D publishes, not to replace the news agenda that has built its audience.

The incoming Editor will own that evolution, working alongside commercial and product teams to grow both the audience and the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Editorial Strategy and Direction
• Define and own the editorial vision, ensuring content is authoritative, data‑informed, and clearly differentiated from competitors.
• Produce and maintain a documented content strategy covering audience, value proposition, and the formats and coverage areas that drive the strongest engagement, with quarterly progress reports shared with the VP, News and Insights.
• Build on a strong news operation by layering in data‑led analysis and insight content using C+D Data and C+D Intelligence.
• Maintain editorial standards, accuracy, and independence across all output.
• Track engagement closely and use audience data to inform editorial decisions, not just report on them.
• Data, Measurement and Analytics
• Build and own editorial measurement frameworks: establish engagement baselines, select meaningful metrics, and use data to inform decisions rather than confirm them after the fact.
• Embed audience analytics into day‑to‑day editorial planning: time on page, return visit rate, article completion, social engagement.
• Lead integration of C+D Data and C+D Intelligence into editorial workflows and content output.
• Develop data journalism as an editorial capability, creating formats that add clear value to the audience and that competitors cannot easily replicate.
• Leadership and Team Development
• Lead and develop a team of 5–7 editorial professionals across news, clinical, digital and community functions.
• Set clear goals for each team member, hold regular 1:1s, and ensure ongoing development conversations.
• Build team capability in AI tools and data journalism as part of the standard editorial toolkit.
• Be a credible editorial figurehead both inside the business and externally.
• Commercial and Cross‑Functional Collaboration
• Work closely with Commercial and Client teams to develop content that supports advertiser relationships without compromising editorial credibility.
• Take personal accountability for originating and delivering at least one revenue‑supporting editorial initiative per half‑year: sponsored content, commercial partnerships, or event tie‑ins, in active collaboration with the commercial team.
• Contribute to product development, particularly the C+D Intelligence roadmap, identifying where editorial can add or extract value.
• Work with digital engagement and marketing teams to build audience and extend reach, including on new platforms.
• Represent editorial in senior leadership discussions and with external stakeholders including pharmacy bodies, industry associations, and clients.
• C+D Awards
• Serve as editorial lead for the C+D Awards, the sector’s premier annual recognition event for community pharmacy professionals and teams, and an important brand and commercial platform for C+D.
• Maintain the editorial credibility and independence that makes the Awards trusted by the sector.
• Work with the commercial and events team to grow the Awards’ profile and reach year‑on‑year.
• Use the Awards to build and strengthen relationships with pharmacy bodies, industry groups and key clients.
• Audience, Community and CPD/Revalidation
• Sustain and develop the publication’s relationship with the UK community pharmacy audience.
• Oversee C+D Community as a distinct editorial and engagement channel.
• Treat CPD and revalidation content as a genuine priority: pharmacists’ revalidation requirements are regulatory, and C+D’s revalidation offer serves both the audience and the business.
• Collaborate with the marketing team on bi‑seasonal revalidation campaigns to drive traffic and community engagement.

Qualifications

Essential

• Proven senior editorial leadership in B2B, trade, or specialist media, with P&L or revenue awareness.
• Track record of developing editorial output: raising quality, broadening formats, introducing data or analysis capability alongside a core news operation.
• Comfortable building editorial measurement frameworks from scratch: setting baselines, choosing the right metrics, and acting on what the data shows.
• Strong grounding in digital publishing, SEO, audience analytics, and digital and newsletter strategy.
• Commercially aware: understands advertising‑funded media models, is comfortable working with sales and client teams, and takes ownership of revenue‑supporting activity.
• Works well across functions: builds productive relationships with commercial, product, and technology colleagues without compromising editorial judgement.
• Experienced people manager with a track record of developing editorial teams across different specialisms.
• High editorial standards: accuracy, sourcing, legal awareness, and ethical judgement.

Desirable

• Experience in healthcare, pharmacy, life sciences, or another regulated professional media sector.
• Familiarity with data journalism tools or business intelligence platforms.
• Experience in a multi‑brand or portfolio media organisation.
• Track record of developing editorial products such as newsletters, intelligence reports, or data‑led content formats.
• Experience leading an industry awards programme editorially.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave, 4 days for volunteering and a personal day.
• 5% pension match.
• Group Life Assurance (100% employer funded).
• Group Income Protection (100% employer funded).
• Other voluntary benefits such as Dental, Cash Plan, Mortgage Advice, Discount Platform, Health Screening & Critical Illness.
• Equal Opportunity Statement

Norstella is an equal opportunity employer.

All job applicants will receive equal treatment regardless of race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, physical or mental disability or handicap, medical condition, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy‑related conditions), marital or domestic partner status, military or veteran status, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, reproductive health decision making, or any other protected characteristic as established by federal, state, or local law.

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