Managing Director, Gardeners' World (internal candidates only)
Immediate Media Co, United Kingdom
Job Description
Managing Director, Gardeners’ World (salary from 100,000)
Immediate is the special interest content and platform company. Our fast-growing, multi-platform media business is home to more than 700 people across several business units, based in London, Bristol, Nottingham and Manchester. We focus on special interest markets, engaging with more than 75 million people globally each month, through world-class content, innovative new digital products and services and live events. Immediate Media was voted the UK’s Best Media Company to work for and 4th across all UK companies by Glassdoor in 2022.
BBC Gardeners’ World magazine has been the UK’s number one destination for gardening advice, ideas and expertise for over 30 years, across print, digital, audio and live events.
Based in London and reporting into the Group Managing Director, the Managing Director, Gardeners’ World will have responsibility for all aspects of the BBC Gardeners World brand Pamp;L, including our market-leading monthly magazine and associated print activity, the website www.gardenersworld.com, as well as content creation across other brand channels such as social media, podcast and live events.
The role is responsible for the operational and financial performance of the business; prioritisation and adoption of commercial and strategic levers offered by our wider platform approach; and delivery of the highest quality content and relevant customer experiences to protect our market position and drive audience and commercial growth.
An important part of this role will be working in close collaboration with the wider IM Extended Leadership Team in the areas of subscriptions, content strategy, digital marketing, product and tech, advertising, data, and analytics.
The role will be responsible for leading a group of passionate team members across Editorial, Commercial and Marketing. People leadership is therefore a critical component of this role. The successful candidate will be an outstanding manager and inspirational leader, who will set the highest standards in hiring, training and development, retention, and employee satisfaction. They will shape their team in line with business priorities and ensure that they have optimal organisational structures underpinned by clear roles and responsibilities.
The key responsibilities for the Managing Director, Gardeners’ World will be:
Strategic and Business Planning
- Work with the Group MD to set and deliver the strategy for the Gardeners’ World brand, ensuring it is successfully implemented to deliver maximum revenues and EBITDA;
- Develop and execute business plans for the business in-line with the overall strategic objectives.
- Ensure the team are aware of and responding to emerging trends in user behaviour
Leadership
- Provide inspiration and dynamic leadership across the brand to all functions.
- Build a strong senior team which can develop the business for the future;
- Ensure excellent communication throughout the department so that all staff are aware of the brand’s strategic direction and objectives and understand how their role contributes towards these;
- Build and develop a strong, inclusive, positive culture within the team which attracts, motivates, develops, and retains the talent needed.
Content
- Manage the Editors in a way which drives the expansion and transformation of our content to meet strategic goals and reaches the target audience
- Champion new formats (such as video and audio) to ensure our content creation remains innovative and drives commercial opportunities which fit with the audience.
- Take the lead in relationship management with our brand licensor, BBC Studios, including regular reporting via the Editorial Review Board process. Ensure that BBC Editorial Standards and Guidelines are adhered to, and the editorial team kept up to date with training provided.
- Ensure that content is truly inclusive and supports our EDamp;I objectives
Product
- Work with the Product Development team to ensure that brand and audience needs are captured in the design and development of new platform features, with a specific focus on driving digital audience engagement, onward purchases and supporting subscriptions
- Working with the central print teams to ensure the title remains market leading, and that value is maximised;
- Liaise with the internal live events business to deliver world-class experiences to its audience, as well as to drive innovation and refresh the portfolio. Ensure marketing is joined up and impactful
- Consider sustainability in all key decisions with the aim of reducing our carbon footprint
Marketing
- Produce clear brand strategie