Global Editorial Director, Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair is a cultural filter, sparking the global conversation about the people and ideas that matter most. Muscular long-form journalism, stunning photography, insightful essays, and superb design make each issue of Vanity Fair a must-read. Every month, the magazine commissions the best writers and photographers to explain the pressing issues of the day and take the pulse of the culture. Vanity Fair consistently delivers crucial reporting on business and finance, domestic politics and world affairs, even as it covers the very best in arts and entertainment.Job Description

Location:

London, GB

Condé Nast is seeking a highly experienced Global Editorial Director (GED) to lead Vanity Fair across markets. We’re looking for a visionary leader who will be responsible for shaping the values, sensibility and aesthetic of the title. The role will have oversight of the editorial direction, brand strategy, audience development, operations, and all content and brand extensions. The position develops strategies to drive editorial excellence, audience growth, and revenue.

The GED is a senior and public-facing role, and the successful candidate will play a crucial part in representing the title both within the company and externally to the industry. The position will bring extensive experience across all platforms, including digital, video, print, audio and social. Opportunities to work with Condé Nast’s TV & Film division are included in responsibilities, as well as experience in building and  leading teams.

You will partner with colleagues in Commercial, Consumer, Marketing, Finance, and other divisions to develop and execute a robust business strategy that prioritises focus areas with the most opportunity while being aligned with your editorial vision and the brand’s values. 

This role reports to Condé Nast’s Global Chief Content Officer.

Responsibilities:

Editorial Brand Strategy & Growth

• Grow and guide the success of the Vanity Fair brand globally (as measured by brand reputation, point of distinction, audience engagement, revenue, brand profitability etc.)

• Define and implement an editorial strategy and direction for cultural relevance while maintaining a sustainable competitive advantage to meet agreed upon KPIs, operating and creative budgets.

• Ensure consistency of the title globally, while also delivering sufficient volume of local content to maintain distinctiveness and quality.

• Ideate and conceptualise content that speaks to a diverse and highly engaged audience and drives global audience growth.

• Understand the evolving global media landscape and ensure the brand is responding appropriately to meet changing consumer needs. 

• Understand consumer behaviour and needs to ensure the brand is best serving target audiences and communities, meeting them where they are and in ways they wish to interact.

• Build on brand tent poles, particularly the Oscars Party, to cultivate brand affinity, sponsorship, audience development, and distinct programming and content to be distributed globally across all channels. 

• Uphold brand value and integrity to build loyalty and community.

• Identify opportunities for collaboration across markets to create a true Global offering including but not limited to key cultural moments, events and experiences. 

• Ability to think globally, act locally, and be culturally aware of optimizing content across VF and developing new and innovative ways of telling stories across multiple platforms, including digital, print, video, and social. 

Content Delivery

• Ensure the highest quality journalism is executed across all markets and platforms, meeting Condé Nast standards and expectations.

• Practice adherence to journalistic, compliance and legal standards, adjudicate editorial disagreements, remove barriers to execution.

• Understand the cultural sensibilities and content opportunities of individual markets to target content mix and set programming.

• Partner with Operations and local Leaders to oversee the adaptation of global stories, ideation of local content and schedule management to ensure work remains on time and on budget.

• Establish strategies and assets for third party platforms as a marketing and distribution tool.

• Assign and top-line edit content as needed.
   

Team Leadership & Management

• Lead a team of highly skilled editors, writers, creatives, and managers. 

• Leading by example in inspiring, developing, motivating, and uniting the team across markets.

• Prioritise diversity and inclusivity in all people practices including hiring, management, employee development, performance management, and team culture.

• Foster an environment of collaboration and innovation to overcome creative challenges while simultaneously meeting business objectives.

• Collaborate effectively with Finance, People, and other business partners on annual budgets, brand P&L, and hiring/staffing plans.

• Strengthen collaboration across departments and markets to ensure cohesive messaging and strategy execution.

• Foster a culture of creativity and innovation, encouraging new ideas and approaches.

Business Development

• Partner with Revenue teams on strategy, opportunities, and events that are aligned with the Vanity Fair brand vision and standards.

• Leverage the use of digital tools and best practices to drive business objectives (e.g. audience engagement and growth, subscription conversion, commerce revenue) 

• Develop relationships with external talent internationally and represent the brand at events.

• Work with the Communications and Marketing teams to develop press and marketing strategies for the brand, with an emphasis on growing brand recognition and affinity.

Skills & Qualifications:

• 10-15+ years of experience in a senior editorial role, leading teams across platforms.

• Strong business acumen, excellent editing skills, networking and interpersonal skills, and the ability to guide a team towards business goals.

• Demonstrated success in producing culturally relevant and diverse content.

• A flair for storytelling and a proven track record of driving culture and identifying trends and topics to cover - and determining the platforms on which they should run.

• An entrepreneurial mind-set, with a focus on new opportunities for audience growth.

• Proven history of delivering exceptional content in a multi-channel environment, with an innovative approach to using digital tools.

• Experience of working closely with business teams to identify and collaborate on revenue generating projects. 

• Demonstrated experience in building a culture of trust and inclusion and leading through organisational and cultural change.

• Experienced leader with an ability to empower and mentor teams. Ability to build and maintain a culture of trust and inclusion.

• Strong interpersonal communications skills and the ability to work effectively with colleagues in a global matrix organisation, cross departments and at differing levels of seniority. 

• Confident and experienced public speaker.

• Well-established network within the entertainment sector, with a keen interest in all aspects of the industry.

What happens next?

If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply below, and we will review your application as soon as possible. You can update your resume or upload a cover letter at any time by accessing your candidate profile.

Condé Nast is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, familial status and other legally protected characteristics.