Associate Director, Branded Content - Women's Lifestyle

Future PLC; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Uncapped leave

Enhanced parental leave

Discounted rates with Dental care and

Private Medical care

Profit share bonus

Refer a friend scheme

Well-being support with Colleague Asss

Share Incentive Plan

Salary sacrifice Pension scheme up to

Free drinks and snacks in our offices

Job summary

Future PLC is seeking an Associate Director to lead the editorial vision, storytelling and narrative development of our commercial partnerships across Marie Claire and Who What Wear. This senior role requires a proven editor who can turn brand challenges into compelling ideas.

Reporting to the VP of Creative, you will craft original branded content and integrated campaigns, collaborating with Editorial, Design, Strategy and Sales to deliver commercially credible work.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in senior editorial, branded content or creative leadership roles within premium publishing, media, creative agencies or branded entertainment.
• Proven experience developing and delivering high-quality commercial content for fashion, beauty, luxury or women's lifestyle audiences, supported by a strong portfolio across digital, social and video platforms.
• Exceptional creative thinking, writing and editorial skills, with the ability to develop original concepts, compelling campaign narratives and engaging content that balances editorial integrity with commercial objectives.
• Strong understanding of fashion, beauty, luxury and contemporary culture, with an awareness of emerging trends, audience behaviours and innovative storytelling formats.
• Excellent communication, presentation and organisational skills, with experience collaborating across multidisciplinary teams, influencing senior stakeholders and clients, and managing multiple creative projects to tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead editorial vision and narrative development for two leading women's brands Marie Claire and Who What Wear.
• Develop original branded content and integrated campaigns across partnerships.
• Collaborate with Editorial, Creative Strategy, Sales, Design and Production to deliver advertiser partnerships.

Skills

Editorial storytelling

Branded content campaigns

Creative ideation

Audience engagement

Cross-functional collaboration

Editorial judgement and copy-editing

Job description

Who we are

We create trusted, expert content that helps millions of people discover more about the things they love, need and care about. From technology, gaming and entertainment to fashion, lifestyle, sport, finance and beyond, our specialist brands connect people with their passions every day.

Across websites, magazines, newsletters, social channels and events, we bring expert content to audiences around the world. We combine our deep specialist knowledge with innovative technology and data to create engaging experiences, build valuable communities and help people make better-informed decisions.

Behind it all are our people - passionate experts, creators, innovators and problem-solvers who are shaping the future of media.

The Team You’ll Join

Future Creative is a commercial growth engine with creativity at its core. We combine audience intelligence, creative strategy, storytelling and content creation to turn business challenges into ideas that drive attention, relevance and growth. Working across Future’s specialist brands, we connect what audiences care about with what partners need to achieve. From human insight through to content, brand experiences, talent and emerging formats, we create work that feels native to the communities we serve and delivers clear commercial value.

What you'll do

Future Creative is looking for an Associate Director to lead the editorial vision, storytelling and narrative development of our commercial partnerships across two of our leading women's lifestyle brands, Marie Claire and Who What Wear.

Sitting at the intersection of editorial creativity, cultural insight, and commercial storytelling, this is a senior creative role for an exceptional editor and conceptual thinker who can turn brand challenges into compelling ideas that resonate with audiences.

Reporting to the VP of Creative - you will play a central role in shaping original branded content, integrated campaigns and advertiser partnerships, working closely with Editorial, Creative Strategy, Sales, Design, Production.

We are looking for someone who understands the distinctive voices, audiences and cultural relevance of Marie Claire and Who What Wear, and can translate those strengths into ambitious, commercially effective creative work.

From the first creative conversation through to final execution, you will help develop ideas that are editorially credible, culturally relevant and creatively distinctive. You will combine the instincts of an editor, the imagination of a creative and the commercial awareness of a brand storyteller.

What you’ll bring

• Proven experience in creative ideation, editorial storytelling and developing commercial branded content campaigns, ideally within fashion, beauty, luxury, lifestyle or women's media.
• Strong understanding of social-first content, platform-native storytelling, emerging cultural trends and audience engagement, with the ability to translate commercial briefs into compelling, insight-led creative concepts.
• Experience collaborating with Creative Strategy, Design, Editorial and Sales teams, contributing to client pitches, presentations and the development of innovative commercial partnerships.
• Excellent editorial judgement, writing and copy-editing skills, with experience briefing, commissioning and providing constructive feedback to freelance writers and creative contributors.
• Proven ability to manage multiple creative projects from concept through to delivery, balancing creative ambition with commercial objectives, budgets and deadlines while using audience insights and campaign performance to inform future ideas.

Minimum Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in senior editorial, branded content or creative leadership roles within premium publishing, media, creative agencies or branded entertainment.
• Proven experience developing and delivering high-quality commercial content for fashion, beauty, luxury or women's lifestyle audiences, supported by a strong portfolio across digital, social and video platforms.
• Exceptional creative thinking, writing and editorial skills, with the ability to develop original concepts, compelling campaign narratives and engaging content that balances editorial integrity with commercial objectives.
• Strong understanding of fashion, beauty, luxury and contemporary culture, with an awareness of emerging trends, audience behaviours and innovative storytelling formats.
• Excellent communication, presentation and organisational skills, with experience collaborating across multidisciplinary teams, influencing senior stakeholders and clients, and managing multiple creative projects to tight deadlines.

What we offer

• Uncapped leave
• Enhanced parental leave
• Discounted rates with Dental care and Private Medical care
• When we hit our targets, enjoy a share of our profits with a bonus
• Refer a friend scheme - with payment following the successful hire.
• Well-being support with access to our Colleague Assistant Programmes
• Opportunity to purchase shares in Future, with our Share Incentive Plan
• Salary sacrifice Pension scheme up to 5% match
• Free drinks and snacks in our offices

The expected range for this role is £55,000 - £60,000

This is a hybrid role, working three days per week from our London Paddington office

Internal job family level Commercial 5

Inclusion and Diversity at Future

At Future, we’re working to attract, retain and foster diverse talent, educating our colleagues in the importance of diversity, and review our internal processes so that they remain as free from bias as possible. We recognise that, in order to reach diverse communities through our content, we must first ensure ours is a culture in which diversity can thrive.

Find out more about Our Future, Our Responsibility on our website.

If you need any reasonable adjustments, please let us know, and we'll be happy to support you.

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