Content Director, History

JR United Kingdom; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading media company is looking for a Content Director to oversee and expand their popular History podcasts. In this role, you'll lead a team, drive content strategies, and enhance audience engagement while managing production quality and budgets. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional who is passionate about storytelling and podcasting.

Qualifications

• At least eight years of production experience.
• Deep understanding of the podcast industry.
• Experience managing multiple shows or projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the performance of History podcasts.
• Grow audience and optimize shows across multiple channels.
• Mentor and develop junior production staff.

Skills

Production Experience

Editorial Leadership

Commercial Experience

Technical Expertise

Talent Management Skills

Proven Leadership Ability

Team Management Skills

Job description

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Location: Oval, London - 100% Office-Based

Reporting to: Head of Content

Contract: Full-time

Goalhanger is home to some of the UK’s most popular and culture-shaping podcasts. We create chart-topping, story-first content across history, politics, sport, business, entertainment, current affairs, and audio drama, reaching tens of millions of listeners globally each month.

In 2024 alone, our shows were downloaded over 400 million times. But Goalhanger is more than a podcast network - we’re a cultural media brand. We create across platforms: YouTube, social, live events, and beyond.

Our content is driven by trust, talent and curiosity. From in-depth interviews and cultural commentary to moments of immersive storytelling, we build IP with lasting value and impact.

We’re shaping the future of media — one great conversation at a time.

About the Role

We are seeking an exceptional Content Director to manage our slate of History shows; The Rest Is History, Empire, We Have Ways Of Making You Talk, The Rest Is Classified, Journey Through Time and Battleground.

As the person ultimately responsible for the performance of the History brands, you will be leading a team of Producers, adept at winning over and impressing our high profile podcasts hosts, and have the willingness and adaptability to throw yourself into all the challenging and fascinating situations that come with being part of a fast-growing independent media company.

Crucially, you won’t be deciding what our hosts talk about, but instead honing, retooling, iterating and amplifying the shows’ content to increase audiences and drive commercial success across the multiple revenue lines of the business.

This role would be one of the most senior voices in the production team and therefore you’ll help develop more junior members of your cohort as well as those beneath you. You’ll also have to collaborate successfully with Digital & Social and Commercial teams within the company.

Our ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of the production process and podcasting/ the audio industry as a whole, but we’re also open to applications from people with the transferable skills from elsewhere in the media industry. Maybe you’re a super fan of our shows, but you have experience as an Editor or a Brand Lead in a digital publishing and subscription business. Or you’ve overseen the expansion of some famous IP beyond its TV show or online video origins into new content areas. Perhaps you took a famous face/content creator’s brand and created a successful newsletter business for them.

Whatever background you have, this should be your dream role.

Key Responsibilities - What You’ll Do

• Brand growth & Editorial Leadership: You’ll constantly be coming up with ideas for how to grow our audience, both free and paid. Tasked with building out the universe of Goalhanger’s History offering, you’ll help maintain the unique voice of each show, while optimising their output across multiple channels.
• Talent Management: You will work closely with the talent on our History shows, building strong relationships and ensuring they are supported and empowered to deliver their best work. You will have to engage with them on the subjects of their episodes (so an interest in history is vital), and keep them updated on the results of their efforts and wider industry trends, while utilising your powers of influence and persuasion to give them feedback (good and constructive), and sell in concepts for advertising campaigns.
• Content Review and Feedback: You will review the output of the production team, providing constructive feedback and suggesting changes to enhance the quality of the podcasts. You’ll ensure our rigorous editorial standards are maintained and all commercial integrations fit the editorial of each show while complying with ASA best practice.
• Team Management: You will manage a team of producers, providing guidance, support, and feedback. You will also be responsible for developing young production staff, managing workloads, booking freelancers, conducting 1:1s, and overseeing annual reviews.
• Budget Ownership: You will sign off on podcast spend, agreeing budgets with Production Management and Finance teams and managing your division’s costs responsibly.

Skills & Experience - Who You Are

• Extensive Production Experience: You will have at least eight years’ experience in production, with a deep understanding of the podcast industry and ideally across multiple shows and environments.
• Commercial experience: You have a deep understanding of how digital media can be monetised, and experience managing both internal and external stakeholders around commercial obligations.
• Confident Editorial Leadership: You will be a decisive editorial leader with a strong understanding of storytelling and narrative structure.
• Technical Expertise: You will have a complete attention to detail and an intimate understanding of content management systems and understand the challenges of editing video and audio.
• Talent Management Skills: You will already be respected by well-known talent in the industry and used to dealing with high profile names.
• Proven Leadership Ability: You will have managed multiple shows, projects, or initiatives simultaneously.
• Team Management Skills: You will be comfortable managing large and diverse production teams, including the workload and working patterns of every team member.
• Staff Development: You will be responsible for developing junior and mid-level production staff at all levels, providing mentorship and guidance.

The only way to apply is to send your CV and cover letter to [emailprotected] with the subject "Content Director, History"