Editorial & Content Manager

I Love Manchester; Manchester; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Birthday Booster

Company pension

Job summary

I Love Manchester is seeking an Editorial & Content Manager to shape the next chapter of Greater Manchester's best-known independent media brand. This hands-on role blends long-term planning with quick reaction, covering news, guides, listings, and social content across the site.

You will oversee day-to-day direction, publish and quality across five areas, work with the Managing Editor, commission stories, edit copy, optimise headlines and SEO, and help grow newsletters and member content.

Qualifications

• Professional journalism, publishing or digital media experience
• Excellent writing, editing and proofreading skills
• Strong editorial judgement
• Understanding of what makes a compelling local story
• Experience with SEO, audience behaviour and digital publishing
• Experience using content management systems such as WordPress

Responsibilities

• Plan and manage the editorial calendar
• Identify news stories, features, guides and content opportunities
• React quickly to press releases, LDRS copy, breaking news and local developments
• Edit copy so it is accurate, engaging and written in the I Love Manchester voice
• Write and commission original stories, interviews, guides and features
• Copywriting/writing advertorials for ongoing campaigns
• Overseeing our news, places, event and guide content
• Managing and improving place listings and event listings
• Developing coverage around neighbourhoods, food and drink, culture and things to do
• Working with journalists, freelancers, photographers and contributors
• Helping prioritise workloads and daily editorial output
• Improving headlines, structure, search visibility and audience engagement
• Fact-checking stories and ensuring editorial standards are maintained
• Spotting gaps in our coverage and proactively bringing forward new ideas
• Publishing stories, listings and editorial content across our digital platforms
• Managing social media posts across multiple channels
• Monitoring comments, messages and audience engagement
• Encouraging conversation and community interaction around our content
• Helping develop newsletters, member content and special projects
• Supporting video, photography and multimedia content where appropriate

Skills

Journalism experience

Editing skills

SEO knowledge

WordPress

Social media management

Audience engagement

Editorial judgement

Tools

WordPress

Job description

I Love Manchester is looking for an Editorial & Content Manager to help shape the next chapter of one of Greater Manchester’s best-known independent media brands.

This is a hands-on role for someone who understands what makes a strong local story, knows what people are searching for and can turn a mixture of breaking news, planned features, guides, listings and social content into a clear and engaging editorial offering.

The I Love Manchester website is built around five main areas: news, guides, places, events and membership. We need someone who can bring those areas together, oversee our day-to-day content and help make sure the website always feels current, useful and genuinely representative of Greater Manchester.

You will work closely with the Managing Editor and wider team to shape what we cover, when we cover it and how stories reach our audience.

This role combines long-term planning with quick reactions. One morning you might be commissioning a neighbourhood guide, updating event listings or planning a feature series. That afternoon, you could be editing an LDRS story, reacting to a press release or deciding how we cover a major local announcement.

What you'll be doing

You will oversee the day-to-day direction, publishing and quality of content across I Love Manchester.

Responsibilities include:

• Planning and managing the editorial calendar


• Identifying news stories, features, guides and content opportunities


• Reacting quickly to press releases, LDRS copy, breaking news and local developments


• Editing copy so it is accurate, engaging and written in the I Love Manchester voice


• Writing and commissioning original stories, interviews, guides and features


• Copywriting/writing advertorials for ongoing campaigns


• Overseeing our news, places, event and guide content


• Managing and improving place listings and event listings


• Developing coverage around neighbourhoods, food and drink, culture, community and things to do


• Working with journalists, freelancers, photographers and contributors


• Helping prioritise workloads and daily editorial output


• Improving headlines, structure, search visibility and audience engagement


• Fact-checking stories and ensuring editorial standards are maintained


• Spotting gaps in our coverage and proactively bringing forward new ideas


• Publishing stories, listings and editorial content across our digital platforms


• Managing social media posts across multiple channels


• Monitoring comments, messages and audience engagement


• Encouraging conversation and community interaction around our content


• Helping develop newsletters, member content and special projects


• Supporting video, photography and multimedia content where appropriate

This is not a role where you simply wait for stories to arrive in your inbox. We want someone who is curious about Greater Manchester, notices what people are talking about and regularly brings fresh ideas to the table.

What we're looking for

Journalism or media experience is essential, although we are flexible about your level of seniority.

You may already be working as an editor, deputy editor, senior journalist, audience editor or digital content manager. Equally, you could be an experienced reporter looking to take on more responsibility.

You should have:

• Professional journalism, publishing or digital media experience


• Excellent writing, editing and proofreading skills


• Strong editorial judgement


• An understanding of what makes a compelling local story


• The ability to balance planned content with reactive news


• Experience working quickly without sacrificing accuracy


• Confidence editing other people's work and giving constructive feedback


• A good understanding of SEO, audience behaviour and digital publishing


• Experience using content management systems such as WordPress


• Excellent organisational and communication skills


• Experience managing social media accounts and online communities


• A genuine interest in Manchester and Greater Manchester

The following would be a bonus:

• Photography or video production skills


• Experience creating content for Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and LinkedIn


• Knowledge of analytics tools


• Experience managing newsletters or memberships


• Strong knowledge of Greater Manchester's neighbourhoods, hospitality, culture and communities

What might a busy day look like?

No two days are quite the same, but a busy day could include:

• Checking the editorial and press inbox for breaking news, press releases and LDRS stories that meet our core values


• Editing and publishing the most important stories of the day


• Creating a breaking news or hot topic graphic for social media with link to story in comments


• Joining the team around the table for coffee, biscuits and a quick editorial catch-up


• Edit the review/feature that's been submitted by one of our freelance writers


• Continuing work on a feature or investigation already in progress


• Sharing and scheduling stories across social media at the best times for engagement


• Bringing a topical feature to life with a short video


• Updating a guide and calling a few places to make sure the information is still accurate


• Writing an advertorial from a brief supplied by the Campaign Manager


• Attending an opening or activation at Trafford Centre and posting live social media Stories


• Reviewing a restaurant, venue or experience


• Covering an event at the AO Arena and sharing updates with our audience

Some days will be office-based. Others will take you across Greater Manchester. The role suits someone who enjoys variety, can switch between priorities and is comfortable moving from editing and planning to live coverage and audience engagement.

This job probably isn't for you if…

• You only want to write. This role is just as much about planning, editing, publishing and shaping content as it is creating it.


• You struggle to switch between tasks. One hour you might be editing breaking news, the next you're updating a guide or covering an event.


• You don't enjoy talking to people. You'll regularly interview contacts, speak to businesses, chase information and build relationships across the city.


• You aren't interested in social media or engaging with our audience. Publishing content is only part of the job. Helping it reach people and encouraging conversation matters too.


• You prefer waiting for work to arrive rather than spotting opportunities yourself. We want someone who is naturally curious and proactive.


• You don't enjoy working as part of a small team where everyone contributes ideas, helps each other and gets stuck in.


• You find deadlines stressful. News doesn't wait, and sometimes neither do we.


• You don't have a genuine interest in Manchester and Greater Manchester. The best ideas usually come from people who are curious about the city, its people and what makes it tick.


• You get burnt out easily and don't like attending several events a week.


• You don't like working to deadlines or last minute changes (and last min events)


• You're not a team player.

If, on the other hand, you're excited by the idea of telling great stories, meeting interesting people, discovering hidden gems and helping shape one of Manchester's best-known independent media brands, we'd love to hear from you.

About I Love Manchester

I Love Manchester is an independent city brand and media platform built around community, civic pride and a genuine love for Greater Manchester.

We cover the people, places, businesses, events and organisations that make the region what it is. Our aim is to create journalism and city content that people trust, enjoy and return to.

We are a small team, which means this role comes with real responsibility and the chance to make a visible impact. You won't be hidden inside a large newsroom or expected to follow a rigid corporate structure.

You'll play a major role in shaping our editorial output as the platform continues to grow.

Location and working pattern

The role is based at our office in MediaCity.

Our usual working pattern includes office days from Tuesday to Friday, with some flexibility around Mondays (Happy Mondays). The role will also involve attending launches, interviews, events and stories across Greater Manchester when needed.

Some occasional evening or weekend work will be required, with time given back where appropriate.

What we offer

• A permanent, full-time role


• The opportunity to shape one of Manchester's most recognisable independent brands


• Real influence over editorial direction and content strategy


• A varied mix of news, features, guides, listings and multimedia projects


• A friendly and collaborative working environment


• Opportunities to develop leadership and digital publishing skills


• Salary negotiable, depending on experience


• 29 days' holiday per year, including "Birthday Booster" and a trusted community-driven pension.