Job Description

Who we are
The Grocer is the UK's biggest, most interesting and most widely respected B2B publication, and the trusted source of the 210bn Food & Drink industry.
A multi-award-winning, multi-media powerhouse, it prides itself on its outstanding journalism, editorial integrity and creativity.
It's the flagship of the highly successful William Reed group, a family-owned global media group, powering customer success through insight, inspiration and connection across content, events, conferences, and research in the UK, Europe, US and Far East.
Position: Full time - permanent
Location: Gatwick / Hybrid
The Grocer is looking for a talented, curious and hard-working Food & Drink Reporter to deliver regular insightful and interesting news, as well as blogs, features, profiles and video content, on the vibrant, colourful and fast-changing grocery scene. The Food & Drink Reporter will work with the Fresh Foods Editor to cover the vibrant fresh and chilled foods market, exploring important trends and developments in the fruit & veg, dairy, meat, fish, poultry and related commodity markets, including business strategy and performance, shopper behaviour, prices and promotions, marketing and advertising, packaging, food security, government legislation, the role of new technology and, of course, the environment.
With a 27-strong editorial team, and working across print, online and newsletter publications, this role is an exciting opportunity to join a multi-award-winning team that is dedicated to meeting the needs of its audience and continue to build on its legacy, which dates back to 1862.
What you'll be doing:

• Pitching, researching, sourcing and writing compelling news stories, both on-diary and off-diary exclusives, in both print and online
• Delivering high-quality daily editorial content in multimedia and written formats, covering everything from new product development (NPD) across the fresh desk's key categories, to ranging and merchandising, pricing and promotions, policy and food safety news, sustainability, the latest in fresh food-related politics, the economy, financial results and people news
• Closely collaborating with the wider editorial, multimedia and audience teams to ensure brand consistency and clear channels of communication and drive growth and engagement
• Developing strong industry contacts and relationships, and having regular discussions and meetings with fresh foods suppliers and their senior executives, in addition to retailers, industry bodies, policymakers and other key industry personnel
• Using industry and pricing data to form insightful and exclusive journalism
• Monitoring rival publications and other news sources from journals and weekly bulletins to new product alerts, social media, government and industry documents/reports and regular meetings by industry bodies and governmental bodies
• Regularly contributing to The Grocer's features, blogs, category report and news analysis output
• Upholding the high editorial standards set by The Grocer, ensuring your journalism is accurate, robust, authoritative and fair
• Representing The Grocer in the media, during press trips and by attending industry briefings, conferences and events

What you'll need:

• Strong, imaginative journalist with a proven record of producing engaging and informative content
• Proficient in seamlessly switching between written articles and creating dynamic multimedia experiences, such as soundbite videos, infographics, and podcasts
• Brilliant news sense with the ability to tell stories and convey B2B concepts and ideas effectively, compellingly and succinctly
• Knowledge of retail, food & drink, fast-moving consumer goods, etc. is not essential, but desirable
• Excellent organisation and prioritisation skills with self-drive and ability to work at pace to tight deadlines and independently, whilst also having a strong commitment to collaboration
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal and presenting skills with a proactive approach to engaging and networking with both internal and external stakeholders, including those at a senior level
• Outstanding attention to detail with the ability to produce content at speed
• A curious, adaptable and ambitious mindset, with the desire to learn and succeed, and dedication to continuous improvement
• Knowledge and experience of MS Office, CMS and digital content creation
• Willingness to travel to cover stories, attend meetings, media opportunities and industry events

Location: Hybrid - In line with our current agile working policy, the successful candidate will be eligible to work part of the week from our Gatwick office and to work remotely for the rest of the week. For commuting to the Gatwick office, we have a minibus service which provides convenient transportation to and from the nearest station (Three Bridges) at the start and end of each day.
Company Benefits and Initiatives Include:

• 25 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays - increasing by one additional day after 6 years, up to a maximum of 30 days.
• An additional day of leave for you to take on a cultural celebration day or on your birthday if you like. A day for you! At William Reed, we call this our "MeDay".
• A volunteer day to take for supporting a chosen charity and giving back to the community.
• Opportunity for hybrid working
• Contributory Pension
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Group Income Protection
• Enhanced family-friendly leave pay entitlements
• Wellbeing benefits, including: A health care cash plan, Employee assistance programme, Virtual GP service and Access to health & wellbeing resources and tools.
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme

Why work for us
We provide a supportive work environment and are committed to maintaining a healthy work/life balance for all of our employees. Working for William Reed means that you will be joining a stable organisation that is committed to developing its employees and brands.
We warmly welcome and encourage applications from talented individuals of all backgrounds and characteristics.
If you need any support in accessing this opportunity, please do not hesitate to discuss this with us.
To apply, please complete the form below, uploading a CV, links to your journalism portfolio and a cover letter explaining why you're right for the job.