Editor in Chief
At Edmunds we’re driven to make car buying easier. Ever since we began publishing printed car guides in the ’60s, the company has been in the business of trust, innovating ways to empower and support car shoppers. When Edmunds launched the car industry’s first internet site in 1994, we established a leadership position online and have never looked back. Now, as one of the most trusted review sites on the internet, almost 20 million visitors use our research, shopping and buying tools every month to make an easy and informed decision on their next car. For consumers, we bring peace of mind. For dealers, we make tools to help them solve their problems and sell more cars. How do we do it, you ask? The key ingredients are our enthusiastic employees, progressive company culture and cutting-edge technology. Want to join the team? Read on to find out how!
What You’re Applying For:
At Edmunds, we rigorously evaluate more cars than anyone, and our opinions guide millions of consumers in their car-shopping decisions. As Editor in Chief, you will lead our Content Team, including Editorial, Vehicle Testing, Content Strategy and Video, while collaborating as an equal partner with Product, Design/UX and SEO, all critical contributors in serving our audience.
If you are our next Editor in Chief, you know the auto industry through and through. You know the ins and outs of cars and have deep connections in the broader automotive landscape of OEMs and dealers. You are adept and effective at leading projects and people and strengthening relationships within a company and across the industry. You also have the chops to lead our Editorial Team, the best in the business in serving consumers.
We’re looking for someone who understands the power and experience of our auto reviewers and consumer content teams as well as other content creators such as social media, marketing, sales, analysts and PR specialists and wants to flex that muscle inside Edmunds and out. We need someone who can strategize and advocate for innovation in the work of these teams at a high level.
We're also looking for a leader with opinions — one who will be the voice of Edmunds for the auto industry and for our shoppers. As the successful candidate, you can stand as an equally authoritative and engaging presence among auto executives and engineers and our audience of car shoppers. You can also synthesize and communicate what news, developments and trends mean for consumers and ensure it reaches them in the smartest way. And you're not afraid to do things differently because that's exactly the kind of leadership our team needs and our consumers rely on.
What You Excel at:
Authentic passion for cars. You're fanatical and deeply knowledgeable about our subject matter, giving you instant credibility both internally (with your equally fanatical Editorial and Vehicle Testing teammates) and externally (with our users and industry partners).
Top-level editorial skills with an eye toward the innovation of telling stories in pictures, video, data/infographics, tools and social.
Ability to work cross-functionally within the organization. As Editor in Chief, you will be leading one very important cog in the Edmunds content machine, not the entire machine. You need to be comfortable with both leading that function and working collaboratively with the other content-related functions, putting ego aside to produce great results.
Personal reliability and integrity. Your colleagues know they can rely on you in every respect; you model this trait in all that you do.
Coaching: A deep energy reservoir to cultivate and mentor the creative output of writers, testers, storytellers and operational members to deliver groundbreaking journalism in our industry.
Working with internal partners in Marketing, Corporate Strategy, Sales, Product and PR to maximize content exposure across the Edmunds site, other external platforms from social media to apps, and across automotive industry and consumer outlets.
Managing up: work with the SVP, User Experience & Content to execute and evangelize the overall content strategy and report on progress and key results.
Developing an environment that fosters creativity, communication and transparency.
Internal Partnerships
Support internal partners (Marketing, PR, Sales) in their ongoing efforts to evaluate partner relationships (e.g., with magazines, publishers) and help better inform decisions at both the strategic and tactical levels.
Lead the effort to provide communications support and consultation between industry partners and Edmunds.
Collaborate with senior members of the organization to develop messaging.
External Partnerships
Act as the Edmunds representative at industry events and strengthen our relationships with the industry.
Collaborate with the management team to ensure vendor engagements are aligned with needs, including conducting contract reviews, renewals and amendments.
Analyze communication requests from industry and internal partners for events, partnerships and other business development opportunities.
Prepare and present proposals to potential partners, and broker and fulfill contracts.
What You Need:
Automotive industry knowledge and relationships, specifically with OEMs.
High comfort level in taking the initiative and managing multiple projects, people and deadlines with an exacting attention to detail.
Ability to work cross-functionally across the organization.
Strong understanding of audience development, performance metrics and analytics.
Experience managing and mentoring junior team members.
Ability to convey thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively in visual, verbal and written format.