Editorial Director, Hot Luck

About The Position

Major goals and objectives and location requirements
Hot Luck is seeking an Editorial Director to lead the editorial vision, content strategy, audience development, and multi-platform growth of one of the most distinctive food and music festival brands in the country. Reporting to Food & Wine and Hot Luck Editor in Chief Hunter Lewis, this role will oversee the development and execution of a year-round content ecosystem that celebrates the people, culture, food, music, hospitality, and experiences that define the Hot Luck brand.

Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee Hot Luck's editorial vision, content strategy, and storytelling across all platforms, ensuring a cohesive brand voice that reflects the intersection of food, music, hospitality, culture, and live experiences.
• Lead the development and growth of Hot Luck's year-round content ecosystem, including newsletters, social platforms, video programming, YouTube, audio initiatives, editorial franchises, and emerging audience channels. Establish measurable audience, engagement, and revenue goals for each platform.
• Launch and oversee original content initiatives including a Hot Luck YouTube channel, recurring social video series, creator collaborations, live-stream programming, audio and internet radio programming, and other extensions that deepen audience engagement beyond the festival experience. Collaborate with the Events team to share talent and programming ideas and participate in the events.
• Partner with the Editor in Chief, General Manager, sales, marketing, and partnerships teams to develop editorially-led sponsorship campaigns, branded content programs, and integrated marketing opportunities that align with Hot Luck's voice and editorial standards while supporting revenue objectives.
• Lead editorial planning and execution for festival coverage, talent programming, chef and musician profiles, original features, newsletters, social content, video initiatives, and year-round editorial franchises.
• Manage and mentor editorial staff, contributors, freelancers, creators, and production partners. Provide coaching, feedback, and professional development while fostering efficient workflows and strong editorial standards.
• Use audience, SEO, social, newsletter, video, and performance data to identify opportunities, optimize content strategy, diversify traffic sources, and expand reach across existing and emerging platforms.
• Represent the Hot Luck brand as editorial talent at events, panels, interviews, video productions, podcasts, radio appearances, and other public-facing opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent work experience.
• Experience launching or managing video-first content initiatives, including YouTube programming, social video series, or creator-led franchises.
• Experience developing newsletters, audience engagement programs, and subscriber growth strategies.
• Experience creating or overseeing podcasts, audio programming, radio shows, or other audio storytelling formats.
• Experience working with sponsorship, branded content, and integrated marketing programs.
• Experience in food, hospitality, music, entertainment, culture, or experiential event media.
• Demonstrated success building audiences across multiple platforms and distribution channels.

Benefits

The pay range above represents the anticipated low and high end of the pay range for this position and may change in the future. Actual pay may vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to work location, experience, and performance. The range listed is just one component of People Inc's total compensation package for employees. Other compensation may include annual bonuses, and short- and long-term incentives. In addition, People Inc. provides to employees (and their eligible family members) a variety of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, unlimited paid time off (PTO), adoption or surrogate assistance, donation matching, tuition reimbursement, basic life insurance, basic accidental death & dismemberment, supplemental life insurance, supplemental accident insurance, commuter benefits, short term and long term disability, health savings and flexible spending accounts, family care benefits, a generous 401K savings plan with a company match program, 10-12 paid holidays annually, and generous paid parental leave (birthing and non-birthing parents), all of which may vary depending on the specific nature of your employment with People Inc. and your work location. We also offer voluntary benefits such as pet insurance, accident, critical and hospital indemnity health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance.