Director – Creative Development

Bon Appétit is the destination for food-obsessed audiences who live to eat. We deliver original, home-cook-friendly recipes; highlight techniques and products to improve or elevate everyday cooking; and offer restaurant and culture content that helps contextualize what’s happening right now in the world of food. Epicurious is the all-in-one platform for cooking inspiration and advice that helps home cooks at every level get dinner on the table. It is the brand that answers the question “What’s for dinner tonight?” and draws people in with trustworthy, myth-busting tips and techniques as well as the stories behind iconic dishes and expert shopping recommendations. Bon Appétit and Epicurious reach millions of home cooks and food lovers across Bonappetit.com and the magazine, Epicurious.com, the Epicurious app, the BA podcast, live events, video, newsletter, and social platforms.

Job Description

Location:

New York, NY

Bon Appétit and Epicurious are seeking a Director, Creative Development for Video who deeply understands food storytelling and knows how to make videos that are entertaining, insightful, and inherently delicious.

As Director of Creative Development, you will work alongside other creative leads to build two of Condé Nast’s most important brands. You will nurture, oversee, and grow a digital video portfolio, creating best-in-class video content. This role is based in New York and reports to the Head of Video for the Food Brands.

The purpose of this role is to build the digital entertainment portfolio for Bon Appétit and Epicurious to drive audience growth and engagement with a focus on commercial revenue. You will do this by developing and directing:

• Original video content for global digital platforms (primarily YouTube), with a focus on premium, scalable quality

• Ongoing video franchises that transcend platforms and markets

• Syndicated series for local markets and OTT channels around the world

• Video support of live cultural events, where applicable

Primary Responsibilities

• Drive storytelling development and execution, bringing a fresh perspective to the slate of content across CNE’s food brands.

• Own the development process: lead and participate in brainstorming sessions, generate ideas for new pilots and existing series, and execute on creating profitable IP from start to finish.

• Establish visual best practices and define the look and feel of series and pilots with brand stakeholders.

• Direct production crews and talent for both studio and field video shoots, serving as a decisive, organized creative leader with a clear vision.

• Establish and own processes that ensure creative excellence. In partnership with Global Physical Production, this includes accountability for the quality of video execution, including the review, edit, and approval of preliminary and final treatments, outlines, shooting scripts, casting, production schedules, budgets, selects, graphics, music, rough cuts, fine cuts, final narration, and final versions of all applicable new programming.

• Collaborate with brand video programming leads to build a balanced cross-platform video and audio pipeline that aligns with the food brands.

• Launch new visual editorial standards and properties across brands, working with data from the content team and creative group.

• Review and approve all cuts for publication.

• Identify and develop new talent, both internal and external.

• Collaborate with Content Planning and Analysis, translating data into creative decisions across the slate of food shows.

Desired Skills and Qualifications

• 5+ years experience in the digital video space as a professional and capable leader, with an inclusive style that garners respect and trust across stakeholders and team members.

• 5+ years experience directing videos and managing production crews, large and small. Experience with multi-camera setups and directing untrained on-camera talent is required.

• Extensive experience providing creative evaluation, advice, and feedback in all phases of production and development. Must have experience collaborating with video editors and solving complex creative issues in early phases of video edits.

• Established creative sensibility, with end-to-end experience in concept creation and execution of digital videos that have driven deep, organic engagement across multiple platforms.

• Entrepreneurial, strategic, and holistic mindset; eagerness to learn and build; and a reputation as an innovative, adaptable, and proactive “doer” with a desire to differentiate Condé Nast from the competition.

• Extensive knowledge of internet culture and the YouTube video landscape, including what makes particular videos successful on that platform.

• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize and meet deadlines, with proven experience managing a team of creative producers and juggling multiple projects at once.

• Strong interpersonal communication skills (written and oral) with an emotionally intelligent communication style.

• Ability to exhibit and set a culture of professionalism and results-oriented purpose.

• Familiarity with the brands and businesses of Condé Nast.

• Based in the NYC area.

The expected base salary range for this position is from  $102k - $120k. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including but not limited to relevant skills, training, experience, and education.

In addition to salary and a generous employee benefits package, successful candidates may also be eligible to receive discretionary bonus compensation.

This is a guild position.

What happens next?

If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply below, and we will review your application as soon as possible. You can update your resume or upload a cover letter at any time by accessing your candidate profile.

Condé Nast is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, familial status and other legally protected characteristics.