Title: Food & Drink Writer

Location: Hong Kong

Department: Content

Reporting to: Regional Content Director, Hong Kong

About the role:

We are looking for a highly motivated English Section Writer / Editor who is hungry to cover Hong Kong’s ever-evolving lifestyle scene particularly in the dining sector. The ideal candidate is a creative thinker, writer, and editor, who is passionate and knowledgeable about Hong Kong’s dynamic food and drink scene, and always curious about discovering new watering holes, local eats, and hidden gems, covering everything from the best dai pai dongs to the latest restaurant openings in the city. 

Key responsibilities:

● Manage daily editorial operations under the guidance of the Editor-in-Chief
● Manage and execute the editorial calendar across online and offline platforms with the view to generate highly engaging content that will grow the Time Out audience
● Brainstorm, research, pitch, and write trend-setting stories for feature articles, reviews, lifestyle and entertainment news, profile interviews, deep dives, and listicles across a wide range of topics, with food and drink as a key pillar
● Contribute content ideas that will help Time Out Hong Kong drive and grow audience reach and engagement across all platforms
● Collaborate with the design team and photographers to create visually compelling content
● Work with the Editor-in-Chief and other key stakeholders to create highly engaging video content in line with the video strategy
● Monitor and report insights on digital metrics across website, e-newsletter, and social media, providing suggestions on how to increase traffic growth and performance
● Support in evaluating copy in compliance with editorial policies, style, and tone and fact-check, proofread and edit copy where required
● Work with the commercial team liaising with partners on content campaigns ranging from advertorials social media posts to custom guides, videos and partnerships, ensuring smooth delivery that exceeds client expectations
● Represent Time Out Hong Kong at relevant industry and trade events

About you:

● Must be passionate and knowledgeable about Hong Kong’s dynamic food and drink scene and always curious about discovering new watering holes, local eats, and hidden gems
● Media experience, ideally within the dining, lifestyle and entertainment sector
● Must be fluent in written and spoken English
● Good command of written and spoken Chinese preferred
● Excellent grasp and understanding of SEO and social media best practices
● Highest standard of accuracy, attention to detail and ability to write copy in line with editorial standards
● The ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines
● A self-starter with the ability to work in a fast-paced creative media environment
● Experience in managing a team of writers and editorial interns
● Must be educated to degree level or equivalent industry qualification
● Experience in photography, video production, and editing is highly desirable (not a prerequisite)

About Time Out

What we look for in a candidate

Time Out is a company filled with individuals as diverse as the cities we live in and cover. At the same time there are common characteristics and values we all share. To join our team, you’ll want to…

• Be commercially astute
• Either have experience at or want to dive headfirst into a fast-paced transformative company in pursuit of excellence
• Think globally
• Have excellent communication and relationship building skills
• Have a high sense of ownership, urgency and drive
• Be a team player

About our culture

At Time Out Group we believe in diversity and equal opportunity for all people. We do not discriminate against external or internal candidates on the basis of age; disability; gender, gender reassignment; race; religion or belief; sexual orientation; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity. We believe that diversity develops creativity and enables personal and professional growth where we all learn from each other. We believe in an open culture where ideas are shared candidly and where there is no fear of failure, but rather an understanding that we must experiment and have the freedom to succeed. We believe that everyone has the right to express themselves as they are as this enriches us all. We believe in an open world, social justice, and the pursuit of happiness, after all, we are in the happiness business.

About Time Out Group plc

Time Out Group is a global media and hospitality business that inspires connection and joy by capturing the soul of the world’s greatest cities through its two divisions – Time Out Media and Time Out Market.

Time Out launched in London in 1968 with a magazine to help people discover the exciting new urban cultures that had started up all over the city. Today, Time Out’s professional journalists curate the best things to do, see and eat in 333 cities in 59 countries.

Time Out Market is the world’s first editorially curated food and cultural market, bringing a city’s best chefs, restaurateurs and unique cultural experiences together under one roof. From cooking classes with top chefs to installations from local artists and live entertainment, Time Out Market captures the soul of the city.

The first Time Out Market opened in 2014 in a historic market hall in Lisbon, quickly turning into the most popular destination in the city with 4.1m locals and tourists visiting in 2019. The success of Lisbon brought further expansion in North America, with Time Out Market opening in five major cities in 2019: Miami, New York, Boston, Chicago and Montreal. In 2021, Time Out Market expanded into the Middle East with Time Out Market Dubai, and more Time Out Market locations are in the pipeline including Porto, London, Prague, Japan and more.

Time Out Group was named International Brand of the Year 2021 in the Campaign Publishing Awards – awarding bravery, editorial innovation and forward thinking. While Time Out Market won the Most Innovative Food & Beverage Concept Award at the Global RLI (Retail & Leisure International) Awards 2021