Deputy Food & Wine Editor - Gulfshore Life Magazine

Who We Are Gulfshore Life is Southwest Florida’s leading luxury lifestyle publication, covering the people, places and culture of Naples, Fort Myers, Sanibel Island and beyond for more than five decades. (Coverage area: Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties.) We are a locally owned publication with stable, long-term ownership and a continued commitment to local journalism. In a media landscape where print is often contracting, the magazine remains our flagship, supported by thoughtful digital and event extensions. We produce 12 monthly issues and multiple special editions each year, delivering reported, high-level lifestyle journalism for a discerning, engaged readership—with a strong emphasis on taste, context and visual authority. Creativity and editorial quality are our cornerstones. Food is a central pillar of our publication and community. As the region’s dining landscape continues to grow and evolve, this role helps shape how people understand and engage with the food scene. The Deputy Food & Wine Editor leads the magazine’s coverage with authority, access and a clear editorial point of view. This editor is also a key collaborator across the magazine, contributing to structure, editorial quality and writer development beyond the food pages. This is a full-time, in-office role based in Bonita Springs, Florida. Familiarity with the Southwest Florida market is strongly preferred. The Role Gulfshore Life’s Deputy Food & Wine Editor combines beat leadership with senior editorial responsibility. You’ll lead and shape food and wine coverage across print and digital, while also serving as a trusted editor across the magazine. The work calls for judgment, taste and real-world experience: you know when to push for depth, when to pull back and how to package stories so they land with authority. For an editor who cares about food journalism, visual storytelling and storytelling that’s rooted in its community, this is a chance to do meaningful, high-level work in a growing market. Who You Are You’re a seasoned food editor with strong editorial judgment, real access and a deep understanding of dining culture. You balance reporting instincts with the ability to shape, edit and package stories across platforms for an audience attuned to quality. You: Have established relationships in the food world and know how to cultivate sources that lead to genuine insight, not surface-level coverage Bring strong knowledge of food beyond restaurants, including sourcing, technique, winemaking and the forces that shape the industry Have senior-level editing experience and are comfortable guiding contributors, shaping structure and elevating drafts Think strategically about story framing and development, with a clear sense of what feels fresh, relevant and worth readers’ time Have experience shaping digital-forward editorial, including web stories, newsletters, social content and simple video concepts Possess a strong visual sensibility and understand what makes food stories compelling on the page Are comfortable working across long-lead print cycles and faster digital timelines, with sound judgment about what works best in each format Either bring strong local knowledge of Southwest Florida or know how to build it quickly and thoughtfully What Sets You Apart You pay attention to the larger picture—trends, shifts and industry currents—and know how to translate them into editorial ideas. You use access responsibly, building trust and turning it into deeper, more revealing stories. You have range, from fine dining to neighborhood standouts, soulful foodways and unexpected finds. You consistently surface strong angles and help shape the regional conversation around food. You edit with authority and care, elevating work rather than overpowering it. What You’ll Do Guide the Food & Wine vertical’s editorial vision Shape the magazine’s food coverage with a clear, high-level editorial lens, ensuring stories are conceived for both print and digital pathways and reflect the magazine’s aspirational, design-conscious sensibility Be a senior presence in the food community Build and maintain relationships with chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers and makers, staying deeply connected to what’s happening now and what’s next Assign, edit and develop contributors Brief freelancers thoughtfully, guide stories from pitch through RFL with clear, confident editing, and cultivate a strong bench of writers and photographers Pitch, write and edit at a high level Produce original reported features, service stories and insider moments that meet the magazine’s standards for authority and sophistication Help assign and edit stories across sections, beyond food Lead digital extensions of food coverage Build original content for the food and wine vertical online, shape how print stories translate digitally, produce the biweekly Taste newsletter, and develop repeatable concepts for web, social and simple video formats Oversee the Dining Guide Manage the 150+ restaurant Dining Guide and related materials with consistency, accuracy and strong editorial oversight Own major food-related initiatives Take a leading role on food annuals and special publications, including Salut and the Naples Winter Wine Festival magazine Collaborate cross-departmentally Work closely with design, digital and events teams to extend food content across platforms Requirements 7+ years of food journalism or high-level lifestyle journalism, with senior-level editing responsibility and significant food and wine experience Demonstrated ability to shape structure, sharpen angles and elevate writers Experience leading or anchoring a beat with original reporting Strong organizational and time-management skills Experience developing and managing junior editors and freelancers Strong visual sense and experience working alongside art and photo teams Digital fluency and comfort thinking across formats and platforms A well-developed food network Willingness to work on-site and attend evening/weekend events as needed Comfort operating under a high editorial bar and engaging in thoughtful, collaborative editorial work Why This Role You’ll play a leading role in shaping food journalism in a fast-evolving luxury market. You’ll work on ambitious, well-packaged stories that balance reporting, service and visual storytelling. You’ll work closely with a committed creative team, producing ambitious lifestyle journalism. You’ll contribute to a trusted regional brand with a long-standing editorial legacy. You’ll work in a place where editorial judgment, visual storytelling and longform are central. #J-18808-Ljbffr City and Regional Magazine Association (CRMA)