Development Editor

Bloomsbury Academic publish high quality print and digital resources for the undergraduate student textbook market globally. This is an exciting opportunity to join our vibrant and friendly textbook publishing team as a Development Editor. Reporting to the Head of Marketing Intelligence, with a dotted line to the Senior Development Editor – and working closely with the Commissioning Editors, Marketing and Production colleagues, this is a rewarding role for someone with experience of higher education publishing who is seeking to enhance their editorial, market research and project management skills and work on some market-leading student resources.

The successful candidate will work alongside key academic authors to help research, shape and develop our highest value major textbooks and digital products, keeping existing projects on track and taking on new projects as they are commissioned. Working primarily across higher education disciplines, including Business, Politics and Psychology, the role requires extensive market research, excellent project management and organizational skills, the confidence to deal with established academics from across disciplines, and a desire to produce the best student learning resources on the market.

The role

• To ensure that learning resources meet student and instructor needs and outperform competing resources by reviewing material in key market areas, creating peer review questionnaires, analysing feedback, and agreeing with the author a plan for the character and direction of the project including electronic ancillaries or other e-elements.
• To gain proficiency and expertise in qualitative market research techniques, including exploratory review questionnaires, focus groups and depth interviews.
• To campus call academics – either in person, or via video call - to gain feedback on projects in development.
• To work with the Commissioning Editor to create complete, persuasive publishing pack paperwork for Publishing Meetings as required.
• To establish realistic schedules for projects and then manage these effectively.
• To undertake extensive detailed work on developing the manuscript based on peer review and your own and colleagues’ professional judgement, persuasively feeding recommendations back to author.
• To assess manuscripts for permissions and third party material.
• To manage creative input on text designs, cover designs and back cover copy in collaboration with the Commissioning Editor, Cover Designer, and sales and marketing colleagues where appropriate.
• To present to the Production Editor complete typescripts including all permissions, photo and artwork programmes and appropriate preliminary and end matter. 
• To check proofs in a detailed and timely manner according to project needs, ensuring errors are flagged and corrections implemented in collaboration with the Production Editor.
• To manage the content, design and schedule of the companion website/e-ancillaries, liaising with the Digital Development Editor as necessary.
• To liaise closely with sales and marketing colleagues to create detailed sales and marketing tools.

Knowledge, skills and experience 

• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
• Superb command of written English and a sharp eye for detail
• Excellent organisational skills with an ability to balance priorities
• Ability to build strong and effective working relationships with colleagues and external contacts
• Good diplomacy skills
• Ability to work unsupervised and to use own initiative
• Self-motivated with a professional approach and a can-do attitude
• Excellent project management skills, including the ability to multi-task and work to tight deadlines
• Numerate and computer literate
• Knowledge of the higher education environment
• Previous experience in publishing
• Ability to think creatively and solve problems

Additional information

The role is a full-time permanent position

Salary Range: £30,750 - £36,400

The role is based at our London office 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP on a hybrid working pattern of 2 days office based / 3 days home based (or fully office based if preferred).  Allocated office days for this role are: Wednesday and Thursday

Please apply with a CV and covering letter addressed to Human Resources (Word or PDF format only) via the ‘APPLY NOW’ button detailing how you meet the requirements outlined above for this role by midnight on 21st February 2024.

Bloomsbury reserve the right to close the role early if we exceed the required number of applications

Bloomsbury Benefits

As well as a fantastic opportunity to join a global award-winning organisation, Bloomsbury offers the following competitive benefits package:

Working Pattern

• hybrid working pattern of: 2 days office based / 3 days home based (or fully office based if preferred)

Holidays

• 25 days holiday
• 3.5 days Christmas company holiday

Other Benefits

• Two paid Personal Wellness Days
• Flexible Fridays – take Friday afternoon off by working an additional 3 hours and 45 minutes earlier in the week
• Season Ticket Loan
• Share save Scheme
• AXA Healthcare Plan (Private Medical Insurance)
• In-house Doctor
• Eye care Voucher Scheme

Company culture – Employee Voice Meetings, Staff Networks (Bloom (BAME), Accessibility, Mental Health, Pride, and Parents, Guardians and Carers) and 21 Mental Health First Aiders trained across the UK offices, Publishing Events and access to free Publishing Resources

For additional benefits see below

Bloomsbury is a place where anyone of any background, race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender identity, age, ability, or socio-economic status can thrive, feel comfortable, and be heard and accepted. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

We are willing to make any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please flag to the recruitment team if required

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK. 

The Company

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

Bloomsbury Publishing is a leading independent publishing house, established in 1986, with authors who have won the Nobel, Pulitzer and Booker Prizes, and is the originating publisher and custodian of the Harry Potter series. Bloomsbury has offices in London, New York, New Delhi, Oxford and Sydney. Within Bloomsbury’s Academic division, it publishes under Bloomsbury, as well as under a number of prestigious and historic imprint names. Read Our Story for how it all began. 

 Bloomsbury is committed to creating a working environment that stimulates creativity and collaboration, is respectful of difference, is inclusive and ethical in its practice, and promotes well-being. We are determined to nurture and develop our employees to reach their highest potential, and we know that our success is down to the passion, commitment and hard work of our talented people. We recognise the urgent need to attract and support applicants from all backgrounds and identities to become part of the global publishing industry, allowing diverse voices to reflect and shape our culture and society.

Please read more on our Missions and Values here.

Please read our environmental policy here.