Metadata Manager, Consumer

The opportunity

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, the leading independent publisher, is looking to recruit a Metadata Manager for the Consumer division to improve the quality and accuracy of our titles’ metadata, ensuring books are as easy to discover as possible. This is an exciting opportunity to join the Group’s Metadata Team and play a key role in increasing visibility and discoverability of Bloomsbury’s list, which spans from Harry Potter and Sarah J Maas to Tom Kerridge’s cookbooks and Peter Frankopan’s bestselling histories.

The role sits within the central Metadata Team, reporting to the Head of Group Metadata.

The role
The candidate will be working globally across departments including marketing, editorial, Operations, business systems and Production. This role will oversee, monitor and champion the quality, timeliness and effectiveness of bibliographic data for the Consumer division, working across both our Adult and Children’s publishing.

We are looking for a highly enthusiastic, resourceful individual with experience of working with metadata in the book industry. The successful candidate will possess an analytical mind, with a keen eye for detail and process.

Working closely with the Head of Metadata as a key member of the metadata community, you will support/assist on:

• Ensuring best practice
• Feeding into and implementing the metadata strategy for the business
• Awareness of industry wide data initiatives to feed into the business
• Ensuring editors are aware of key opportunities to increase sales
• Quality control of global Consumer bibliographic data including:
  • Running reports and developing KPIs to check completeness, timeliness and quality of data
  • Focus on backlist and cleaning up out of date copy
  • Coordinating monthly QA of data according to ‘key dates’
  • Liaison with Production on key dates
• SEO and visibility across online retailers including Amazon, Waterstones, Foyles, bookshop.org and Bloomsbury.com
• Liaison with Business Systems, Operations, Sales, Web team and other divisions on data held in and feeds between customer and bibliographic databases, distributors, Bloomsbury.com etc.
• Working with copy to ensure that it is up to the minute, making use of market trends, reader reviews and featuring key words
• Oversee the internal categorisation and the use of external taxonomies (THEMA, BIC, BISAC etc.) with Editorial and Business Systems
• Assisting list marketers with data downloads according to their requirements; training them to make best use of the bibliographic database
• Developing and implementing projects to improve the metadata quality across our titles
• Support the Head of Metadata in research and training to improve and evolve the metadata standard across the business

This job description does not form part of your contract of employment.

Knowledge, skills and experience 

We are looking for an enthusiastic, meticulous individual with a keen eye for detail, and passion for accuracy and consistency. Key qualities include:

• Extensive experience of bibliographic databases and understanding of how data is used by key stakeholders both internally and externally throughout the supply chain
• High standard of Microsoft Excel
• Excellent analytical skills
• Data-minded with excellent attention to detail, including proofreading and copywriting experience
• Excellent organisational skills
• Experience of proactively implementing improvements to procedures and systems
• Experience of analysing results
• Confident communicator, building relationships and working closely and persuasively with other departments

Additional information

The role is a full-time permanent position

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: Monday and Tuesday

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 9th April 2023.

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

Sharesave Scheme

In-house Doctor

Eyecare Voucher Scheme

Company culture – Employee Voice Meetings, Staff Networks (Bloom (BAME), Accessibility, Mental Health, Pride, and Parents, Guardians and Carers), 9 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.