Editor - DK Licensing

Do you enjoy thinking of new and creative ways to explain non-fiction to children?  Are you on top of the latest trends in children’s books, toys and entertainment? Have you had experience in managing illustrated book projects? 

If so, DK is recruiting an editor to help create books with exciting partners. You will get to work on lists with award-winning books, which publish for today’s kids and families, in a talented and motivated team. 

The Editor, Play & Learning will work with partners such as LEGO, Minecraft, Pokémon, Sesame Street, and more, to create exciting books for young fans of toys and gaming, and their families.

We’re looking for resourceful, versatile editors who are highly organised, with proven experience in managing illustrated books from concept to completion. You will be working with authors, licensors and internal and external creative teams to produce brilliant books that are delivered both on time and on budget. We also want someone who is brimming with ideas, and who can suggest new creative books and ideas on the page.

You should be comfortable:

• Liaising with freelancers, authors and/or external stakeholders in a professional manner
• Managing your own editorial projects at different stages of development
• Supporting senior editors and wider editorial team with their projects
• Contributing to brainstorms and pitching new ideas
• Collaborating with other departments, including Designer and Sales department
• Shaping editorial content from outline stage and working with designers in a collaborative way to produce books of the highest standard
• Keeping up with trends in the children’s entertainment and book space

We’re looking for a motivated self-starter, eager to contribute to discussions and share fresh concepts. We are looking for someone with a passion for reading and popular children’s entertainment brands, who enjoys working collaboratively, and is able to manage titles independently, all while receiving guidance from the senior editors and the wider editorial team. 

You will possess a keen editorial eye, be adaptable to creative changes, and excel as a team player and communicator. You will be skilled at meeting deadlines and cultivating strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders. Ideally, you will also have good presentation skills, some prior knowledge of the children’s book and licensing market, a love for children’s entertainment brands, and experience working with external stakeholders. 

If successful, you will join a team that supports your on-the-job learning, development, and wider training needs. 

This is a great opportunity for a junior editor looking to step up and develop as an editor, and work with exciting global brands.

To apply, please submit your most recent CV and cover letter by 12 September 2024. As part of your cover letter, please:

• Tell us why you want to work at DK and highlight any relevant experience you have.
• Include an example of when you managed a project from start to finish, either independently or alongside a senior colleague

We have a range of benefits to reflect our commitment to our people, some of which are:

• 25 days paid holiday entitlement in year one, plus bank holidays
• Generous pension scheme
• Volunteering policy and charity matching
• Employee assistance programme
• 60% discount on company books
• Cycle to work scheme and discounted gym membership
• Flex fridays (1pm Finish*)
• Shopping discounts 
• Up to 30 days remote working from abroad
• And we plant a tree for every new employee to our business

DK is committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects the varied communities that read our books across the world. We encourage applications from all individuals, regardless of age, religion, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or social background. DK is proud to announce that we have adopted The Halo Code.

DK supports flexible working and has introduced a new ‘smart-working’ policy with a hybrid approach of working weekly from home and in DK’s office.

The Book Trade Charity offers financial support to people looking to enter the book trade, but who may struggle to afford the costs of attending interviews or undertaking internships. For more information, visit www.booktradeentrysupport.org

*Subject to certain criteria being met.

About our Company: 

We believe in the power of discovery. That's why we create books for everyone that explore ideas and nurture curiosity about the world we live in. From first words to the Big Bang, from the wonders of nature to city adventures, you will find expert knowledge, hours of fun and endless inspiration in the pages of our books. 

We are the world's leading illustrated publisher and a member of the Penguin Random House division of Bertelsmann, creating cutting-edge design and stunning visual books for the whole family. We are passionate about inspiring curiosity and bring people to books through their thirst for knowledge. With a global book loving community of over 800 colleagues in the UK, US, Germany, India, China, Spain and Australia, we produce books in over 100 countries and over 60 languages. Find out more on dk.com.