Communications Director

Your team:
Macmillan Children’s Books (MCB) is one of the UK’s leading children’s publishers with an excellent reputation for creating and publishing bestselling and award-winning children’s and YA books for all ages for over 150 years. The stellar list features many well-known and highly acclaimed authors and illustrators, including Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler, Emily Gravett, Andy Griffiths, Rod Campbell, John Patrick Green, Frances Hardinge, Dara McAnulty, David Olusoga, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Lenny Henry, Chris Riddell, Liz Pichon, Camilla Reid, Tomi Adeyemi and Marcus Rashford. A few of MCB’s most notable brands include The Gruffalo, Dear Zoo, Tales from Acorn Wood, The Moomins, Milly-Molly-Mandy and Sylvanian Families, and MCB is also the original publisher of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

We publish as Macmillan Children’s Books, which is split into two divisions: a Pre-school, Brands and Classics division, where pre-school specialist Campbell Books and non-fiction-led Kingfisher imprints sit; then a Fiction, Non-Fiction and Picture Books division, home to the newly launched YA list, First Ink. Alongside these sits the award-winning illustrated Two Hoots imprint. Within MCB there is also a specialist Rights and Co-editions department and an Art and Design department that works exclusively on our illustrated publishing.

Your role:
As the Communications Director, you will lead the MCB Marketing and Publicity teams and be responsible for the creation and management of a consumer-focused and ROI-driven communications strategy for lead titles and brands, both frontlist and backlist. As part of MCB’s leadership team, you will work closely with the Managing Director and Publishers to bring audience and market knowledge to our publishing and help shape a growth-oriented programme, with the ultimate goals of creating bestsellers and generating sales and market share.

Your key responsibilities:

• Develop and direct a strategic communications vision across marketing and PR, aligning with MCB's business strategy and enhancing brand reputation

• Manage the communications budget efficiently, ensuring strategic alignment across departments to achieve strong ROI

• Alongside the Publishers and the Sales Director, be accountable for MCB’s commercial success while being a collaborator and influencer on the publishing and business strategy

• Execute high-impact marketing campaigns, focusing on innovation, measurable KPIs and integrating marketing with publicity to bolster author and brand profiles

• Lead the ongoing development, roll out and use of audience segmentation for MCB

• Represent the division at high-profile author/agent pitches and meetings, inspiring excitement and confidence in what the team can offer

• Foster a high-performing communications team, prioritising talent development and performance management, and driving a culture of peak performance

• Working in close collaboration with the Digital Communications Leadership team to leverage digital and AI advancements to transform communications functions, ensuring MCB remains at the forefront of industry standards and practices

• Contribute towards the Pan Macmillan Making a Difference mission (DEI, literacy, sustainability) and set an example to your team.

Essential experience, abilities and knowledge you’ll need to succeed:

• A strong background in developing and executing comprehensive marketing and PR strategies within the publishing industry, with proven successes in brand building and campaign management

• Demonstrated experience in a leadership role, preferably within the children’s publishing sector, showing capability in steering teams towards achieving shared business objectives and fostering a dynamic and innovative work environment

• Ability to conceive and implement strategic plans that align with the company’s overarching goals and objectives, with a track record of driving growth and enhancing brand visibility

• Expertise in enhancing audience engagement and driving book sales, along with experience in measuring campaign impact

• Skilled in working collaboratively with various stakeholders, including publishers, authors, illustrators and sales teams, to create cohesive and impactful communications strategies that enhance the publishing programme and business results

• A genuine passion for reading and children’s literacy, with a deep understanding of the children’s book market, current trends, and the ability to engage with authors and create compelling stories around book launches.

What you’ll get in return:
In return we can offer you a range of great projects, a supportive and collaborative working environment as well as a competitive salary and benefits package.

Closing Date: 4 August 2024

Some of the benefits we offer:

• 28 days annual leave increasing with years of service + bank holidays

• Generous pension scheme

• Discounted private medical insurance

• Group income protection scheme

• Enhanced family pay and leave

• Flexible working hours and summer hours (early finish on a Friday during summer months)

• 2 Volunteer Days per year

• 75% off all Pan Macmillan books and regular staff book sales (highly reduced rates)

• Season ticket loan/advance

• Cycle to work scheme

• Discounts on shopping, Tastecard+ and gym memberships; Christmas club savings

• Daily free breakfast and monthly company lunch

This is a full time, permanent role, and will be based in our offices in Farringdon, London, with some flexibility to work from home each week.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate the right to live and work in the UK in order to be considered for this role.

At Pan Macmillan, we are highly committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion at every level of our organisation. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. Our efforts to promote DEI are ongoing, and we continually strive to learn and improve our policies and practices. You can read our full Diversity & Inclusion Pledge here: https://www.panmacmillan.com/about/diversity-and-inclusion

Please note that all personal information which we process in connection with your application will be treated in accordance with our Recruitment Privacy Notice available here: https://panmacmillan.com/recruitment-privacy-notice. Please read our Recruitment Privacy Notice before submitting your application