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Editorial Manager, Puffin

We’re looking for an organized and proactive Editorial Manager to join our Puffin Managing Editorial team on a permanent basis. Puffin Books is home to many famous authors, illustrators and children’s brands, including Roald Dahl, Jacqueline Wilson, Malorie Blackman, Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola, Tom Fletcher, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Snowman and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

This position will manage the copy-editing and proofreading process, overseeing projects from manuscript to printed book. You'll have responsibility for a significant and designated list of leading Penguin Random House Children’s titles, and will work to ensure that the highest editorial standards are met on schedule and within budget. Alongside this, you will also manage freelance copy-editors and proofreaders. Please note this is not a commissioning role.

The ideal candidate will be highly motivated and able to demonstrate extensive knowledge of fiction publishing, ideally with experience that spans illustrated as well as narrative for a young audience age 6–11. You'll be confident when dealing with authors, commissioning editors and other colleagues, and will of course have proven experience of copy-editing and proofreading.

You’ll also have responsibility for:

  • Working with the commissioning editors, designers, production teams and freelancers to implement schedules to help deliver the various publishing programmes

  • Participating in pre-production progress meetings, and managing progress with key stakeholders

  • Maintaining editorial standards according to house and series styles, and keeping the style sheets updated

  • Copy-editing end matter and shorter text when required

  • Proofreading and checking revised proofs of titles at layout and proof stages

  • Checking all copyright/imprint information is correct and guiding others to do so

  • Checking illustrative matter, jackets and covers are accurate

  • Line management and/or mentoring junior colleagues will also be a key aspect of the role

This role will best suit someone with experience of complex project management who can thrive in a challenging, fast-paced environment, working on some of the best books in children’s publishing. The successful candidate is likely to have experience within book publishing and a good understanding of publishing processes. However, we are open to considering candidates from outside of book publishing, particularly those with experience within the wider media/storytelling sphere or experience working with licensors. The role requires you to have proven copy-editing and proofreading skills, including knowledge of BSI proofreading symbols.

You’ll be a confident communicator with the ability to build strong relationships with teams across the business. You will be particularly adept at managing schedules and coordinating multiple projects, and you will be able to work at pace to ensure that projects are delivered on time and to budget. Your interest in books that entertain and inspire children and your keen eye for detail will be demonstrable.

What you’ll get in return is the chance to work with a vibrant and supportive team on some of the leading brands in children’s publishing, with exceptional training opportunities and benefits.

We’re currently experimenting with hybrid working and involving colleagues across the business to shape our future ways of working. The needs of our teams and individuals are different, so we’re not taking a one-size-fits-all approach. While our offices are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility about where you work is just as important for doing your best work and for your wellbeing.

For this role, there are meetings and activities that you will need to attend in person (mainly at our offices in Nine Elms. The exact balance of office to remote working will depend on the nature of your role and team needs, and we are open to discussing this through the recruitment process

If you’re ready to join the Puffin Managing Editorial team as our new Editorial Manager, then please submit your CV and a Cover Letter by midnight on Monday 22nd August. 

As part of your application, we’d like you to respond to the following question in your Cover Letter:

  • In no more than 250 words, tell us about a complex project you recently managed and how you dealt with the challenges it presented.

What you can expect from us:

Salary: £32,000 - £35,000 depending on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus bonus and benefits.

Our employees are the heart of our business. We have a range of benefits to reflect our commitment to our employees, some of which are:

•    27 days paid holiday entitlement in year one (plus bank holidays), increasing a day each year up to 30 days
•    Medical cover
•    Life assurance
•    Cycle to Work scheme
•    Discounted gym membership
•    Generous pension scheme
•    Summer working hours (role dependent) 
•    Volunteering policy and charity matching
•    Employee Assistance programme
•    Mentoring programme
•    Extended gender neutral parental leave
•    Access to books and eBooks across Penguin Random House UK
•    Each site has trained mental health first aiders 
•    We plant a tree for every new employee to our business

Our creativity is inspired by different perspectives, so we want our culture to be one of belonging, where everyone feels welcome and where differences are celebrated.

As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we’re part of the 'offer an interview' scheme. This is where disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role can opt in to get to the next recruitment stage. There may be some situations where volume of applicants means we can’t take all eligible candidates to interview.

We want to make sure disabled applicants can be their best at each step of the recruitment journey. If you need adjustments during the application process, we encourage you to get in touch with us at http://PRHCareersUK@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk

Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable to for us to support your adjustment request. Find out more about our approach here: www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/applying-for-roles-with-a-disability

We partner with The Book Trade Charity, who provide financial assistance for people looking to get into the publishing industry; you can find more information and talk directly here: http://booktradeentrysupport.org/

Please note, we are not able to accept agency CVs for this role. Any CVs sent speculatively will not be eligible for a fee. 

Editorial Manager, Puffin

Full-time, Permanent
Publisher
Administration, Editor, Publishing, Communications, Business Development, Editorial
Reference: 
Editorial Manager, Puffin
Salary description: 
£32,000 - £35,000 depending on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus bonus and benefits

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The ideal candidate will be highly motivated and able to demonstrate extensive knowledge of fiction publishing, ideally with experience that spans illustrated as well as narrative for a young audience age 6–11