Project Editor

Role Summary

Project Editor
Publishing
Full time
Permanent
£29,958 per annum
Application Deadline: Tuesday 14 January 2019, Midday

The Project Editor will assist in the delivery of the Museum’s publishing programme. Working closely with the Publishing team, curators and other colleagues, the Project Editor will help to create and shape publications to support exhibitions, make the collection accessible to a general audience and those aimed at children and families.

The Project Editor will manage the delivery of specific titles and concepts, including managing titles from initial proposals and costing, through to design development, generating sales materials and delivery of publications to Production colleagues. The role requires engaging creatively with curators and authors to ensure titles complement the Museum’s objectives as well as delivering an accessible and enjoyable experience for the general reader or exhibition visitor.

This is an exciting opportunity for a confident editor with experience of managing complex illustrated titles. The ability to juggle priorities, work autonomously within the Publishing team, a strong sense of design, ability to commission and organize the workload of freelance colleagues, and manage expectations of key stakeholders is essential.

Key Areas of Responsibilities:

• Manage the delivery of publications, ensuring they are launched to market on time, on budget, and to the highest quality.
• Assist with the development of complex, highly illustrated books.
• Engage creatively with authors and curators in the development of exhibition titles in line with the Museum’s objectives and expectations.
• Manage and control delegated budgets for design, illustration, picture research and editorial costs on allocated titles.
• Negotiation of author, editor, illustrator and other necessary contracts.
• Work closely with the Production Controller in the colour-management process to ensure the highest possible standard of colour reproduction is achieved.
• Stakeholder management – reporting to and managing expectations of key members of Museum staff.
• Assist in the management of the day-to-day relationship with 3rd party publishers, ensuring that they produce books that align with the Museum’s brand and programme, and that meet our fiscal expectations

Person Specification:

With experience in publishing, media or other editorial areas you will have excellent editorial project management and time management skills and experience of working with complex illustrated books. In addition, you will be a confident user of Adobe Creative Suite for print publishing – particularly InDesign, Photoshop and Acrobat and have the ability to juggle conflicting demands and prioritise workload appropriately. The successful candidate will also have excellent communication skills both written and verbal and the ability to manage and develop good relationships with external clients/customers.