Travel Editor

We are Rough Guides & Insight Guides, a company with an international set-up and teams working across several countries.

For over 50 years, our brands have inspired travellers with our famed ranges of travel guidebooks. Rough Guides is a beloved British travel publisher, known for its “tell it like it is” ethos and independent, detailed travel planning content, while Insight Guides offer a unique combination of stunning photographs and inspiring essays that delve deep into the culture of a destination.

We also work with commercial partners to produce co-branded travel content for platforms ranging from print and eBooks to all online and app formats. In recent years, these special projects have become an increasingly important part of our business and we expect to develop this further. In addition, we offer a one-stop solution for travel needs with our tailor-made trips platform, an easy-to-use solution for the planning and booking of desirable and memorable travel experiences.

We’re looking for a Travel Editor with book publishing and commissioning experience and writing skills to work on our trade books and commercial projects, across both brands, supporting the Senior Editors and Head of Publishing. This is a role for an editor who is passionate about travel, has strong interpersonal and communication instincts, and above all, excellent project and time management skills, to join our expanding, busy, friendly team. The publishing business is headquartered in London but we work remotely, with potential for some part-time office-based days in London. If you think that you have the relevant skills and have the desire to further develop them while working in a professional environment, we would love to talk to you.

Job Title: Travel Editor

Responsible to: Head of Publishing   

Remote work, full time

Salary: competitive

Position Overview: Our Travel Editors commission, edit and manage travel guidebooks and other content as needed, working as part of a busy publishing team. In this role, you will have oversight of a number of our trade travel book projects, from conception through pre-press to completion, liaising with authors, cartography, design and picture departments, and coordinating the work of external contributors. You will also occasionally write and edit content for our commercial deals, as required, utilising your knowledge of our travel content.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Authors & Commissioning

• Maintain and build working relationships with all authors and updaters
• Carry out comprehensive assessments of current content to identify where work is required to improve and maintain quality
• Negotiate with writers and updaters regarding fees within agreed budget framework
• Liaise with cartographers in relation to map requirements

Project Management & Editing

• Precisely and quickly assess text completeness and quality
• Ensure full accuracy of the text including spot checking
• Copyedit in compliance with house style and liaise with authors on queries
• Work to the microschedule dates for each project, communicating with other members of the team
• Efficiently manage time between conflicting priorities and overlapping projects
• Generate, edit and creatively use content across print and digital products
• Proofread and/or organise proofreaders and indexers, and schedule their time accordingly
• Ensure accurate checking of proofs and plotters as required
• Implement changes set by Management
• Liaise with sales/marketing to encourage commercial opportunities that tie in with your project, including but not limited to fostering contacts at tourist boards, PR companies etc

Commercial projects

• On occasion, take responsibility for the ownership of special B2B custom projects, as requested by the Head of Publishing. These would be based on products within the list of allocated trade titles or existing back list only.
• Liaise effectively with the client, working to the individual schedules assigned for such projects
• Respond promptly to feedback as needed
• Work to all specific partner style guides
• Work using different styling provided by the client

New business

• Contribute content to our different brand platforms, from our websites and podcasts to social media, as requested
• Represent brand by taking part in travel industry events as needed and curate the knowledge to propose which ones the company should participate in

Financial

• Manage title budgets within parameters set by Head of Publishing.

 List Development

• Assist Head of Publishing with new title and content ideas to help develop the profile and success of different series
• Contribute to company-wide development meetings to generate new ideas for travel product
• Answer queries from foreign rights and distributors globally as required

Teamwork & Communication

• Work as part of the company community to create a positive, tolerant and harmonious work environment
• Deal with all staff in a helpful, courteous and respectful manner
• Communicate ideas which may improve the efficiency, performance or standards of your department and be open to the consideration of new ideas
• Actively participate in the giving and receiving of constructive feedback to ensure understanding and open team relationships

Policies & Procedures

• Actively ensure that the workplace is kept free from harassment, bullying behaviour and discrimination through thoughtful behaviour
• Work in accordance with Apa policy and procedural guidelines
• Comply with all Occupational Health and Safety guidelines, reporting any potential risks or hazards
• Follow safe work practices for self and others

Key Skills/Experience/Knowledge/Qualifications/Attributes:

Essential

2 years+ successful experience in a similar publishing role

Proven editorial and project management skills

Good copyediting and writing skills

Ability to work independently and be highly self-motivated and results-driven

Attention to detail

Computer literate – Google workspace, Word, Excel, InDesign, CMSs

Strong interpersonal and communication skills

Creative with ability to generate strong, market-literate publishing ideas

Proactive in building travel, language and commercial contacts

Financial acumen

Adaptability

Team Player

Travel knowledge and experience

Desirable

Typefi knowledge

Commercial awareness and engagement with travel guide market

Understanding of online content requirements, eg keywords and SEO

Experience in public and/or podcast speaking

Experience contributing to brand promotion as guest on other media

Storytelling skills

Tertiary or relevant professional qualification

Please send your application (cover letter, CV and salary expectations) to Sarah Clark, Head of Publishing, at sarah@insightguides.com by Monday 9th October 2023.