Senior Editor, Colour Publishing - Childrens (12 month FTC) London, England
Job description
Team: Children's
Salary: 12 month Fixed term contract
Location: London, UK - Hybrid
Closing: 1:00pm, 7th Apr 2023 BST
Perks and benefits
Introduction to the role
Reporting to the Picture Book Publishing Director, this is a key role in the Colour team. The Senior Editor will have editorial management responsibilities for a range of projects across print and digital and will support both the Editorial Director for Heritage Brands, the Picture Book Publishing Director and the Colour Publisher on major picture book titles and brands. They will not commission but will be actively involved in the entire process of creating new picture books, liaising with authors and illustrators and creating new formats and titles for the relevant brands e.g Judith Kerr, Brambly Hedge, Percy the Park Keeper etc. They will work on creative pitches for new brands and custom publishing, thus providing valuable experience and opportunities for creativity and an opportunity to work on some of the bestselling and most beloved children’s literary brands.
Key tasks and accountabilities
Full editorial responsibilities for a range of major colour titles and brands, including digital formats – briefing authors and illustrators, feeding back on texts, roughs and layouts, collating assets, writing new content where appropriate, structural editing, managing approvals and licensor / estate relationship in conjunction with the Publishing Director/Editorial Director, overseeing schedules, copywriting and writing design briefs
Creating activity and novelty formats based on existing content and assets, working with production to constantly innovate and evaluate existing formats
Seeing titles through from manuscript to finished copies, ensuring given titles are delivered on time, with accuracy, to budget and to specification
Managing out-of-house writers, freelancers or packagers
Liaising with licensors and estates on titles in progress, managing approvals and material for update meetings or licensor requests, maintaining standards of excellent 3rd party relations
Supporting on pitches – creatively feeding in ideas on brands and creating new ideas for custom publishing, coordinating design and wording of pitch documents.
Managing relevant editorial listings (AIS, BIC, Metadata keywords)) Acquisitions forms, P&Ls) to ensure accurate and up-to-date title/list information is available internally and externally
Editorially managing and completing copy for key selling documents such as Bologna and Frankfurt guides
Pro-actively looking at backlist, anniversary and reissue opportunities across the list of titles and brands. Ensure the creation of profitable and commercial titles from our backlist, to bring in incremental income and strong brand awareness as well as to tie in with anniversaries and key cultural moments
Supporting the Publishing Director, Editorial Director and Publisher in preparing documentation for key meetings, ensuring all relevant paperwork is accurate, complete and circulated on time.
Experience required
Strong and proven track record in editorial and project management in children’s books
Experience of seeing a book through from manuscript to final copy
Has worked on brands and picture books across multiple formats
Relevant children’s book market knowledge
An understanding of multi-platform brands
Skills required
Exceptional editing skills and attention to detail
Extremely organised, efficient, self motivated, able to effectively manage multiple projects simultaneously
Strong author/illustrator/licensor care and interpersonal skills
Good design eye
Genuine and demonstrable interest in children’s publishing
Excellent communication skills across all levels in order to present solutions to senior editorial team, liaise effectively and decisively with Design, Marketing, Sales and Production in-house, and with 3rd parties externally
Awareness/understanding of budgets and costings – while not having P&L responsibility you will need to understand and be informed by all aspects of the financial context of publishing
Team player
Solutions-focused
Consumer-facing approach – we lead, rather than following, and we publish the books children love
Benefits
Hybrid working model (2+ days in the office)
26 days holiday plus bank holidays (option to buy and sell holiday days)
Enhanced pay for maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave
Private healthcare cover and life assurance
Free access to HeadSpace, employee assistance programme (24 hour helpline), mental health first aiders, and a wellbeing portal
Employee networks: HC All In (open forum), Elevate (for ethnic minority colleagues), HarperParents, Menopause at Work and Pride at HC
Unlimited training on our Learning and Development portal, management courses (up to MA level) and mentoring programmes
Virtual GP and eyecare vouchers
Charitable donation matching and volunteering day
We're a certified Carbon Neutral company
Free e-books and audiobooks, newspaper subscriptions and discounts on books
Subsidised canteen and retail discounts
If you wish to discuss anything regarding this position and/or your application to this role, please reach out directly to our People Advisor at [email protected] with subject heading ‘Vacancy Query’ plus the job title and we will aim to get back to you within 5 working days.
