Your team:
Macmillan Children’s Books (MCB) is one of the UK’s leading children’s publishers and has created and published bestselling children’s books for all ages for over 150 years. You will be joining MCB to lead the Fiction and Non-Fiction business unit, home to many bestselling and critically acclaimed authors, illustrators and series, as well as the recently launched YA imprint First Ink. Our fiction and YA list features some of the industry’s most popular and prize-winning talents, including Liz Pichon, John Patrick Green, children’s laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce, M. G. Leonard, Waterstones Book Prize winner Pari Thomson, Andy Griffiths, Tomi Adeyemi, Frances Hardinge and Hafsah Faizal. Our varied Non-Fiction and Poetry list boasts authors and brands such as Hamza Yassin, Hartigan Browne, Theo Parish, Marcus Rashford, Allie Esiri, David Olusoga, The Poetry Pharmacy and Kate Mosse.

Your role:
Reporting into the MCB Managing Director, as Publisher you will be instrumental in driving UK and international growth in the Fiction and the 6+ black-and-white Non-Fiction sectors through profitable and bestselling acquisitions while cultivating a commercial, responsive and collaborative culture. Your efforts will be essential in championing growth strategies and ensuring our titles resonate with consumers and markets worldwide.

Your key responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a publishing strategy that aligns with MCB's growth objectives for both children’s and YA fiction and black-and-white non-fiction

• Manage the portfolio of your business unit to grow market share and drive bestselling acquisitions

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with authors, illustrators, agents and industry contacts both domestically and internationally

• Lead and manage a team, fostering an inclusive and happy environment that maximises commercial thinking and results in high performance

• Oversee budget management and profitability through strategic planning and execution, ensuring the division meets its P&L targets

• Form strong relationships with sister companies in order to develop global publishing opportunities

• Champion a culture of consumer awareness and understanding within the team, using your up-to-date knowledge to inform publishing decisions and ensure a competitive edge

• Embed DEI principles in publishing practices and champion a culture of inclusivity within all aspects of book acquisition and development

• Be a proactive and collaborative member of the MCB leadership team, working with the MD and other members of the senior team to develop and deliver growth strategies

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

• Extensive experience in children’s book publishing, with a deep understanding of the children’s book market, consumer audiences and current trends, both in the UK and internationally

• Proven experience commissioning and publishing bestselling children’s books

• Ability to conceive and implement strategic plans that align with overarching business goals and objectives, with a track record of driving growth

• Highly skilled in negotiating deals and contracts with agents and authors

• 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

• A strong commitment to the mission to get children reading whatever their start in life.

What you’ll get in return:
In return you will have the opportunity to work with the very best authors, illustrators and copyrights in the world in a supportive and collaborative working environment as well as a competitive salary and benefits package.

Closing date: 2 February 2025

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 and gym memberships; Christmas club savings

• Daily free breakfast and monthly company lunch

This is a full time, permanent, 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 (DEI) at every level of our organisation. We welcome applications from all individuals, including any 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

We want to ensure that all candidates are supported throughout the recruitment process, if you have any reasonable adjustments or accessibility requirements please contact Kayelle Danyluk (Head of Talent Acquisition) at kayelle.danyluk@macmillan.com

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