Job title: Editorial Director
Department: Two Hoots, Macmillan Children’s Books
Contract: Full-time, 12-month fixed-term contract (family leave cover)

Summary pitch:
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our award-winning Two Hoots team as Editorial Director on a 12-month fixed-term contract. Leading a high-profile, colour-illustrated list spanning picture books and non-fiction, you’ll bring exceptional editorial vision, commercial acumen and strong industry connections to champion top-tier talent and shape an extraordinary publishing programme.

Your team:
Macmillan Children’s Books (MCB) is one of the UK’s leading children’s publishers, creating and publishing bestselling brands, children’s books and poetry for all ages for over 150 years. You will be joining Two Hoots, which is part of both the Fiction and Non-Fiction and the Picture Books divisions at MCB. Our boutique illustrated imprint publishes extraordinary books that families really love and want to share. The list includes exquisite picture books from the likes of Emily Gravett and Kate Rolfe, and high-quality colour-illustrated non-fiction that is perfect for gifting like The Wonder of Life on Earth by Henry Gee and Raxenne Maniquiz and We Are Your Children by David Roberts.

Your role:
As the Editorial Director leading the Two Hoots list, you will play a central role in acquiring and publishing a range of exceptional illustrated books. You will be pivotal in championing emerging and established author and illustrator talent, while contributing to the overall growth and profitability of Two Hoots and MCB. This is a 12-month fixed-term family leave cover.

Your key responsibilities:

• Commercial oversight: Direct responsibility for P&L, driving revenue and profitability through targeted acquisitions, commissioning market-leading picture books and colour non-fiction.

• Strategic list management: Leadership of the publication strategy for Two Hoots picture books and non-fiction, ensuring titles capture key retail moments and cultural trends effectively.

• Backlist and operational execution: Continually reinvent the backlist creatively while managing costs, schedules and contracts efficiently to deliver quality titles on budget and on time.

• Cross-departmental collaboration: Collaborate closely with the UK and international sales teams, rights and communications teams to promote efficient, profitable publications across all formats, including audio and ebooks.

• Brand ambassadorship: Serve as an ambassador for Two Hoots, enhancing our reputation in the world of children’s books and attending relevant events to create publishing opportunities.

• Relationship management: Manage and maintain relationships with high-profile authors, illustrators and agents, providing effective editorial guidance and acting as a passionate champion for all titles across the Two Hoots list.

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

• Industry expertise: Significant experience within children’s publishing, with a focus on picture books and colour non-fiction.

• Strategic list-building: Demonstrable track record of shaping, curating and growing a high-performing publishing list.

• Talent development: Proven ability to identify, support and elevate both emerging and established authors and illustrators.

• Competitive negotiation skills: Proven success in managing high-level auctions and competitive negotiations.

• Commercial trend spotting: A commercially minded approach with a proven ability to identify, track and react to market trends.

• Design and editorial excellence: The ability to work editorially with authors and illustrators on both picture books and non-fiction, strengthening text and artwork while working closely with the design team.

• Project management oversight: The ability to plan, track and manage complex publishing projects effectively from start to finish, and a proven ability to organize, prioritize and manage your workload to meet tight deadlines while maintaining attention to detail.

• Clear communication style: Effective spoken and written communication skills, with the ability to share information reliably and professionally.

• Publishing network connections: Established professional relationships with literary agents and a wide network within the broader publishing community.

• Inclusion and representation: An active dedication to promoting diverse voices and inclusive practices, taking personal responsibility for ensuring our workplace and publishing reflect the communities we serve.

• Community: A collaborative approach to building a supportive and vibrant environment.

• Curiosity: A strong drive for learning and a readiness to embrace different perspectives.

• Integrity: A foundation of openness and honesty, taking responsibility for actions and learning from mistakes.

Desirable skills we’d love you to have:

• Software/tools: Experience working with systems and tools such as MS Office, Google Workspace, Biblio and ideally InDesign and Photoshop.

What you’ll get in return:
In return, we can offer you a range of great projects, a supportive and collaborative working environment as well as a competitive salary and benefits package.

Salary: £46,000 to £50,000

Note on salary: The offered salary is dependent on experience and expertise. We benchmark our ranges to ensure fair, competitive compensation that grows with your impact.

Closing date: 30 August 2026

This is a full-time, 12-month fixed-term role and will be based in our offices in Farringdon, London, with some flexibility to work from home each week.

Some of the benefits we offer:

• 28 days’ annual leave (pro-rated for the contract duration) + bank holidays

• Health cash plan

• Group income protection scheme

• 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)

• Discounts on shopping and gym memberships

• Daily free breakfast and monthly company lunch

How to apply & eligibility:

• Our process: All applications must be submitted via our careers site to be considered. We are unable to accept CVs or applications sent via email.

• Our timelines: Because we review every application thoroughly and with care, our shortlisting process can take some time. We appreciate your patience and will be in touch as soon as we have an update on your application.

• Right to work: All applicants must be able to demonstrate the right to live and work in the UK in order to be considered for this role.

Our commitment to diversity & inclusion:
At Pan Macmillan, we are committed to publishing a wide range of voices that reflect the full breadth of the communities we serve. Joining us means playing an active role in bringing our titles to life as part of a team that champions inclusion at every level. We are dedicated to building a workplace that is as diverse and welcoming as the stories we tell, ensuring all perspectives are celebrated across everything we do.

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 diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are ongoing, and we continually strive to learn and improve. You can read our full Diversity, Equity and Inclusion pledge here.

Disability confident scheme:
As a Disability Confident employer, we actively encourage applications from disabled candidates and people with long-term health conditions, aiming to offer an interview to everyone who meets the essential criteria for the role and chooses to apply under the scheme. The essential criteria can be found under our ‘Essential experience, abilities, knowledge and values you’ll need to succeed’ section.

Please note, some of our vacancies attract an exceptionally high volume of applications. In these circumstances, to ensure a fair and focused process for everyone, we may need to limit the overall number of interviews. Where this happens, we will look closely at who most closely aligns with the requirements to select the candidates applying under this scheme who best meet the essential criteria, in line with official government guidance.

Please remember that you are never required to disclose a disability to us, and you only need to share what you feel comfortable with.

Adjustment & support:
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.

Privacy notice:
All personal information which we process in connection with your application will be treated in accordance with our Recruitment Privacy Notice here. Please read this notice before submitting your application.