This is an exciting opportunity to join OUP’s vibrant Children’s Publishing team in our Education Division as the new Development Editor.
Reporting to the Children’s Publishing Manager, the Development Editor will manage projects autonomously from concept to finished product, develop storylines and edit manuscripts, and brief freelance editors. They will have experience managing key author relationships, and delivering projects on time and to budget. This role specializes in children’s fiction, but may at times also include Picture Books.
Key responsibilities include:
Demonstrate ongoing market and competitor knowledge and develop full awareness of business must wins and individual list strategy.
Edit manuscripts, create appropriate editorial briefs, and run all proof stages in line with the product proposal. Implement structural editing and rewriting as required.
Develop strong relationships with authors, illustrators, and their agents. Source new talent to bring to the list and support in acquisitions.
Manage project schedules which factor in book fair dates, while working with existing systems and contributing to process improvements
Recruit, negotiate rates with, brief, and manage freelance editors.
Assist in the financial management of projects and prepare and present costs for new projects.
Undertake admin tasks to support the team including but not limited to updating the reprint log, and assisting with acquisitions meetings, conferences, and catalogues.
Contribute to internal creative sessions, focused on the development of new and innovative product.
We operate a hybrid working policy that requires a minimum of 2 days per week in the Oxford office.
About You
To be successful in this role, you will ideally have/be:
Proven experience of working on high-quality colour and black and white children’s trade fiction products (for ages 5-9+ ideally), writing or editing materials for children as required.
A creative editor with an eye for a strong storyline and distinctive voice in children’s fiction.
An extensive knowledge of and passion for the children’s trade market.
Strong project management experience with a keen eye for detail and the ability to juggle multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
High levels of literacy.
A team player who will enjoy a collaborative editorial environment. Able to develop constructive working relationships with authors, agents, illustrators, designers, and our sales and marketing teams.
Familiarity with computers and main software packages (Word, Powerpoint, Excel)
Benefits
We care about work/life balance here at OUP. With this in mind we offer 25 days’ holiday that rises with service, plus bank holidays and Christmas closure (3-days) and a 35-hour working week. We are open to discussing flexibility in respect to working patterns, dependent on role. We also have a great variety of active employee networks and societies.
We help make your money go further by contributing to your pension up to 12%, offering loans and savings schemes through our partnership with Salary Finance, in addition to travel to work schemes and access to a wide range of local discounts.
Please see our Rewards and Recognition page for more information.
Please note this advert may be removed before the advertised end date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
We are committed to supporting diversity in our workforce, and ensuring an inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive. We seek to employ a workforce representative of the markets that we serve and encourage applications from all.
