Assistant Editor

Job Title: Assistant Editor
Department: Macmillan Children’s Books, Colour 0–6
Contract: Permanent, full-time

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Editor to join the Preschool, Brands & Classics team at Macmillan Children’s Books, working on books for children including novelty board books, picture books, activity books and gift books.

Your team:
The Preschool, Brands & Classics list is home to leading authors including Rod Campbell and Camilla Reid, heritage brands such as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and high-quality licensed publishing including Moomin, Sylvanian Families and LEGO. We are a small and friendly team within the wider Colour 0–6 division, working closely with the design, production, sales, marketing and rights teams to create market-leading titles for every child.

Your role:
As the Assistant Editor, you will play a critical role in supporting the editing and production of titles across the Preschool, Brands & Classics list. Working as part of a busy and dynamic team, you will help develop full-colour books of various formats for children aged 0 to 6, from the initial idea or submission through to delivering final files to the printer.

Your key responsibilities:

• Editorial support: Work with the Publishing Director and Senior Editorial team on new titles throughout the publishing process, including creative development stages, writing, editing, copy-editing and proofreading.
• Backlist management: Assist in the creation and development of backlist, reissue, re-use, and re-jacketed titles, including those for special markets, as agreed with the Publishing Director.
• Brand & stakeholder engagement: Develop and edit branded and licensed titles using style guides and asset banks, and liaise with licensors and external stakeholders to ensure efficient approvals.
• Content development: Assist in the development and creation of novelty and gift titles, including writing copy and liaising with authors and illustrators.
• Project coordination: Monitor title progress and manage schedules, sales copy, and metadata.

Your usual day might include writing design briefs and copy for activity books, managing and editing reissue and anniversary editions, second-editing new titles for a senior colleague, researching the market, writing copy for sales material, and updating and maintaining internal data systems.

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

• Editorial foundation: Experience working as an Editorial Assistant within a commercial publishing environment with a clear understanding of the end-to-end editorial process.
• Communication: The ability to draft clear, professional copy and communicate effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including authors, illustrators, and colleagues across the business.
• Organization & prioritization: A proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, meeting deadlines and maintaining accuracy while navigating changing priorities.
• Numerical literacy: Comfortable working with data and figures, such as managing project schedules or basic costings.
• Creative writing: Experience in writing engaging content for children, such as back-of-book blurbs, activity pages, or short-form copy.
• Software/tools: Experience working with systems and tools such as MS Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, Google Workspace, Canva, and Biblio.
• Attention to detail: A precise and thorough approach to copy-editing, proofreading, and checking visual assets for consistency and quality.
• Visual awareness: An ability to review layouts and illustrations with a critical eye for composition, colour, and brand alignment.
• Collaboration: A dedicated team player who contributes to a supportive environment and works well across different departments.
• 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 h…