Publisher (new imprint), Penguin Random House Children's

Publisher (new imprint), Penguin Random House Children’s

This is a rare opportunity to help build a new children's and YA imprint from the ground up. Joining at the very start of an ambitious new venture, you'll combine creativity, commercial instinct and publishing expertise to shape a list, a team and a publishing brand with real impact.

About the team

Under the leadership of Publishing & Creative Director Rachel Denwood, Penguin Random House Children's is launching a new imprint: a vibrant publishing home for authors and illustrators with big ambitions for young readers. We believe children need more choice, more variety and more opportunities to discover books they love. This new imprint has been created to publish standout books across children's and YA publishing, connecting exceptional creative talent with the widest possible readership.

This will be a small, highly ambitious team with a start-up mindset. You can expect a collaborative, hands-on environment where ideas move quickly, creativity is valued and everyone plays a meaningful role in shaping the future of the list.

The role

You'll be a key strategic partner in building and growing the list. This is not a typical Publisher role. We're looking for someone who combines outstanding editorial judgement with strong commercial instinct and entrepreneurial energy. You'll be equally comfortable discussing strategy, budgets and acquisitions as you are generating ideas, editing manuscripts, developing authors and illustrators, and championing books across the business.

The role offers unusual breadth, with opportunities to work across children's and YA publishing, from highly illustrated books through to fiction and YA. We're looking for someone who is curious, adaptable and excited by the challenge of building something new.

Key responsibilities:

Partner with the Publishing & Creative Director to shape and deliver the imprint's publishing strategy and growth plans
Acquire, commission and publish exceptional books across children's and YA publishing
Build and develop relationships with authors, illustrators and agents, attracting outstanding talent to the list
Negotiate acquisitions and contracts in line with creative and commercial objectives
Edit and publish your own list of titles to the highest standards
Work collaboratively with colleagues across design, publicity, marketing, sales and rights to maximise the success of every project
Identify market opportunities and trends, using insight and instinct to inform publishing decisions
Champion the imprint and its books across the business
Contribute to the development of new intellectual property and publishing opportunities
Help shape the future growth, culture and success of the imprint as it develops

What you’ll bring

Essential criteria:

Significant children's editorial publishing experience with deep knowledge of the children's and YA market, readerships and competitors
A strong track record of acquiring and publishing commercially successful books and series, including bestsellers
Excellent editorial judgement and commissioning instincts, with a reputation for spotting, acquiring and developing exceptional talent
Outstanding communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build strong relationships internally and externally
A strong understanding of how to grow readerships and connect books with the widest possible audience of young readers
The ability to balance creative ambition with commercial decision-making
Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities
The confidence to work autonomously while thriving in a collaborative team environment
An entrepreneurial mindset, original ideas and the enthusiasm to help build something new

Preferred criteria:

Experience working across different categories, formats and age groups within children's publishing
Strong commercial awareness and experience working with budgets, financial targets and acquisitions
Experience contributing to publishing strategy and long-term list development
Significant negotiating experience and the confidence to make difficult decisions when required

Application instructions

Please apply with your CV and cover letter outlining why you are the right candidate for the role by 11:59pm on Sunday 28th June.

Please ensure you include a cover letter, as it is a crucial part of our assessment process. The cover letter offers an opportunity to show how your experience and interests align with the role requirements. Typically, we expect the cover letter to be no more than one or two pages in length.

Salary

£60,000 - £70,000 dependent on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus bonus and benefits.

Hybrid working

While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. For this role we expect that you will typically be in the office on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Use of AI tools

Here at Penguin, we believe in the power of authenticity and human creativity. When you apply for a position, we want to encourage you to showcase your unique voice. Throughout our recruitment process, please share your own thoughts, experiences, and skills. This helps us get a true sense of who you are and what you might bring to our team. We celebrate creativity and diverse perspectives, so please be yourself! While we recognise AI tools can be helpful, we recommend using them thoughtfully to ensure your responses reflect you.

The recruitment process

You can read about our recruitment process at https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/how-we-hire/

As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we offer interviews to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role, and opt-in on their application form. The essential criteria for this role are listed as part of the ‘What you’ll bring’ section. There may be times when the volume of applications means we cannot take all eligible candidates to interview.

We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing PRHCareersUK@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable to for us to support your request.