Job title: Office Based Editor
Company: Sweet Cherry Publishing
Location: Leicester, LE5 3EF
Is the role full time? Yes
Is the role permanent? Yes
Salary: Dependent on experience
Contact: [email protected]
Closing date: End of May

Job description

The Role

Are you passionate about books? Could you help bring children’s brands to life through literature? If so, we want to hear from you! Sweet Cherry Publishing is an independent children’s publisher based in Leicester. We are now looking for an office-based Editor to join our licensing team.

Our ideal candidate will be creative, detail-orientated and highly organised. They will have impeccable written skills, an awareness of current trends in the children’s market and be an excellent communicator.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Writing, editing and proofreading projects to ensure they are ready to go to press
  • Helping to brief and manage freelance writers
  • Communicating with licensors throughout the approval process and maintaining positive relationships
  • Understanding the needs, aims and values of each brand we work with
  • Implementing amends from both internal and external reviews
  • Taking new projects from conception to print, as a lead editor
  • Helping to brief designers on new book projects
  • Researching licensed brands and contributing fun and original ideas to the publishing list
  • Understanding, implementing and maintaining the strict house styles and brand guidelines for each license
  • Page checking and quality control
  • Ensuring all files adhere to the necessary printing guidelines
  • Working closely with the foreign rights department to ensure that files are sent out correctly to the specifications of external companies
  • Data management
  • Willingness to work across multiple departments
  • Read, evaluate and edit manuscripts or other materials submitted for publication and confer with authors regarding changes in content, style or organisation, to develop innovative, exciting and brand-appropriate content
  • Attend meetings/external events/fairs at the request of the company
  • Reading, writing and researching key words for new content book titles
  • Ensuring that all content complies with ethical codes of practice and legal guidelines
  • Verify facts, dates and statistics, using standard reference sources
  • Working with the design and production team to ensure that imagery accurately represents content
  • Making corrections to InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator files
  • Check final files before they are sent to print as part of the sign off process
  • Liaising with the sales and marketing departments and ensuring that promotional material is kept up to date

Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

  • Excellent writing and editing skills
  • Experience in the publishing sector and/or a relevant degree
  • Experience in licensing is a plus, but not essential!
  • Meticulous attention to detail and exceptional spelling and grammar
  • Good understanding of MS Office, particularly Word and Excel
  • Ability to prioritise a busy workload and meet tight deadlines
  • Strong communication and relationship-building skills
  • A love of children’s books, characters and brands!
  • A positive attitude, willingness to learn and the ability to work from your own initiative
  • An endless supply of fun ideas! We want to hear them all!

About Us:

 Sweet Cherry Publishing is an independent children’s book publisher based in Leicester.

We are a small team with a big mission! We believe that all children should have access to great stories and endeavour to break down the barriers which often get in the way of reading. We are a positive and fun team with kindness, success and collaboration at the core of our values. We are proud to represent our authors and licenses, and are passionate about sharing engaging stories with children of all abilities and backgrounds.

Company Mission Statement: Bringing great stories within everyone’s reach.

Company Values: Kindness, fun, positivity, collaboration, helping society

What we offer:

  • Training and development
  • Free onsite parking
  • Workplace pension

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Core office hours: 9am - 5pm

Location: Sweet Cherry Publishing, Units 1-4, Tolwell Road, Leicester, LE4 1BR

Term: Permanent, subject to a 6-month probationary period

Holiday: 20 days plus bank holidays

Starting salary: Depending on experience

To apply: Please send your CV and cover letter to [email protected]

Department: Editorial/Licensing

Reports to: Head of Licensing