Editorial assistant

Closing date for applications: Friday 13th March 2026

Salary: £27,500

Location: London

Department: Macmillan Children’s Books and First Ink
Contract: Permanent, full-time

Passionate about children’s and young adult books? Support editors working on bestselling fiction, non-fiction, poetry and graphic novels for young readers.

Pan Macmillan UK is one of the largest general book publishers in the UK, with imprints including Macmillan, Mantle, Pan, Picador, Boxtree, Sidgwick & Jackson, Bello, Tor, Kingfisher, Macmillan Children's Books, Two Hoots, Bluebird, Campbell Books, Macmillan New Writing and Macmillan Digital Audio. Pan Macmillan is part of Macmillan Publishers International Limited.

Are you passionate about children’s and young adult (YA) literature? Do you have a fantastic eye for detail? We have the rare opportunity for a creative and conscientious Editorial Assistant to join our dynamic editorial team to support our bestselling, award-winning children’s and YA lists of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and graphic novels.

You will be an integral part of a close-knit, innovative team working on books for middle-grade, teen and YA/crossover audiences. The breadth of talent on our lists speaks for itself: we publish exceptional children’s authors from Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Chris Riddell to Pari Thomson and M. G. Leonard, and champion high-profile brands such as Investigators, Cluedle, Marcus Rashford and Leah Williamson. First Ink, our dedicated YA imprint, includes groundbreaking and game-changing names such as Tomi Adeyemi, Dustin Thao, Elle McNicoll, Emily Varga and Hafsah Faizal, and on our non-fiction and poetry lists we’re proud to be the home of Hamza Yassin, Dara McAnulty, Isabella Tree and Angela Harding, Brian Bilston, and Nikita Gill. In the editorial team we collaborate closely with the design, production, sales and communications teams to bring our books to life. With a strong track record of award-winning titles and chart-topping bestsellers, we prioritize nurturing talent, pushing creative boundaries, and expanding our reach to inspire the young readers of tomorrow.

As an Editorial Assistant, you will play a crucial role in supporting the Publisher and wider editorial team. You will assist in the development and production of a wide range of children’s and YA books. You will be a key support in keeping them on track from the moment of submission all the way through to publication and beyond.

Key responsibilities

• Support the editorial process: Guide a wide range of books through the editorial process, from reading manuscripts and drafting cover copy to preparing information for the sales and communications teams and presenting titles to colleagues.
• Maintain production workflows: Coordinate multiple book projects at various stages of production, ensuring each title moves smoothly towards publication.
• Facilitate author relations: Manage the distribution of books and proofs to authors and key stakeholders, acting as a supportive point of contact for their queries and schedules.
• Oversee essential administration: Maintain accuracy within Biblio (our central bibliographic system), code invoices, and facilitate the approval of contracts and author payments.
• Act as a departmental ambassador: Field external enquiries and serve as a reliable point of contact for colleagues across the business regarding the publishing schedule.
• Support list development: Read and provide thoughtful reports on incoming manuscripts, helping the editorial team identify projects that align with the Macmillan Children’s Books and First Ink lists.
• Track industry trends: Stay informed by reading a wide range of contemporary books beyond our own list to maintain a strong awareness of the market.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential

• Administrative excellence: Effective organizational skills with a proven ability to prioritize tasks and manage a varied workflow effectively.
• Industry knowledge: A demonstrable passion for children’s and YA books and the publishing industry, particularly for Macmillan Children’s Books and First Ink’s fiction, non-fiction, and poetry lists.
• Clear and effective communication: Effective written and spoken communication skills, with the ability to share information reliably and professionally.
• Solution-oriented: A proactive approach to problem-solving and the ability to adapt to changing business needs while maintaining high standards of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Software/tools: Experience working with systems and tools such as MS Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, Google Workspace, Canva and Biblio.
• Inclusion and representation: An active dedication to promoting diverse voices and inclusive practices, taking personal responsibility for ensuring that 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.

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.

Some of the benefits we offer

• 28 days’ annual leave increasing with years of service + bank holidays
• Generous pension scheme
• Discounted private medical insurance or health cash plan
• Group income protection scheme
• Enhanced family pay and leave
• 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)
• Season ticket loan/advance
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounts on shopping and gym memberships; Christmas club savings
• Daily free breakfast and monthly company lunch

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

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

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 are highly committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at every level of our organisation. 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 DEI are ongoing, and we continually strive to learn and improve our policies and practices. You can read our full Diversity & Inclusion Pledge here:https://www.panmacmillan.com/about/diversity-and-inclusion

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

Please note that all personal information which we process in connection with your application will be treated in accordance with our Recruitment Privacy Notice available here: https://panmacmillan.com/recruitment-privacy-notice. Please read our Recruitment Privacy Notice before submitting your application

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are under-represented in the creative industries.

Please make sure that you state in your application that you found this role via Creative Access.