Senior commissioning editor/editorial director/publishing director

Closing date: 14 September 2026

Salary: From £38,000+ dependent on skillset and experience (+bonus +benefits)

Locations: Sheffield, London

Are you a creative and commercially minded commissioner ready to take the next step in your career?

Who we are and what we do

Laurence King is one of the world’s leading publishers of books, gifts and games on the creative arts and popular culture. We work with some of the world’s best illustrators, designers, artists and photographers to create beautifully produced titles that are acclaimed for their inventiveness, bold design and authoritative texts. We are the publishers of international bestsellers Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs, Secret Garden and The Short Story of Art and the home of iconic photographers and artists including Joel Meyerowitz, Steve McCurry and Marina Abramović.

What you'll be doing

This is a unique opportunity to join Laurence King, Orion’s leading design-led nonfiction imprint, at an exciting moment of growth. As part of our close-knit and collaborative editorial team, you’ll be responsible for leading the development of a bold and dynamic publishing programme across the books list. We’re looking for someone who will bring fresh ideas and energy, exceptional taste and a clear editorial vision to a list known for its originality, inventiveness, and high design and production values. This role is perfect for someone with a strong track record in commissioning standout design-led titles, with a broad remit to publish across fashion, art, and practical art and activity titles. From collage and colouring to puzzle books, Laurence King titles are about sparking creativity and inspiring readers to go out and create something. More than anything we are looking for the appetite and ambition to identify new opportunities for growth, and we’re excited to hear your ideas for how to strengthen and expand the existing list.

Collaborating with teams across publishing, sales, rights, marketing and PR, you’ll play a key role in spotting emerging trends, launching new talent, building brands and bringing future bestsellers to a global audience. You will acquire a rich and varied list of new titles, nurture strong relationships with authors and agents, and play a vital role in shaping the next chapter of Laurence King’s success.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for a creative, ambitious and consumer-focused publisher who will make an immediate impact in this exciting role.

You will bring a discernible passion and in-depth knowledge of art, illustration and design to the role, as well as a creative eye, keen commercial instinct, collaborative style and attention to detail. You will be a proactive and entrepreneurial commissioner who enjoys generating ideas, identifying new opportunities and making direct approaches to authors, agents, and creators. You will be keenly alert to trends, consumer interests and the challenges of the rapidly changing nonfiction market.

You will have a clear editorial eye and the confidence to deliver high-impact books with energy and purpose. You will be motivated by success and have a reputation for tirelessly driving and championing your books. You will have excellent industry relationships and will be comfortable working with a broad range of talent – from established and high-profile names to exciting new voices and influencers. You will relish this unique opportunity to actively contribute to the Laurence King strategy and make your mark at the heart of one of the UK’s most dynamic illustrated publishing teams.

Please note we are considering candidates at a variety of levels and the exact scope of the role, job title and salary will be dependent on experience and shaped around the successful candidate.

What we offer

Our staff are our greatest asset, and our benefits reflect this:

• 28 annual leave days per year, increases to 29 days after 2 years' service and goes up to 30 days after 5 years' (+ bank holidays)
• Private medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Generous pension schemes
• Rent deposit loans
• 2 community days per year
• Summer hours (finishing at 1pm on Fridays during the summer months)
• Retail discounts through Hachette rewards
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Eye care vouchers
• Wide-ranging training library
• Development programmes (including mentoring)
• Up to 70% off book purchases
• A charity bookshelf
• An active range of staff-led employee networks that are voluntary, including AgeWise, Gender Balance, Thrive, Pride, All Together, Wellbeing, Women in Techand religious networks
• Season ticket loans
• And much more!

The role will be based at our London or Sheffield office, with a blend of in-office (3 days) and homeworking (2 days) per week.

Our commitment

Hachette employs people on the basis of their abilities. We aim to attract and develop talent from a base as broad as the world of readers we want to reach, with a wide and representative range of age, faith, disability, race, gender, sexuality and socio-economic, regional and cultural backgrounds.

We want everyone to have the opportunity to perform at their best during our recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, you can let us know at the ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ section of your application. We’ll make sure you’re supported throughout the process.

The Book Trade Charity offers financial support to people looking to enter the book trade but who may struggle to afford the costs of attending interviews and undertaking junior roles. For more information visit www.booktradeentrysupport.org

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.