Development Editor

TN United Kingdom; Eastleigh; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 50,000

Job description

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Who we are and what we do

Hodder Education is the home of accessible, future-proofed educational resources where we put students, teachers and parents at the heart of everything we do. Our goal is to help every teacher and learner across the globe to succeed by creating and delivering high-quality content and support.

Hodder Education is a division of Hachette, one of the largest publishing groups in the UK, with 12 publishing divisions and over 60 imprints. Everyone here is proud to be in the business of opening doors and minds.

What you'll be doing

You will join a dedicated team of in-house development editors, who care deeply about the learning impact of the content we create. Working across multiple subject disciplines at primary, secondary and further education levels, you will shape educational material for both print and digital products, aimed at UK and international markets.

You will manage external writers and subject matter experts as well as freelance development editors and collaborate closely with internal colleagues in Product Management and Editorial Project Management. The role involves briefing requirements for the content and editing draft submissions at a structural level for clarity, coherence, coverage of relevant curriculum specifications and inclusivity and representation.

Who we are looking for

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of working to structurally develop teaching and learning content, preferably in an educational context. (Copyediting, fact-checking and proofreading are not part of this role.)

You will be confident in managing and delivering multiple projects simultaneously, within commercial budgets and on strict time schedules, with a calm and problem-solving approach and have the ability to assess and implement expert feedback to meet different market needs. Project Management skills are essential.

Ideally, you’ll have an eagerness to learn about and contribute to new ways of working, particularly in digital education. Some digital experience is an advantage, but having a willingness to learn about how we adapt to a digital landscape is important.

Other key skills include:

• content development skills, rather than subject matter expertise, putting yourself in the shoes of students and teachers, and thinking about best pedagogical impact, ideally with some familiarity of learning design and cognitive science principles
• strong communication skills, including briefing, managing and coaching writers and freelancers, and collaborating with internal colleagues
• a proactive and curious mindset, able to see potential in draft submissions and how to refine it towards the desired output

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
• 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
• 12 Staff-led employee networks that are voluntary, including Gender Balance, Thrive, Pride, All Together, Wellbeing and religious networks
• Season ticket loans
• And much more!

This role can be based at our London, Sheffield or Didcot offices, 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.

If you are shortlisted and need us to make any adjustments to help you attend for interview, please let us know.

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.