Development Editor

time left to apply End Date: March 10, 2025 (16 days left to apply)

job requisition id JR102197

Job Title: Development Editor

Location(s): London and Madrid

Application Deadline: 9th March 2025

Springer Nature opens the doors to discovery for researchers, educators, clinicians, and other professionals. Every day, around the globe, our imprints, books, journals, platforms, and technology solutions reach millions of people. For over 180 years, our brands and imprints have been a trusted source of knowledge to these communities, and today, more than ever, we see it as our responsibility to ensure that fundamental knowledge can be found, verified, understood, and used by our communities – enabling them to improve outcomes, make progress, and benefit the generations that follow. Visit group.springernature.com and follow @SpringerNature / @SpringerNatureGroup

About the Brand

Macmillan Education provides world-class content in the most relevant, engaging, and flexible formats to support students, teachers, and institutions in lifelong learning.

Visit macmillaneducation.com and follow @MacmillanEducation / @MacmillanELT

About the Role

Working within the Publishing Content Development team, the Development Editor has day-to-day responsibility for content development from initial writing brief to publication, ensuring that all material is of an appropriate quality and fully aligned to the publishing vision of the Commissioning Editor and Publisher. The Development Editor may also commission ancillary items under the guidance of the Commissioning or Senior Development Editor. The role involves extensive cross-functional liaison with the concept development and content delivery teams to create material which meets the needs of the key audience and is published on schedule and within budget.

Role Responsibilities:

1. Work with the project team to understand/establish specific market or segment needs.
2. Carry out desk and market research, i.e. competition, segment, market analysis; attend classroom observations where possible.
3. Understand the publishing vision in the context of the publishing plan and Macmillan Education’s business needs.
4. Understand and contribute to the Investment Approval (IA) process and support the Commissioning Editor in concept development, sample materials, market/research feedback.
5. Work with the Commissioning Editor and/or Senior Development Editor to prepare author briefs for specific projects, in light of market research.
6. Support in the identification of potential authors, contributors, and external content creators.
7. Understand contract terms and budget for external contributors, ensuring correct procedures are followed.
8. Work with authors to develop material which follows the brief and is aligned to different output formats.
9. Take responsibility for overseeing external content creators and ensuring the content meets the required standard.
10. Provide feedback to authors/contributors, suggesting appropriate action to ensure content meets the brief, with the support of the Commissioning Editor/Senior Development Editor where necessary.
11. Alert the project team to any content development issues to ensure delivery is on time and within budget.
12. Understand the budgeting process and financial implications of making changes.
13. Attend audio recordings, video/photo shoots, and photo selection meetings to ensure outputs adhere to the brief/project specification.
14. Create artwork, design and digital specification briefs, as well as style sheets, page plans, and asset briefs.
15. Deal with overmatter (print and digital), commenting on issues and feeding back appropriately.
16. Understand the processes involved in rights clearance.
17. Keep up to date on ELT/EFL issues, undertake background reading, and attend conferences as appropriate.
18. Use and develop existing skills and participate in in-house/external training sessions.

Key Relationships:

Role reports to Senior Development Editor

Key interface:

• Content Development Manager
• Senior Development Editor
• Managing Editor – close co-operation during life of project
• Collaborate with other internal departments – Operations, Production, Sales, and Marketing
• Management of external contributors

Experience, Skills & Qualifications:

1. Educated to degree level or equivalent
2. Demonstrable ELT/EFL teaching experience, in a primary, secondary, or adult setting
3. An ability to work to tight deadlines and to manage numerous tasks
4. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
5. A positive attitude and commitment to aims of the company
6. Excellent team-working and organisational skills
7. Knowledge of ELT markets and segments
8. Appreciation for a wide international range of teaching and learning situations
9. Understanding of publishing technologies
10. Knowledge of a second language
11. A working understanding of content management systems

Why Work Here?

We are an ambitious and dynamic organisation, home to some of the best-known names in research, educational, and professional publishing. Working at the heart of a changing industry, we are always looking for great people who care about delivering quality to our customers and the communities we work alongside. In return, you will find that we open the doors to discovery for all our employees – offering opportunities to learn from some of the best in the business, with a culture that encourages curiosity and empowers people to find solutions and act on their instincts. Whether you are at the beginning of your career or are an experienced professional, we invite you to find out more about the roles we offer and explore our current vacancies.

About Us

We are a global and progressive business, founded on a heritage of trusted and respected brands – including Springer, founded in 1842, Macmillan, founded in 1843, and Nature, first published in 1869. Nearly two centuries of progress and advancement in science and education have helped shape the business we are today. Research and learning continue to be the cornerstone of progress, and we will continue to open doors to discovery through trusted brands and innovative products and services. Springer Nature Group was created in May 2015 through the combination of Nature Publishing Group, Macmillan Education, and Springer Science+Business Media.