Department: Editorial and Design Reporting To: Publisher, Fiction, Non-Fiction & Walker Studio (with dotted line to Executive Art Director) Salary: £27,000 per annum Contract Type: Permanent Working Hours: Full Time Location: Vauxhall, London (Hybrid Post Probation) Closing Date: 17 th August 2025 About Walker Books Walker Books UK is part of the vibrant international Group that includes Candlewick Press, Holiday House, Peachtree and Pixel Ink in the USA and Walker Books Australia. Renowned for its truly original publishing and outstanding quality, the Walker Books Group is home to a wide range of children's and young adult books. Award-winning authors and illustrators for the group include Angie Thomas, Sydney Smith, M.T Anderson, Patrick Ness, and Jon Klassen. We are also enormously proud to publish beloved family brands including Lucy Cousin’s Maisy, Michael Rosen’s We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram’s Guess How Much I Love You and Martin Handford’s Where’s Wally? About the Role : This is an exciting entry-level role to support the editorial and design departments for fiction, non-fiction and gift titles in a supportive, fast-moving and highly creative environment. This role will be the first point of contact for the department, and will be responsible for ensuring all administration tasks are completed to a high standard. This is an incredibly varied role, and will provide a great first step and insight into the editorial and design of children’s books. Key responsibilities: Working with editors, designers and other departments to see new titles through pre-print stages. Supporting the department to get a title ready for print, which may include, with guidance, preparing prelims, copy editing, proof reading and making minor design corrections. Preparing and co-ordinating internal meetings, taking and distributing minutes and ensuring all actions and correspondence are implemented. Ordering advance copies of books, sending publication day cards, posting foreign editions of books, and maintaining key external contacts. Ensuring that title and author/illustrator information is updated and correct in Biblio, as well as cover images, title changes, formats, publication dates, prices, author photos. Initiating and processing development fee forms and contract request forms. Working with various departments to coordinate the workflow for reprint corrections within the Design team. Diary and event administration for Bologna, Frankfurt and London Book Fairs, and supporting the Publisher and Executive Art Director in any travel arrangements or diary management as required. Preparing presentation pdfs with visuals for Sales and Marketing Meetings, Sales Conferences and Launch Meetings and internal reports. Conducting market research and ordering competitor copies for review. With guidance, auditing and submitting books for industry surveys. Reading and reporting on manuscripts. Liaise on administrative communication between various departments within Walker Books Group i.e. production, sales, marketing and foreign rights. Proofreading and copywriting as required across multiple formats. Processing department invoices and expenses. Providing general administrative support to t he Editorial and Design Department. Acting as the first point of contact for all general queries and requests. Ad hoc tasks as required. Please note the above is not an exhaustive list and does not necessarily include all the duties the job holder may have to perform. This job description may be amended to meet changing needs of the business. Skills and Experience To be successful in this role, you will be able to demonstrate evidence of the following skills and/or experience: Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to multi-task, take initiative and prioritise your own workload in a busy and fast-moving environment Clear and effective communication skills Exceptional attention to detail Able to work as part of a team, and also able to work independently Positive attitude with a pro-active solution-focused approach The ability to take initiative but also know when to ask for help, knowing you will be supported in your learning and development Excellent interpersonal skills, including the confidence in communicating with internal and external stakeholders A strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications Curiosity in emerging trends and topics which get young readers excited A working knowledge of Adobe InDesign is not essential but would be advantageous Knowledge and enthusiasm of the children’s book publishing or media industry is not essential but would be advantageous Why join Walker Books? We offer: A supportive working environment where all voices are respected and creativity is not hierarchical Hybrid work (at least two days in the office per week) once you have successfully passed probation 22 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays and Christmas closure (with annual leave increasing with length of service up to 27 days) Enhanced Pension Scheme Health Insurance and Health Cash Plan Life Assurance Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay Access to an Employee Assistance Programme Cycle to Work Scheme Plus, other great benefits! All children deserve to see themselves, their families, and their communities represented in the books they read. As children’s book publishers, it is our goal to ensure that the books and content we publish authentically and joyfully reflect the world around us. As an employer, we are committed to creating and maintaining a supportive working environment where everyone is included, valued, and empowered to do their best and most creative work. As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome candidates from all backgrounds without regard to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, sex, or any other characteristic protected by law and those not yet protected by law. If you have any queries about this role or require any reasonable adjustments for your application or throughout the recruitment process, please let our team know by contacting us at [email protected]. Please note we reserve the right to close vacancies before the closing date where we have received sufficient applications. We recommend submitting your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.