Commissioning Editor, Children's

At Penguin Random House, we make books for everyone because a book can change anyone. At Penguin Random House Children’s, by entertaining and educating, we aim to publish for every child everywhere and take young people on an incredible journey from their first reading experiences right through to their teen years and beyond. We publish some of the biggest names in preschool and picture books from iconic classic brands such as The World of Peter Rabbit, Spot and The Very Hungry Caterpillar and bestselling heritage creators including Allan Ahlberg, Anthony Browne and Shirley Hughes, to major new talent including Tom Fletcher, Nadia Shireen, Rashmi Sirdeshpande, Nathan Bryon, and Dapo Adeola. We are passionate about bringing stories to life that change and shape lives.

The rol eAre you already an accomplished editor or senior editor of preschool or licensed publishing and ready to take the next step? Or perhaps you have experience in brand management within the wider publishing industry? Do you have a track record of successfully working across established and growing author/illustrator brands, with large publishing programs, year-round? Do you have a keen eye for detail, enjoy analysing data and understand what makes a successful preschool brand

? This is a rare and exciting opportunity to take up a key role in the Penguin Random House Children’s Division, the biggest children’s publisher in the UK, and join the 0-6 team to work across some of the best-selling global children’s book brands, as well as creating programmes for developing brands and championing heritage authors and illustrator s.These are the authors, illustrators, characters and books that are often some of the first that young readers encounter; they are the books that create readers and are gateways to reading for many children and young people around the worl

d. Key responsibiliti es:This role will report into and work closely with the Brands and Novelty Publisher, to support the delivery of long-term growth on some of our biggest 0-6 brands. You will take ownership of the publishing plans for specific brands, ensuring their successful execution and contributing to the wider strategy for the li st.While this position will have a focus on established brands on the list, it will also involve working with the Publisher and other colleagues to identify emerging brands across the list, as well as creating opportunities for further publishing from heritage creato

rs. Core responsibilities incl ude:Editorial lead on some 0-6 brands, creating new frontlist programmes and managing the large backlist, working closely with estates and other external partners on brand strategy. You will create and deliver year-round publishing strategies for each of these brands and lead each brand’s core internal t eam.Deliver publishing plans for your brands, identifying opportunities for growth, new formats and seasonal publishing, and contributing ideas to the wider brand strat egy.Commission new titles for developing and established brands, with a focus on commercial viability and audience re ach.Work collaboratively with the Publisher and colleagues to support growth across the 0–6 brands, contributing to longer-term planning and identifying opportunities and g aps.Work closely with the dedicated custom publishing team (across sales, design, managing editorial) to improve ways of working, establish best-practise and drive growth across the custom busin ess.Use sales and market data, alongside finance reporting, to monitor the performance of your brands and inform publishing decisi ons.Collaborate closely with Marketing and PR teams to support campaigns and ensure alignment across brand publish ing.Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders to support best practice across critical paths, metadata, audience insight and backlist managem

ent. What you’ll bringPassion for, and ideally experience in, preschool publis hing.An eagerness to work on books that are already loved by many thousands of readers, with a drive to reach more for many y ears.Brimming with ideas, insight and energy for best-in-class brand publis hing.A proven track-record in editing, acquiring, communicating publishing strategy and performance and proactively working with authors/illustrators/brands to create ancillary book ideas and profitably publishing ti tles.Creativity and excellent commercial judge ment.Strong skills in Power BI will be an advantage and excellent market awareness is essen tial.Confident negotiator who can challenge when requ ired.Ability to operate as a trusted internal and external ambassador for the Puffin 0-6 brands and to develop each of your brand’s publishing strategy and successfully bring books to ma rket.Flair for good copy, design, and brand messa ging.Well-practised in prioritising, multi-tasking, time management and working to deadl ines.Keen team player, who is collaborative, but also comfortable working autonomously and making decis ions.Ability to balance long and short-term objectives and understanding of the legacy of best-loved characters, series and authors/illustr

ators Application instru

ctions Please apply with your CV and cover letter outlining why you are the right candidate for the role by Sunday 17th of Ma y 2026.As part of your cover letter, please write a paragraph about a successful publishing (author/illustrator/series) brand you've admired or worked on and your observations about what helped drive its

growth. Use of AI toolsHere at Penguin, we believe in the power of authenticity and human creativity. When you apply for a position, we want to encourage you to showcase your unique voice. Throughout our recruitment process, please share your own thoughts, experiences, and skills. This helps us get a true sense of who you are and what you might bring to o

ur team. We celebrate creativity and diverse perspectives, so please be yourself! While we recognise AI tools can be helpful, we recommend using them thoughtfully to ensure your responses ref

lect y ou. SalaryCirca £40,000 dependent on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus bonus and

benefits. Hyb rid workingWhile our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. For this role we expect that you will be in the office a minimum of 3

days a week