Bertelsmann-Jobs
Press Officer, Children's
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Job Description
Want to join an award-winning PR team who work with leading children’s brands and the world’s best authors and illustrators? Are you great with people, highly organised and full of initiative? Our award-winning Children’s PR team is seeking an enthusiastic and extremely well-organised Press Officer to work across its outstanding portfolio of books and brands.
In this exciting role, you’ll build on your PR experience by leading and delivering your own publicity campaigns. Working closely with a range of departments, you will plan and execute impactful PR strategies, drive demand, and create standout events. We pride ourselves on innovation and put our readers at the heart of everything we do.
To be considered for this role you will have proven PR experience and will be used to running and managing your own publicity campaigns.
You don’t need to have prior children’s book experience, but we are looking for relevant experience and knowledge of reaching children’s consumers and the children’s media landscape.
About the team
Our marketing and PR teams are organised into four audience-focussed hubs (across three core audience age-ranges, Pre-School, Primary and YA), publishing everything from picture books to young fiction and graphic novels, non-fiction and books for young adults. We are the UK’s no.1 children’s publisher, home to Puffin and Ladybird, and some of the most recognised entertainment brands, authors and illustrators, including: Peppa Pig, Bluey, Peter Rabbit, The Snowman, Eric Carle, Roald Dahl, Jeff Kinney, Katie Kirby, Adam Kay, Tom Fletcher, Robin Stevens, Nadia Shireen and Jacqueline Wilson. We also launch talented new voices, including Selina Brown, Huw Aaron and Iqbal Hussain. Our Penguin YA list includes bestselling authors such as Malorie Blackman, Karen McManus, Phillip Pullman, Jenny Han, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Bea Fitzgerald and Laura Steven.
The role
As Press Officer, you’ll be responsible for planning and implementing PR campaigns with direction from more senior members of staff and the role will cover the following areas:
Key responsibilities:
- Developing publicity plans (this may be with the support of more senior colleagues) and implementing campaigns
- Promoting books and authors through social media and digital channels, print and broadcast to secure coverage and generate sales
- Manage all aspects of author events including event creation, schedule management and social media content across our channels. Such events may include: book festivals, schools events, stock signings and bookshop window painting.
- Establishing and maintaining relationships with key influencers in the industry
- Responding to and fulfilling routine requests from trade and consumer media for information, author features, review copies etc
- Building relationships with authors and providing the highest level of author care at all times
- Creating and writing press materials, contribution to written acquisition pitches
- Keeping up to date with the UK media spectrum to be aware of coverage of PRH Children’s titles and of publishing news
- Liaising regularly with other internal departments, such as marketing, sales, editorial, in order to plan, implement and review campaigns
- Undertaking general administrative tasks as required to facilitate the smooth running of the department, ranging from maintaining databases, submitting books for awards to financial tasks such as raising purchase orders.
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What you’ll bring
You don’t need to have worked in publishing before to be considered for this role, but a passion to work with children’s brands is essential. Perhaps you’ve worked in entertainment or media PR previously, or in a PR agency – whatever your PR background, we’d like to hear from you if you:
Essential criteria:
- Love reading and have a keen interest in the UK children’s book market
- Have publicity campaign experience and the ability to secure strategic media, digital and event opportunities
- Have an avid interest in and knowledge of the UK media landscape
- Are interested in digital platforms and follow social influencers
- Are a creative individual who isn’t afraid to think outside of the box
- Have strong personal organisation and time management skills
- Are a team player but can work autonomously using initiative
Disability Confident
As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we offer interviews to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role, and opt-in on their application form. The essential criteria for this role are listed as part of the ‘What you’ll bring’ section. There may be times when the volume of applications means we cannot take all eligible candidates to interview. We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing [email protected]. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable with, for us to support your request.
If you would like to be considered under our Disability Confident Scheme for this recruitment process, please include the following code at the start of your cover letter: [Recr – TTL 351]
Application instructions
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If this sounds like you and you’re ready for the challenge, please apply with your CV and Cover Letter by midnight on Sunday 2nd August.
Please ensure you include a cover letter, as it is a crucial part of our assessment process. The cover letter offers an opportunity to show how your experience and interests align with the role requirements. Typically, we expect the cover letter to be no more than one or two pages in length.
Please note we are looking for someone to join the team as soon as possible, but we are also happy to accommodate a reasonable notice period for the right candidate.
Here 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 our 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 reflect you.
Salary
Circa, £31,000 dependent on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus bonus and benefits.
Hybrid working
While 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. As part of the Children’s team, the expectation is that colleagues work in the office three days per week. Please note, this role will require some out of hours work, covering evening and weekend events where necessary.
Additional Information
Disclosure requirements pertaining to the collection of your personal data:
Responsible for processing the information provided in your application is the company specified in the job advertisement, with its registered office as indicated. The company processes your data for the purpose of establishing an employment relationship on the basis of Art. 6 (1) b GDPR / Section 26 (1) sentence 1 BDSG. The retention period for your data is determined by the statutory time limits applicable in the respective country, beginning upon completion of the recruitment process. You can find these here. You can contact the company’s Data Protection Officer at the above-mentioned postal address. Further information on data protection and your rights can be found here. Recruiting-Platform powered by SmartRecruiters.
LegalEntity: The Random House Group Limited
Compensation: up to GBP 31000 - yearly
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