Production Manager, Puffin

Apply now!; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Benefits

Job summary

Penguin Random House UK is seeking a Production Manager for the Puffin team on a permanent basis. You will lead cross-functional production activities, manage supplier relationships, and drive efficiency while ensuring high-quality children’s books reach markets on time and within budget.

You will influence processes, mentor staff, and collaborate with Editorial, Design, Sales and Finance to deliver innovative formats and improved workflows in a hybrid working environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in producing children’s books with attention to colour and finish.
• Experience mentoring, training or managing a team.
• Proven ability to deliver multiple projects to deadlines with stakeholders.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills to balance quality, cost and schedules.
• Experience with CE Testing and with co-edition or novelty production.
• Familiarity with Biblio or similar book production systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic production guidance across Editorial, Design, Sales, Inventory and Finance.
• Develop and implement production processes to improve efficiency and quality.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships with external partners.
• Lead and support team members to perform at their best.
• Partner with Editorial, Design, and Sales to drive innovation and growth.
• Oversee production scheduling, costing and budgeting to deliver on time and within budget.
• Train junior team members and foster a calm, collaborative team environment.

Skills

Children's book production

Colour & mono production

Mentoring & coaching

Team leadership

Communication & negotiation

CE Testing

Novelty & co-edition

Biblio

Job description

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Great books rely on brilliant production. We have a new opportunity for an experienced Production Manager to join our Puffin team on a permanent basis and help to bring them to life.

The team

As the largest global children’s publisher, Puffin is the home to some of the most iconic characters, authors and illustrators alongside dazzling new talent. We believe the right book can inspire a child to feel they can be and do anything.

You’ll be joining a collaborative team where you’ll work closely with colleagues across the business and play an important part in delivering high-quality books, solving production challenges and helping shape how we work.

The role

The Production Manager opportunity is a collaborative and varied role where you’ll work closely with colleagues across our Editorial, Design, Sales, Inventory and Finance teams, as well as our external suppliers. You’ll use your sound commercial judgement and production expertise to find practical solutions to manufacturing, costing and scheduling challenges, whilst looking for opportunities to improve the way we work and drive positive change.

Building strong supplier relationships will be an important part of the role. You’ll influence and negotiate with external partners, balancing quality, cost and schedules to make sure our books and associated formats are delivered on time, within budget and to a high standard.

You’ll also play an important role in supporting and managing members of the team, creating an environment where people can successfully develop, contribute and do their best work.

From managing the production of books to working on custom product, you’ll bring a keen eye for detail alongside ideas, solutions and a collaborative approach — partnering with our creative teams to turn their ambitions into beautifully produced books.

Key responsibilities:

Have a confident understanding of the needs and goals of your Production team and use this to inform your decision-making with high commercial awareness.

Take a proactive role in shaping how we work by evaluating, critiquing, improving, and communicating our processes and best practices.

Be authoritative and influential, serving as an ambassador and point of contact for the team. Provide trusted production advice and support to other departments.

Develop and communicate a proactive and collaborative production approach, partnering with Editorial, Design, and Sales to drive innovation and growth.

Demonstrate market and commercial awareness, showing a strong understanding of business needs and how the team can best support the Children’s Publishing Division.

Take initiative and lead on ad-hoc projects and tasks outside of the usual Trade and Non-Trade production cycles. Approach production solutions creatively and innovatively, contributing to the department’s strategic initiatives and process improvements.

Contribute to a calm, constructive, and mature atmosphere in the team, being a positive influence within the department and the broader company.

Be confident in your understanding of production processes, systems, terminology, and the broader company and industry. Guide, advise, and formally train junior team members.

What you will bring

Experience of children’s book production.

Experience of colour and mono book production.

Experience of mentoring, training or managing a team.

Experience of managing a varied workload with a track record of successfully delivering to deadlines while meeting the expectations of multiple stakeholders.

Great communication and negotiating skills, adept at building and maintaining relationships.

Experience of CE Testing.

Experience of novelty and co-edition production.

Experience with Biblio.

AI

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.

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 [e-mail] . Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable with, for us to support your request.

The salary band for this opportunity is £45,000-£50,000 depending on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus bonus and benefits.

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.

This role is offered with hybrid working, with 3 days per week required in the office (during probation), reducing to 2 days per week after probation.