Job Description

Press Officer – Children’s

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 press 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 Dr Sheila Kanani. 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

Key responsibilities:

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:

• 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 ensure 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

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:

• Love reading and have a keen interest in the UK children’s book market

• Have an avid interest in the 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

Application Instructions

If this sounds like you and you’re ready for the challenge, please apply with your CV and Cover Letter by midnight on 14th of April 2026.

As part of your cover letter, please tell us about a children’s book or brand campaign in the digital space that made you stop scrolling.

In no more than 300 words, tell us about the campaign. What was it, where did you encounter it, and what made it linger in your mind? We’re interested in your observations and perspective.

You might explore:

• The digital spaces it lived in (social, video, interactive, gaming, etc.)
• The idea or insight at the heart of it
• How it spoke to its audience and whether it truly connected
• What felt fresh, surprising, or cleverly executed
• And ultimately, why you think it worked (or didn’t)

Salary

Circa £31,000 depending 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 hour’s work, covering evening and weekend events where necessary.

Please note, we cannot accept agency CVs for this role. Any CVs sent speculatively will not be eligible for a fee.

Company: The Random House Group Limited | Job ID: 287949