Job Description

Do you have a can-do attitude, and relish the thought of being part of a busy team?

If so, an exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Penguin Random House Children’s Production department.

We’re looking for a Production Assistant to help produce backlist, co-edition and special sales orders on the Puffin and Random House Children’s lists, covering vital new voices, modern juggernauts like Philip Pullman, and incredible classics from Roald Dahl to The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

About the team

This team helps bring amazing children’s books to life. The role will offer you the chance to work on a greater variety of products than almost any other production job in the industry, facing fresh challenges every day, in a team which is friendly, supportive, and focused on employee development. Whether you already have some experience or are just keen to learn, this is a great place to start to seriously build your production career.

The role

You will work closely with our internal teams, but also with reprographic and print suppliers across the world, including the UK, Europe and Asia – controlling pricing, scheduling and ordering through to final delivery and invoicing.

Key responsibilities:

• Support the production of backlist, co-edition and special sales titles across the Puffin and Random House Children’s lists.
• Help manage the production process from initial order through to final delivery and invoicing, ensuring projects stay on schedule.
• Build and maintain production schedules, monitoring progress and helping to keep projects on track.
• Work closely with internal colleagues across Editorial, Design, Sales and Publishing teams to ensure smooth delivery of titles.
• Liaise with reprographic and print suppliers in the UK and internationally, building positive working relationships.
• Assist with obtaining quotes, processing orders and supporting negotiations on pricing and schedules.
• Monitor project costs and production information, maintaining accurate records and supporting budget administration.
• Check files, specifications and production details carefully to ensure accuracy and quality throughout the production process.
• Manage a busy inbox, responding to queries promptly and prioritising competing deadlines effectively.

What you’ll bring

Although this is an entry level position and training will be given, a familiarity with and enthusiasm for children’s books will stand you in good stead.

Essential criteria:

• A solid communicator and able to treat people with patience
• Ready to learn to negotiate both pricing and schedules
• Organised, detail-oriented, and driven to keep colleagues and suppliers on track
• Flexible as you navigate new challenges and deadlines everyday
• Able to self-motivate and numerate as you’ll be prioritising a busy inbox, building schedules, and calculating percentages.

Disability Confident

If you have opted into our disability confident scheme, the above are the essential criteria you must meet to be considered for our interview scheme. Please note, there may be occasions where the volume of applicants means we can’t take all eligible candidates to interview.

Application instructions

Please apply with your CV and cover letter outlining why you are the right candidate for the role by 11:59pm on 20th July 2026.

• 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.
• We anticipate a two-stage interview process which will include a virtual first-stage interview and in-person second stage interview. We are happy to discuss this further with you throughout the recruitment process.

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

£29,000 plus 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. For this role we expect the successful candidate to work from our London-based office a minimum of two days per week, and offer the remaining three days to be worked remotely.

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