Senior Production Controller (Children’s List), Maternity Cover

Senior Production Controller (Children’s List), maternity cover

• Full time, fixed-term maternity cover contract
• Salary: £35,000 per annum
• Hybrid working potential, based in Central London
• Closing date: 7 January 2023

Thames & Hudson lead the book publishing world in creating and distributing high quality and luxury books. We are looking for a Senior Production Controller to join our high achieving Production department on our Children’s book list. If you have a passion for book production and the skillset to match our industry lead standards then Thames & Hudson may be the place for you.

The Role

You will be handling all aspects of high-quality, illustrated, colour book production on new titles, co-editions and reprints. You will also be;

• Working within a departmental and team-based environment with the aim of delivering  projects on time, within budget and to the required high-quality standard.
• In consultation with the Head of Production, sourcing and selecting suppliers for all aspects of the manufacturing process including some responsibility for print buying.
• Monitoring and recording all costs relating to the production of your allocated titles and reporting on these costs as required. This involves price negotiation with suppliers (in consultation with the Head of Production as appropriate), obtaining printer quotations, raising internal estimates, issuing purchase orders to suppliers and reconciling suppliers’ invoices.
• Handling all aspects of repro and print production management for your allocated titles.
• Maintaining a high level of quality control throughout all stages of the production process, through careful checking of artwork files, repro proofs and printers’ approval materials (in consultation with the Head of Production as appropriate).
• Working closely with the International Rights department on the production of foreign language co-editions of your allocated titles. Tasks include raising estimates for co-edition printings, file management (receiving, checking and forwarding co-edition files to the printer), co-ordinating the checking and approval of plotter proofs, printed material and sample copies.
• Keeping up-to-date with technical developments within the industry and applying them to your working practices as appropriate.
• Working pro-actively and creatively to improve the environmental footprint and sustainability of the list as a whole.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Previous experience of Children’s illustrated colour book production.
• Ability to influence internal and external stakeholders.
• Technical understanding of the pre-press, printing and binding processes involved in the production of books.
• Excellent communication and personal organisational/management skills.
• A degree of planning and scheduling skills.
• Self-motivated with the drive to deliver results.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, InDesign and Photoshop with experience of using a Mac.
• Ability to work on own initiative, but also to know when to ask for advice/assistance whilst supporting other members of the team when necessary.
• Numeracy to understand suppliers’ quotations, prepare production estimates, check suppliers’ invoices and reconcile final costs against budgets.
• Highly focused and enthusiastic.
• Reliable, methodical and conscientious.
• Flexible, open-minded and adaptable.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.

At Thames & Hudson, we believe that employing a diverse workforce is essential to succeed and selection decisions are based on applicants’ experience and skills. We welcome applications from everyone, irrespective of age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, race, religion or belief.

To apply, please send your CV with a cover letter to Remiah Cobbson at recruitment@thameshudson.co.uk. Use the cover letter to address how you meet the requirements listed in Knowledge, Skills and Experience above.

The deadline for applications is Sunday 7 January 2024.

Apart from working with a highly talented and creative bunch of people, we offer:

• 28 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Profit share scheme
• Interest-free loan for rent deposit or season travel ticket
• Discounts off our lovely T&H books and co-editions
• Generous pension contributions
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Free entry into hundreds of museums and galleries, nationwide

And more!