Digital & Print Production Engineer

Digital & Print Production Engineer

Full-Time 60000 - 75000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Financial Times

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Support the FT's print publishing operation and ensure timely delivery of newspaper pages and digital editions.
  • Company: Join the Financial Times, a leading news organisation committed to diversity and inclusion.
  • Benefits: Enjoy generous leave, medical cover, hybrid working, and opportunities for community engagement.
  • Other info: Flexible working patterns and a supportive culture await you at the FT.
  • Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team driving innovation in print publishing and operational excellence.
  • Qualifications: Experience in operational support, problem-solving skills, and a collaborative mindset are essential.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.

This job is with Financial Times, an inclusive employer and a member of my Gwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community.

Please do not contact the recruiter directly.

About us

The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading news organisations, globally recognised for its authority, integrity and accuracy, with a mission to deliver quality information and services worldwide.

At the FT, curiosity thrives and ambitious thinking is rewarded. Together, we help audiences stay better informed and deepen their understanding of the world around them.

Our Product & Tech teams drive us forward in an ever-evolving digital landscape, delivering cutting-edge products to over one million digital subscribers daily.

Our growth relies on a diverse, dedicated and dynamic group of product, tech, delivery and data specialists.

With a supportive culture, entrepreneurial spirit and opportunities at every turn, there are no limits to where your FT career can take you.

Build a newsworthy career at the FT.

Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion

We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued.

A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential.

We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups.

About you

You are an operationally focused engineer who enjoys solving complex problems, supporting business-critical services, and ensuring systems run reliably every day.

You thrive in deadline-driven environments, remain calm under pressure, and take pride in delivering high-quality operational support.

You have experience supporting production or operational systems, investigating technical issues, coordinating with multiple stakeholders, and driving problems through to resolution.

You are proactive, adaptable, and always looking for opportunities to improve processes, automate repetitive tasks, and enhance service reliability.

Whether your background is in publishing, production engineering, technical operations, platform operations or another operational support environment, you enjoy working as part of a collaborative team and are motivated by delivering reliable services that have a direct impact on the business.

About the team

Digital Print Services (DPS) is part of Internal Products at the Financial Times and is responsible for managing and supporting the end-to-end processes, systems and services that enable the daily production and publication of the FT's print products.

The team works closely with Editorial, Advertising, Production, Distribution, Technology and external print partners to ensure content moves successfully from editorial creation through page production to global print publication and digital distribution.

Alongside supporting daily production, we continuously improve our operational processes, monitoring, tooling and workflows to increase reliability, reduce manual effort and enhance the services we provide.

We are also exploring opportunities to leverage automation, data and AI-driven capabilities to improve operational efficiency, strengthen service monitoring and enhance the resilience of our print publishing operation.

As a team, we combine technical expertise, operational excellence and strong stakeholder collaboration to operate, support and continuously improve the FT's print publishing process.

We are accountable for ensuring the successful delivery of daily print production while driving improvements that enhance reliability, efficiency and resilience.

The nature of print publishing means reliability, operational discipline and effective decision-making under deadline pressure are central to the team's success.

  • What you'll work on
  • As a

Digital & Print Production Engineer , you'll play a key role in supporting the FT's end-to-end print publishing operation, ensuring newspaper pages, digital editions and associated publishing services are delivered accurately and on time every day.

Working as part of the Digital Print Services team, you'll monitor business-critical production systems, coordinate operational activities across multiple stakeholders, investigate and resolve incidents, and help maintain the reliability of the services that support the FT's global print operation.

You'll contribute to the continuous improvement of our operational processes by identifying opportunities to enhance workflows, automation, monitoring and documentation, while supporting the evolution of our publishing platforms and operational tooling.

This role is based on standard business hours.

However, due to the nature of the FT's print publishing operation, occasional Sunday working and flexibility to provide support outside of normal working hours, particularly during evening production periods or business-critical incidents, will be required.

  • Your responsibilities will include
  • Operational Service Delivery
  • Supporting the successful delivery of the FT's daily print publishing operation, ensuring production deadlines and business commitments are met.
  • Monitoring and operating business-critical publishing systems, workflows and services throughout the production lifecycle.
  • Coordinating production activities with Editorial, Advertising, Distribution, Print Sites and external partners.
  • Managing the release of newspaper pages, digital editions and associated publishing outputs to global print locations and digital partners.
  • Ensuring operational procedures and controls are followed while maintaining high levels of service reliability and quality.
  • Monitoring production schedules and supporting the successful completion of daily publishing activities.
  • Incident Management & Operational Support
  • Monitoring production systems and proactively identifying issues before they impact print production.
  • Investigating, troubleshooting and resolving incidents across publishing systems, workflows and integrations.
  • Coordinating operational responses to production issues and escalating business-critical incidents where appropriate.
  • Providing timely communication and operational updates during production-critical activities and service disruptions.
  • Supporting post-incident reviews, root cause analysis and preventative improvements.
  • Working with internal teams and third-party suppliers to restore services as quickly as possible.
  • Continuous Improvement & Engineering
  • Identifying opportunities to improve operational processes, workflows and service reliability.
  • Developing and enhancing operational tooling, automation and monitoring capabilities.
  • Improving operational documentation, runbooks and knowledge sharing across the team.
  • Analysing operational trends to identify recurring issues and implement preventative improvements.
  • Supporting the implementation of new publishing capabilities, workflow enhancements and production services.
  • Contributing to improvements in observability, resilience and operational efficiency across the Digital Print Services platform.
  • Supporting testing, deployments and operational readiness activities for new services and enhancements.
  • Collaboration & Service Excellence
  • Building strong working relationships with Editorial, Advertising, Production, Distribution and Technology teams.
  • Working closely with external print partners and technology suppliers to ensure reliable service delivery.
  • Supporting supplier issue resolution and service level management.
  • Acting as a central point of contact during production activities where required.
  • Providing excellent operational support to internal customers throughout the print publishing lifecycle.
  • Our technology

The Digital Print Services team works across a combination of publishing platforms, operational tooling, cloud services, integrations and vendor-managed systems.

  • Publishing & Production
  • Editorial publishing systems and print production workflows
  • Content management and publishing platforms
  • Print planning, page production and editorial workflow tools
  • Operations & Service Management
  • Service management and ticketing systems
  • Monitoring, alerting and operational support tooling
  • Reporting, analytics and operational dashboards
  • Technology & Automation
  • Workflow automation and integration platforms
  • AWS and cloud-hosted services
  • CI/CD pipelines and deployment tooling
  • Git Hub and version control systems
  • AI-assisted tools and automation technologies

Experience we're looking for

  • Experience supporting business-critical operational or production services.
  • Experience working in deadline-driven operational environments where reliability is essential.
  • Strong troubleshooting, analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Experience investigating and resolving operational incidents and technical issues.
  • Experience working with monitoring, alerting or operational support tooling.
  • Experience working with cloud-hosted or distributed systems.
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
  • Experience working collaboratively across multiple technical and business teams.
  • Experience working with external suppliers or third-party service providers.
  • A methodical approach with excellent attention to detail.
  • Comfortable learning new technologies and adapting to changing business needs.
  • Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to support business-critical operational activities when required.

Experience with print publishing, newspaper production, editorial workflows or media operations would be highly advantageous.

Experience working with AWS, monitoring platforms (such as Grafana, Splunk or Graphite), publishing systems (including Methode, Arkitex or Asura), Adobe Creative Suite or workflow automation technologies would also be beneficial.

  • Characteristics we value
  • Strong collaboration and communication skills.
  • A proactive approach to problem-solving.
  • Calmness under pressure.
  • Ownership and accountability.
  • Curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning.
  • Excellent attention to detail.
  • Adaptability in fast-paced operational environments.
  • A customer-focused mindset.
  • A passion for continuous improvement and operational excellence.
  • An interest in publishing, journalism or operational technology.
  • What's in it for you? Our benefits

Our benefits vary by location, but we are committed to providing best-in-class perks across all our offices.

These include generous annual leave, medical cover, inclusive parental leave packages, subsidised gym memberships and opportunities to give back to the community.

We've embraced a 50% hybrid working model (averaging two to three days onsite) that fosters trust and remote adaptability while encouraging in-person camaraderie and peer learning.

Additionally, we are open to accommodating specific flexible working pattern requests for all roles where feasible.

Accessibility

We are a Disability Confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory.

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments or personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview.

If you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions, email talent@ft. com and a member of our team will be happy to help.

Further information

At the FT, we embrace innovation and the use of technology and appreciate that individuals may leverage AI tools as part of their job application process.

Whilst we are happy for you to use AI to assist with your application, it is essential that all information provided is authentic and accurately represents your skills, experience and qualifications.

Digital & Print Production Engineer employer: Financial Times

The Financial Times is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and inclusive work environment where curiosity and ambition are celebrated. With opportunities for professional growth and a commitment to diversity, employees can thrive in a culture that values unique perspectives and fosters collaboration. The flexibility of remote or hybrid working arrangements from Belfast or London, combined with a comprehensive benefits package, makes the FT an attractive choice for those seeking meaningful and impactful careers in the legal field.

Financial Times

Contact Details:

Financial Times Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Digital & Print Production Engineer

Dive Into the Publishing Community

Get involved with local or online publishing communities. Join forums, attend literary festivals, or participate in panel discussions. This can be a goldmine for meeting industry professionals and hearing about opportunities that aren't advertised yet.

Stay Updated with Industry Trends

Follow leading publishing media channels on social media, like Twitter and Instagram. See what tactics and content formats are currently trending. This knowledge can help you tailor your discussions when you're networking or at interviews with companies like Financial Times.

Make Your Passion Visible

If you have a blog or a social media presence focused on books or publishing, use it! Share your thoughts on recent publications, trends in the industry, or interviews with authors. This can showcase your passion and knowledge, making you stand out as a candidate.

Hunt for Opportunities on Company Websites

While job boards are useful, don’t forget to go directly to company websites, like Financial Times. They often post openings there first. Plus, you might find job descriptions that give insight into what skills they really value, which can help you ace that interview.

We think you need these skills to ace Digital & Print Production Engineer

Operational Support
Incident Management
Troubleshooting
Analytical Skills
Problem-Solving Skills
Stakeholder Management
Collaboration

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Off Your Writing Style:In the publishing-media world, your writing style is your signature. Make sure your CV highlights relevant writing experiences, whether that's published articles, blog posts, or even social media content. Give us a glimpse of your voice and flair for storytelling right from the start!

Include Relevant Projects:Don’t just list your roles; include specific projects you've worked on that demonstrate your skills in editing, research, or content creation. If you've contributed to a magazine or worked on a publication, make that front and centre! It shows you've got hands-on experience in the industry, which we absolutely love.

Tailor Your Cover Letter:Let’s be honest: a generic cover letter is a missed opportunity. Take the time to craft a letter that speaks to why you’re passionate about this role at Financial Times. Mention what excites you about the publishing-media industry and how your skills align with the job description. We want to see that enthusiasm!

Format Matters!:In the publishing-media sector, presentation is key. Ensure your CV and cover letter are well-organised and visually appealing. Use headings, bullet points, and a clean layout. This isn't just about aesthetics — it shows your attention to detail and professionalism, which we really appreciate at Financial Times.

How to prepare for a job interview at Financial Times

Know Your Stuff: Be Ready on Industry Trends

Get yourself clued up on the latest trends in the publishing-media world. Think about how digital transformation is impacting the industry, and be ready to chat about relevant examples. This shows you're not just passionate but also informed!

Showcase Your Creativity with a Portfolio

Bring along a portfolio that showcases your writing, editing, or design work. Since it’s a full-time role, they’ll want to see how your style fits their brand at Financial Times. Tailor your presentation to their projects for maximum impact.

Brush Up on Editing Techniques

Expect some technical questions about editing styles, proofing techniques, and style guides. They might ask you to solve a practical problem or provide feedback on a piece—know the tools and software commonly used in the industry, and be prepared to discuss them!

Express Your Passion for Storytelling

In the publishing-media field, storytelling is key. Be ready to discuss what stories inspire you and why you want to join the team at Financial Times. Let your enthusiasm shine through; they want to know you're genuinely interested in contributing to their narratives!