Production Controller in Basingstoke

Job title: Production Controller

Department: Production

Contract: Full time, permanent, 3 days a week in the London office

We are looking for a skilled and organised Production Controller to join our busy production team. The successful candidate will be confident in managing a complex workload and have experience handling mono titles with particular emphasis on special and exclusive editions.

Your team

The Pan Macmillan production department is an expert, efficient and collaborative team who are an essential stage in the publishing of all our titles. We make books of all types which publish into every area of the market. We work closely with our colleagues in editorial, art, operations and sales to make sure every book is produced to the highest standards, on time and within budget.

Your role

You will be an essential addition to the production team in our adult books division, managing titles from acquisition to completion. Controllers can potentially work on any title and any list but there will be particular focus on managing books with multiple editions on our Tor and Pan lists including handling tip-ins, proofs and materials for specific customers.

Your key responsibilities

• End-to-end Production Management: Manage the production process for a diverse range of adult titles, ensuring every book, from standard mono to high-spec special editions, meets Pan Macmillan’s quality standards
• Manufacturing Oversight: Order and monitor printings, from initial confirmation through to final delivery, acting as the primary point of contact for suppliers to ensure a seamless supply chain
• Financial Stewardship: Produce accurate costings at every stage of the critical path to support informed business decisions and maintain healthy project margins
• Commercial Negotiation: Proactively negotiate schedules, specifications, and pricing with external suppliers to secure the best value without compromising on quality or deadlines
• Data Integrity: Manage and update Biblio and other internal systems to ensure product records, schedules, and approvals are accurate and accessible to the wider business
• Cross-departmental Collaboration: Partner closely with the Editorial, Design, and Sales teams to align production schedules with marketing beats and retail requirements.

Essential experience, abilities, knowledge and values you’ll need to succeed

• Book Production Expertise: Experience in book production (preferably within trade publishing), with a solid grasp of UK mono manufacturing and the end-to-end critical path
• Special Edition Management: A proven understanding of the exclusive edition market, including the technical requirements for managing tip-ins, special finishes, and bespoke customer materials
• Technical Literacy: A comprehensive working knowledge of typesetting, repro, and print processes, alongside proficiency in industry-standard software (such as Biblio and Adobe Acrobat)
• Commercial & Financial Awareness: High level of numeracy with the ability to produce accurate costings, negotiate competitive pricing with suppliers, and manage invoices precisely
• Project Management & Prioritisation: Excellent organisational skills with a demonstrated ability to manage a complex workload and maintain schedules across multiple high-priority titles
• Inclusion and Representation: An active dedication to promoting diverse voices and inclusive practices, taking personal responsibility for ensuring our workplace and publishing reflect the communities we serve
• Community: A collaborative approach to building a supportive and vibrant environment
• Curiosity: A strong drive for learning and a readiness to embrace different perspectives
• Integrity: A foundation of openness and honesty, taking responsibility for actions and learning from mistakes.

Desirable skills we’d love you to have

• Innovation Mindset: A proactive interest in how emerging technologies and AI tools, such as Gemini, can be harnessed to improve process efficiencies and creative problem-solving
• Communication & Relationship Building: The ability to communicate clearly and persuasively with both internal stakeholders (Editorial, Design, Sales) and external suppliers to ensure production standards are met while maintaining trusting relationships

What you’ll get in return

In return we can offer you a range of great projects, a supportive and collaborative working environment as well as a competitive salary and benefits package.

Salary starting from: £31,000

Closing date: 2 February 2026

Some of the benefits we offer

• 28 days’ annual leave increasing with years of service + bank holidays
• Generous pension scheme
• Discounted private medical insurance
• Group income protection scheme
• Enhanced family pay and leave
• Flexible working hours and summer hours (early finish on a Friday during summer months)
• 2 Volunteer Days per year
• 75% off all Pan Macmillan books and regular staff book sales (highly reduced rates)
• Season ticket loan/advance
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounts on shopping and gym memberships; Christmas club savings
• Daily free breakfast and monthly company lunch

This is a full time, permanent role, and will be based in our offices in Farringdon, London, with some flexibility to work from home each week.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate the right to live and work in the UK in order to be considered for this role.

We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion

At Pan Macmillan, we are highly committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at every level of our organisation. We welcome applications from all individuals, including any age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. Our efforts to promote DEI are ongoing, and we continually strive to learn and improve our policies and practices. You can read our full Diversity & Inclusion Pledge here: https://www.panmacmillan.com/about/diversity-and-inclusion

We want to ensure that all candidates are supported throughout the recruitment process, if you have any reasonable adjustments or accessibility requirements please contact Kayelle Danyluk (Head of Talent Acquisition) at kayelle.danyluk@macmillan.com.

Please note that all personal information which we process in connection with your application will be treated in accordance with our Recruitment Privacy Notice available here: https://panmacmillan.com/recruitment-privacy-notice. Please read our Recruitment Privacy Notice before submitting your application.