Specialist, Content Developer – MFL Teaching and Learning

The Modern Foreign Languages, English and Vocational team produces market-leading teaching and learning resources for Secondary French, Spanish and German, top-quality English resources for both Primary and Secondary students and their teachers, and market-leading Vocational courses. We are responsible for many successful and well-loved courses including Dynamo, Viva, Bug Club and Rapid. This is an opportunity to join a friendly, high-performing team and to help children and young people realise the life they imagine through learning. We are committed to equity of opportunity, and we welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are under-represented in the educational publishing industry. We are keen to help people develop their strengths and provide plenty of opportunities for learning within the role and company.

About the role: Specialist, Content Developer is our top-level editorial role and is ideal for someone who has strong editorial experience. You will work closely with other members of the MFL and English team, as well as with suppliers and freelancers. You will develop a strong understanding of customer and learner needs and use this expertise to create high-quality resources for our portfolio. This role aligns with industry level titles such as Advanced Content and Learning Specialist. You will initially be spending most of your time as the editorial lead on part of a KS3 language course, so it is essential that you speak at least one of French, Spanish and/or German to degree level or equivalent.

We are looking for someone who is flexible and willing to help out across the wider team portfolio as needed, with potential opportunities to work across the different subjects and age groups in our list longer-term (MFL, Secondary English, Primary Literacy, Vocational). Typically, a Specialist, Content Developer will carry out tasks and activities such as:

• Working autonomously and as part of a wider team to manage digital and print educational content through the entire publishing process, ensuring that it is delivered on time, within budget and that it fully meets the needs of teachers and students.
• Briefing, training and leading a team of freelancers and suppliers to ensure they create, manage, edit, proofread and platform test materials to meet the needs of learners and teachers, and being an escalation point for content and process queries.
• Maintaining a deep knowledge of customer and learner needs and applying this knowledge as you develop our products and services.
• Building an in-depth knowledge of our digital content creation tools and using that knowledge to think creatively about how to best shape our content for an excellent user experience that meets learning outcomes.
• Working with cross-functional teams including Digital, Rights and Permissions, Design, Media, Technology and Production.
• Taking a proactive lead on improving processes within your area of responsibility and working collaboratively with colleagues and suppliers to create, challenge and improve team workflows and processes across the wider team.
• Thinking laterally and proactively providing solutions to everyday problems, identifying any key risks to the project, and escalating these as appropriate.
• Attending audio recordings to direct actors (often in their native language) and ensure we capture the content we need.
• Supporting customers through responding to queries escalated to our team and managing corrections and updates to products as needed.

This is a hybrid role (mixture of home and office-based working), with 1 day per week based in our Oxford or London office. Occasional travel to Oxford or London for in-person team events will be expected.

We are looking for people who demonstrate these strengths and behaviours:

• It is essential that you have proven editorial and project management skills and extensive hands-on experience of working with educational content for young learners in a publishing environment.
• Have experience of briefing, overseeing and working collaboratively with freelancers and/or suppliers.
• Have a passion for languages and for supporting students and teachers.
• Speak at least one of French, German and/or Spanish to degree level or equivalent.
• Have an aptitude for using technology to create content, including working with digital tools and platforms and using AI to find efficiencies.
• Have excellent interpersonal skills and enjoy working with others.
• Are proactive, able to take responsibility and to work autonomously on your given area, whilst also being willing to help out wherever you’re most needed.
• Have proven organisational, problem-solving and project management skills, while working on complex projects and/or multiple projects and deadlines at once.

It would be an advantage if you:

• Are proficient in more than one language out of French, German and Spanish.
• Have previous experience of editing or overseeing content for Secondary school students in the UK.
• Have experience of working directly with authors to develop manuscripts to ensure they fully meet learners’ needs.
• Have current or recent experience of working in an in-house editorial role.
• Have an understanding of the UK Secondary Modern Foreign Languages market and the needs of teachers and students.

Benefits and Rewards: We know that one size doesn’t fit all, so our workplace programmes meet the different needs of our diverse teams, and their families too.

The company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law.