Join the publishing team at Hardie Grant Explore, one of Australia’s leading independent publishers. We are an award-winning travel publisher, and our aim is to open readers’ minds to different cultures and perspectives, introduce authentic travel experiences and engage with the natural world. We pride ourselves on finding new voices and creators, and ultimately to inspire people to explore their world. Hardie Grant Explore has a reputation for originality and innovation, and the successful candidate will strive to create market-leading, commercial books that set the standard for travel publishing.

We have an exciting opportunity for a publishing director to join us to build and oversee our successful travel list in conjunction with the wider Explore team. In this role you will lead the Explore team, and build a strategic travel list, capitalising on our existing successful books and authors whilst bringing new talent and ideas to the business. You will be responsible for key commissioning and overseeing titles across the travel genre focused on guidebooks, maps and atlases, as well as our market-leading First Nations travel list and travel-related kids titles. You will be comfortable working with both established names as well as first-time authors and emerging talents.

The successful candidate will be a natural at author management as well as selling their books within the business and to the book trade. You’ll also enjoy working with our editorial, design and production departments to bring the book from idea to finished copy. Most importantly you will have a natural flair for discovering stories and working closely with authors to create original, successful books.

While experience in book publishing is preferred, demonstrable confidence in editorial processes and with the written word, the ability to communicate at all levels, and experience with team management are all essential. The ideal candidate will also demonstrate:

• Impeccable organisational and editorial skills

• Management experience

• Good creative judgement

• The drive to maintain high editorial standards and work well within a team

• You will love words but equally be excited by innovative design

Reporting to the managing director, the position is based in Melbourne, and will manage a wider team of commissioners and editors. To apply, send your application to [email protected] by Friday 27th October with a cover letter and full CV. Applications without a cover letter and CV will not be considered.

Hardie Grant supports flexible working and offers many benefits including bonus leave days, volunteering, company-wide hack days, ongoing learning and development programs and much, much more. We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply, including people who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and people with a disability.