Job description
Reporting to - Portfolio Director
About Packt
Packt’s mission is to help the world put software to work in new ways, through the delivery of effective learning and information services to IT professionals. We are a technical publisher and learning provider with over 400 staff based across the globe, primarily in India and the UK. Our products have global relevance, and our multimedia portfolio includes over 7,000 books, e-books, audiobooks, and video courses.
For more details, visit www.packtpub.com.
Role Overview
As an editor in a vertical, you will work in partnership with content creators to create high-quality products on time, according to the publishing plan. You own the product’s quality, working with the content creator and other internal stakeholders from the first idea, through the outline, to the delivery of the first draft of the content and on to publication. The goal of editorial is to raise the revenue performance of every product in every vertical by understanding content creator and user needs and the market we’re publishing into.
You are responsible for ensuring that the product’s vision is executed. You will ensure that products adhere to guidelines and provide enough depth and detail for the intended audience. You need to ensure that the product meets its specifications in the outline and that it is of high quality, signing off all content.
The role is ideal for critical thinkers who can identify and articulate weaknesses in a product’s organization and writing, using excellent English-language skills. You will adopt a coaching and mentoring role with content creators, using firm but diplomatic communication to help them shape their product, creating engaging technical content that allows readers to easily learn about new technologies and develop new skills.
Each vertical will also have a unique mix of product types. The editor will, in addition to the above, work on different product types to ensure they all meet the standards expected by our customers. These product types may be derived products, such as an audiobook or course based on a book. They may be new products created through market and user research.
This demands strong competitive immersion from editors: you will develop a deep understanding of the technical publishing market and competitive landscape. To do this you will have to seek customer feedback throughout the editorial process and apply this during your edits. It is vital you keep track of new tech releases and user trends.
Adaptability and Evolving Role Requirements in Packt’s Vertical Structure
Packt’s move to verticals, bringing our teams closer to users, is a response to significant changes in the market. Due to AI, self-publishing, and multi-format options, the nature of the work and the business of publishing are changing. This is not just for Packt, but for the whole industry.
Whereas in the past we had atomized and specialist roles in a single-format product lifecycle (e.g. development editor and acquisition editor for books), in the future we will need to be agile and flexible, prepared to adapt and stretch our skills and knowledge to new products and services. Each vertical team will evolve over time towards the offering and product suite that best serves its users. Vertical teams, and the work they do, will adapt accordingly.
Examples of the agility we are looking for: in roles related to publishing, you will not only be working on books but also on other content formats that fit the preferences of your users (newsletter, live events, etc.). You may have a different team structure and line manager in your vertical vs other verticals. You will be open to taking on stretch projects and undertaking tests to evolve new product types. You’ll get proactively involved in team meetings so that you can contribute your ideas alongside the rest of the vertical team. Whatever role you are in you will be expected to connect with users and experts in your vertical, and to sustain ongoing relationships that provide value. This in turn means developing a level of domain knowledge in the technology and user roles in your vertical.
In summary, the above means that a critical ‘power skill’ in the new Packt organization will be adaptability and flexibility – the ability to adjust quickly to changing circumstances and new challenges while remaining effective and open to different approaches.
Only those with the willingness to adapt and flex in this new world should apply!
What You Will Do
Editorial:
Evaluate and improve ideas and outlines, based on product reviews, Jobs-to-be-Done insights, and user interviews.
On-board content creators and give detailed feedback on their content to allow products to proceed through the writing process.
Provide a content health check for the portfolio director to facilitate accurate planning and time allocation.
Continually assess the content in the product ensuring that the content contains all the required information according to the outline, as well as identifying and removing irrelevant content.
Identify opportunities for content creators to improve organization, presentation, clarity and value.
Make substantive edits: ensure that the structure, content, language, style and presentation of the content creator’s work are suitable for its intended purpose and readership; check for sentence complexity, conciseness and clear, logical development of ideas.
Carry out user research and market analysis to elevate your editing.
Work with technical reviewers to ensure technical accuracy of the content and code. This will include collating feedback from peer and tech. reviews and ensuring that this is effectively communicated to the content creator.
Own the quality of a product: sign off products for production; decide when a product is suitable for cancellation; and tackle plagiarism within the product.
Navigate the optimum balance of quality and timeliness in dialog with the rest of the product team.
Author/Expert management:
Provide detailed and constructive feedback to content creators using the appropriate tone to suggest the necessary actions that will ensure that the content matches the outline and meets Packt’s quality standards
Build positive yet challenging relationships to get the most from your content creators
Analyse a content creator’s language ability, adjusting your communication and feedback styles to fit different content creators
Coach content creators on techniques for teaching difficult or important concepts
Manage the author relationship to increase the quality of content and author satisfaction
Technology:
Research technology innovations to deepen your tech. knowledge in your vertical’s topic area
Connect to users and research to deepen your knowledge of users in your vertical’s topic area
Keep up with market changes that could impact the delivery or success of a product, for example, tech. version updates and competing titles
Who You Are
You are a detail-oriented, creative, and strategic content engineer with a strong passion for creating high-quality, technical content. You possess a deep understanding of editorial standards and are skilled at transforming complex ideas into clear, accessible, and engaging materials. You work collaboratively with authors, editors, and technical reviewers, balancing high editorial standards with commercial and product goals. You thrive in dynamic environments and continuously seek to optimize processes and workflows to deliver exceptional content.
Must-have skills:
Editorial excellence: proficient in substantive editing, with a focus on clarity, structure, and flow. Experience working with technical content and aligning it with editorial guidelines.
Technical content understanding: strong ability to interpret and convey complex technical concepts clearly for diverse audiences.
Quality assurance: rigorous attention to detail with a proven track record of ensuring content quality, accuracy, and consistency.
Process optimization: ability to identify inefficiencies and suggest improvements in editorial processes and workflows.
Author relationship management: strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build lasting relationships with authors, providing constructive feedback and ensuring their vision is realized.
Stakeholder communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders.
Good-to-have skills:
Project management: experience managing editorial projects, balancing multiple priorities, and ensuring timely delivery
Adaptability: ability to adapt quickly to changing requirements and navigate ambiguity in fast-paced environments
Why Work at Packt
We are a global and remote-first business with most of our team based in India and the UK. We recognize how important our people are and acknowledge and support the things that are important to them. Our culture is open and informal and based around learning. We love sharing ideas and we want everyone to feel that they have an input into how the business works. We are a fun place to work but with a focus on performance and personal development providing opportunities for personal growth and career progression. We try to achieve this by:
Ensuring a positive working environment for all team members, supportive of flexible and remote work.
Supporting individual development through growth opportunities and internal mobility.
Encouraging social collaboration within teams and communities and knowledge-sharing.
Fostering a culture that supports a healthy work-life balance.
We focus on the full employee experience. We seek to achieve this by:
Providing a broad range of benefits and initiatives.
Advocating a healthy lifestyle where wellbeing is seen as an essential responsibility.
Celebrating success stories and encouraging peer-to-peer recognition.
Fostering a culture of self-development.
Providing a work environment where the best idea wins, and challenges are encouraged.
Benefits:
You will also have access to a range of flexible benefits that are designed to help you make the most of your time with us.
- Bonus scheme
- 5 day working week
- 25 days annual holiday (plus bank holidays)
- Flexible hours: choose how, when, and where you work within India
- Training programs and Certification
- Group Medical Insurance
- Wellness initiatives
Salary Range - INR 30K-120K fixed pay per month (skills and/or experience dependent)
Disclaimer: Packt does not authorize any third-party consultancies, influencers, or agencies to offer employment opportunities on our behalf. We are not involved in any financial transactions with these parties. Our hiring process is managed internally, and all applications should be made through the official procedures outlined in our job listings.
