Senior Editor - Kugali

Kugali is an entertainment company focused on telling stories inspired by African Culture using comic books, art and augmented reality, remaining on the cutting edge of storytelling experiences and leading the way with AR, 3D CGI, the development of Bonzo (African comic books) and more.

An exciting opportunity has now arisen in our Publishing department for an enthusiastic and passionate person looking to step into the role of Senior Editor. This position is working with a small team of creatives to produce high-quality publications and various supplements from start to finish, including planning content, assigning freelance-written content, editing, fact-checking, implementing final team changes, and shepherding publications through to completion.

We are seeking someone with top-notch skills, capable of turning around professionally written stories in a clean and aesthetically pleasing format. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 3 years' experience editing stories, or 3+ stories published as a writer. They will also be able to produce excellent work in a timely fashion, pulling together complete, quality publications whilst still planning ahead for successive issues.

The ideal candidate is a self-starter with strong interpersonal skills who drives the entire process from idea generation through to publication across multiple formats, coordinating with marketing colleagues in production, design, and activation. If this sounds like you and you’d like to be a part of a fast-paced, growing business, this opportunity is for you. Bring your talent and ambition to Kugali and you will be given the scope and opportunity to build your expertise and contribute to a rich and diverse culture.

Role and Responsibilities

• Support the Editorial Team/and or freelance writers on all aspects of comic development including longer features, with a focus on story development and editing.
• Support artists and writers through visual development of comics, managing each project through the various stages including outlining, drafting, revising, approvals, production, and launch, adhering to job-specific guidelines and format and working both within and across teams to deliver content in a deadline-oriented environment.

• Work with colleagues in marketing, the commercial team, creative services, and others to produce thought leadership content across multiple formats including digital, social media, external publications, video, audio, and events.
• Keep current on developments and trends in graphic novels and comic books.
• Interface and coordinate editorial activities between production, sales, marketing and various content teams to schedule, coordinate, and deliver content to websites and clients.
• Come up with innovative ideas for publication, including new content approaches, developing new series and types of content based on audience feedback and needs.
• Help maintain and enforce a company-wide style guide for consistency across deliverables and provide timely feedback to new authors to facilitate their growth as contributors.
• Keep current on developments and trends in graphic novels and comic books, developing editorial calendars and plans to convey relevant and timely information.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

• Master’s/Bachelor’s degree in life sciences communications, writing, or a related field with 3+ years of professional experience and/or relevant background, ideally with expertise as an editor for a publication (extra points for experience in graphic novel/comics and/or have a strong infrastructure around children's literature).
• Proficient with MS Office Suite.

Preferred Skills

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise, executing a project from beginning to end autonomously.
• Excellent scheduling, organisational skills with sharp attention to detail, thriving both independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• Excellent English proficiency and written communication skills, with an aptitude for catching grammatical and spelling errors.
• Exceptional attention to detail and strong follow-up skills, along with conducting thorough fact and plagiarism checks.
• Ability to prioritise a demanding workload, set and meet deadlines, solving problems creatively and adjust priorities as needed, working across teams to produce quality content.
• Be able to edit content in a variety of formats (across the Microsoft suite) for both mechanical errors and content.
• Desire to manage and/or mentor coach junior/contributing staff.
• Takes initiative and demonstrates leadership potential with experience in managing and recruiting a team of freelance writers.

Additional Notes

• A passion for telling African stories
• Art direction skills preferred but not necessary
• Excellent and versatile writing and communication skills.
• Be a quick study, absorbing new topics and synthesising information.
• A strong desire to collaborate to produce outstanding publications.

Benefits

• Telecommute from anywhere in the world.
• Flexibility to decide where you work.
• Pension contribution (for those in the UK)
• 28 days holiday + 8 statutory bank holidays (pro rata).
• Extra paid time off over companywide recharge weeks twice a year.
• Culture focused on well-being and opportunities for growth and development.
• Highly flexible working environment.
• Work in a global team that’s diverse, inclusive and supports women in the workplace.

Inclusion & Diversity

Kugali is an Equal Opportunity Employer and makes all employment decisions without regard to age, national origin, race, ethnicity, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We appreciate applicants from all backgrounds. If you would like to learn more about the commitment to diversity and inclusion at Kugali, you can contact the team by emailing [email protected]