The Company

Usborne is an independent, family business, creating books which spark curiosity in children of all ages. Whilst the company is a market-leader in children’s publishing and one of the best-known brands in children’s books globally, the company retains a friendly and familial feel. If you want to work somewhere close-knit enough for people to know your name, but which has a first-class reputation around the world, Usborne is the place for you.

The Team

You’ll be part of a small, hands-on Facilities team responsible for keeping our offices running smoothly day to day.

The Role

This is a hands-on, varied role at the centre of keeping our office running smoothly and no two days are quite the same. You’ll work closely with our Facilities and Estate Manager and on any given day you might be fixing a minor maintenance issue in the office, processing a delivery of books, setting up a meeting space or helping move equipment for a team. Some tasks are planned, others crop up unexpectedly – so being practical organised and happy to get stuck in is key.

You’ll play an important role in making sure the office is a safe, well-maintained and a welcoming place for our friendly staff base to work in.

 What you’ll be doing

• Carrying out the day-to-day maintenance and upkeep of the office.

• Completing basic repairs and routine checks, and escalating issues where needed.

• Setting up and resetting rooms for meetings, events and internal activities.

• Undertaking office moves, furniture changes and workspace set-ups.

• Acting as a point of contact for contractors on site

• Supporting on health and safety checks and procedures.

• Helping manage deliveries — receiving, unpacking and distributing items (including books) across the business.

• Responsibility for outgoing post and shipments.

• Keeping storage, packing and shared areas organised, safe and efficient.

• Monitoring cleanliness and supporting high standards across communal spaces.

What we’re looking for

You’ll have experience in a hands-on, practical role and be comfortable working in an environment where priorities can shift throughout the day but importantly, you’ll be used to being active, taking responsibility and getting stuck into a range of tasks.

We’re particularly looking for someone who:

• Has at least 2 years’ experience in a hands-on or operational role (e.g. facilities, maintenance, caretaker, warehouse, logistics or similar).

• Is practical and confident carrying out basic maintenance tasks and resolving day-to-day issues (eg. minor repairs , decorating).

• Is able to undertake regular manual and physical work, including being on their feet for much of the day.

• Can manage a varied workload and prioritise tasks, including time-sensitive activities such as deliveries or room set-ups.

• Is reliable and takes pride in completing tasks to a good standard.

• Communicates clearly and is comfortable dealing with a range of staff across the business.

• Is proactive and able to spot what needs doing and take action without needing constant direction.

• Is comfortable working independently, while also working as part of a small team. 

It would be helpful if you also have:

• A solid understanding of workplace health and safety with a relevant qualification (e.g. IWFM, IOSH, City & Guilds).

• A full UK driving licence to assist where occasional travel between our sites is required.

• Good IT skills, including MS Office (Word, Outlook, Teams, Excel).

We’re open to different backgrounds, but you will need to bring relevant experience and a practical, hands-on approach to succeed in this role.

Location and Benefits

We offer a 35-hour working week from our offices in Farringdon, London. This role is fully office-based due to the nature of the work. There will be occasional travel to our offices in Oxford and Wolverhampton.

In addition to our transparent salary grading structure, we also offer:

• 25 days paid holiday entitlement plus bank holidays increasing with service to 30 days.

• Industry-leading Pension Scheme and Life Assurance

• Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Health First Aiders

• Healthcare Cashback scheme

• Virtual GP service

• Enhanced Family Friendly benefits

• Paid Volunteer Day

• Rewards and Discount services and shopping

• Cycle to Work Scheme

• 75% discount on Usborne books 

Recruitment Process

We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role and therefore applicants must have the right to live and work in the UK at the point of application.

We expect to undertake first round interviews virtually, with a further interview in person to be held shortly after. We are looking for someone to be available to take up the post as soon as possible.

Please let us know if you require reasonable adjustments at any point during the application and/or recruitment process.

Usborne is dedicated to building a diverse staff group that reflects the wide range of communities that read our books globally. Decisions are made based on the individual’s skills and experiences and we particularly encourage applications from underrepresented demographics in Publishing. 

AI notice

The use of AI has become more prevalent in recruitment application answers and content and whilst AI is undoubtedly a useful tool, we ask applicants to write their answers themselves, not just generate them using a tool.