Business Administration Officer | 3 days per week| £27,000 FTE
Award-winning Wales-based children’s publisher Firefly Press is looking for a part-time Business Administration Officer.
Job Description
As Business Administration Officer you will be responsible for the administration of finances, title metadata, stock movements and dealing with business queries. You will make use of finance and publishing systems to ensure accurate recording of sales and assist the publisher with biannual royalty runs. You will work with the Publisher, sales and marketing, and editorial staff with other duties as appropriate.
We are seeking candidates with experience in financial administration and an eagerness to get involved with operations across the business. Knowledge of industry standard software would be an advantage. Please note this is not an editorial position, although input into all aspects of the business is actively encouraged.
Responsibilities will include:
Using Xero to produce sales invoices and bills and reconcile bank account transactions
Assisting the Publisher with finance tasks including online banking, VAT reclaim, and reporting
Using the publishing software Stison to manage title, contract and sales data. Ensuring an accurate flow of metadata to distributors in cooperation with other staff
Overseeing stock movement and fulfilment of direct and website orders, postage, and technical support
Liaising with distribution partners to ensure timely stock movements and resolve queries
Ensuring queries to the general email and phone queries are answered
Liaising with the Books Council of Wales, authors and reading promotion organisations where required
Assisting the Publisher with administration and HR responsibilities, including organising board meetings, appraisals and interviews
Assisting marketing with website content, newsletters and mailouts where required.
Person specification
Essential
An eagerness to attend work in person or online as required, and take ownership of administration
Demonstrable experience in financial administration
Strong capability with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets
The ability to process large amounts of data accurately
Attention to detail and the ability to organise your own workload
A collaborative mindset and eagerness to assist colleagues
Customer service skills – good manner by email and telephone. Good written and verbal communication skills.
Desirable
Experience of, or an interest in, children’s publishing
Experience with bookkeeping; experience with Xero
Please mention any experience with specific publishing systems such as Stison, MDL Connect, Gwales, Nielsen, BooksoniX
Firefly Press is a committed equal opportunities employer and employs people on the basis of their abilities. Positions areopen to all suitably qualified candidates, and we welcome applicantsfrom a diverse base, regardless of age, faith, disability, race, gender, sexuality and socio-economic, regional and cultural backgrounds.
To apply, please send your curriculum vitae and a covering letter to hello@fireflypress.co.uk by Wednesday October 7th.
Penny Thomas, publisher at award-winning children’s and YA publisher Firefly Press, has acquired World rights to This is Just to Say by Sarah Ziman.
This funny and hugely entertaining collection of poems explores communication in all its written forms, from Post-it notes, letters, texts and emails to reviews and classified ads. Featuring a mix of modern, historical and fairytale figures, this collection includes creative poems such as a letter from Hansel and Gretel’s dentist, a radio transcript between Neil Armstrong and NASA and a TripAdvisor review from The Princess and the Pea.
This is Just to Say will be illustrated by popular children’s author Becka Moor.
Sarah Ziman said: I realised I had the basis of this collection without actually trying – that time as a child spent writing thank-you letters and being a pen pal to a best friend who’d moved away obviously laid the foundations for a lot of my poetry! Expanding into other forms of communication only made it MORE fun – I hope people enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Editor Lucy Mohan said: ‘Sarah has crafted something creative, fun and highly original, featuring multiple-choice style poems, to-do lists, secret codes and more! This is poetry as you’ve never seen it before, and we can’t wait to share it with the world.’
This is Just to Say is due to be delivered to bookshops in April 2027.
Penny Thomas, publisher at award-winning independent Firefly Press, has acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to middle-grade debut The Secret Lambby Alyson Williams, from Lucy Irvine at Darley Anderson Children’s Book Agency Ltd.
The novel, by debut author and NHS psychotherapist Alyson Williams, follows the story of ten-year-old Gwenni Morgan, who is injured in the Aberfan disaster that kills her younger brother Bryn and best friend Diane.
Five months later, consumed by survivors’ guilt and struggling to connect with the adults around her, Gwenni finds comfort in her new friend Ivor, and the orphan lamb, Betsy, whom they rescue.
But caring for Betsy is no easy task – especially with journalists from Cardiff sneaking around the village, mean-girl Mary sticking her nose into Gwenni’s business, and, worst of all, Gwenni’s own nan hot on the warpath against all sheep!
While The Secret Lambis fictional, the character of Gwenni Morgan is inspired by Gaynor Madgwick, one of the Pantglas children who left the school alive on that terrible day. Gaynor, who has written a non-fiction book for adults about the disaster, is a frequent public speaker, and has given Alyson permission to use some of her memories in this story for children.
She said: ‘Alyson’s book is a beacon of light and hope to young people suffering the effects of trauma in their lives.’
Author Alyson Williams said: ‘Choosing to write about the Aberfan disaster was a serious decision and not one I took lightly. I was inspired to go ahead by Gaynor’s confidence in me.
‘I hope the story allows today’s children to bear witness to what the community suffered and to find in Gwenni Morgan an example of strength and resilience that can influence their own lives.’
Publisher Penny Thomas said: ‘The Secret Lamb is a simple but powerful story set in the aftermath of one of the most terrible UK disasters in living memory. It is a privilege and a responsibility to be able to publish this novel, which manages to be at once heartbreaking, heartwarming, and even at times humorous, while aiming to remain true to the memories that created it.
‘There are already books for adults on this subject, but The Secret Lamb, with its talented storytelling and believable characters provides an empathetic and accessible way for children to encounter these unforgettable events that are so sadly part of our recent history.’
And agent Lucy Irvine said: ‘Alyson has a rare gift to be able to write about such a tragic and difficult subject matter in a genuinely child-friendly and accessible way. It has been such a privilege to work with her on The Secret Lamb, and to find it a home with Penny and Firefly. I hope readers can find strength and ultimately hope in Gwenni’s story.’
Penny Thomas, publisher at award-winning children’s and YA publisher Firefly Press, has acquired World rights to Shelby and O’Hare: Pop Went the Weasel by Emer Stamp from James Catchpole at The Catchpole Agency.
If you go down to the woods today … don’t expect a picnic!
Frank Weasel has come to a decidedly sticky end, and it’s up to rookie Sergeant Shelby and her less-than-enthusiastic new boss Detective O’Hare to crack the case. She’s bursting with energy. All he wants is a nap … or to get on with his knitting. Can this unlikely pair put aside their differences, follow the clues and work out why Frank went … pop?
Emer Stamp said: ‘What could be more thrilling than loving a genre of fiction and then having the chance to write one of your own? To ask if I am a fan of detective fiction, would be like asking the wonderful Raymond Chandler’s iconic creation, Private Investigator Phillip Marlow, if he enjoys a glass of whisky at the end of a long, hard-boiled day. It has been a true joy working on this book. I can’t wait to see it out in the wild.’
Editor, Lucy Mohan said: ‘Emer has written such a fun and addictive story, with illustrations that really “pop”. We can’t wait for readers to meet the residents of the Wylde Woods and join Sergeant Shelby and Detective O’Hare as they hunt down the clues in this vibrant, clever and twisty mystery!’
James Catchpole said: ‘Aesop’s hare and tortoise have been crying out for the good cop-bad cop treatment ever since he wrote it, 2500 years ago. It’s only surprising that this low-hanging fruit has been left on the branch so long! Emer has plucked it with gusto.’
Shelby and O’Hare: Pop Went the Weasel is due to land in bookshops Spring 2027.
Penny Thomas, Publisher at award-winning children’s and YA publisher Firefly Press, has acquired World rights to Wish Seekersa magical sequel to Flame Chasers by Julie Pike, from Jo Williamson at Anthony Harwood Literacy Agency.
Book one, Flame Chasers was described as, ‘an exquisite story that burns brightly,’ by Times children’s reviewer Lucy Bannerman who made it a Times Children’s Book of the Week, adding, ‘It sizzles with imagination. Impossible Creatures was the hit that everyone was chasing last year, but this magical adventure feels like a sparky younger sibling to Katherine Rundell’s bestseller.’
And Wish Seekers, which boasts a stunning cover from David Dean (above), soars higher with the story of the golden flamebirds, whose magical tail feathers grant the bearer their heart’s desire.
Ember’s hometown of Bright Beacon is under threat. The peace magic protecting everyone has vanished and powerful King Morbius, hungry for wishes, is threatening them all. In a desperate bid to save their home and families, Ember and Stanley sail for the west, searching for the golden flamebirds to make another wish.
But on the high seas they must pit their wits against deadly leftover magic and escape their pursuers. The flame chasers have become the chased! If Ember cannot find the secret of wishmaking fast, they can never go home again.
On Wish Seekers, Firefly publisher Penny Thomas said: ‘We just love the exuberantly colourful and magical world Julie creates in this series. The perilous island adventures bring to mind Prince Caspian, combined with many fairytales of mythical creatures and being careful what you wish for!’
Julie Pike said: Whenever I visit schools, children tell me they believe a wish can solve every problem. It got me thinking. What if a wish sometimes makes things worse? That’s exactly what Ember and Stanley and I have been finding out together. It’s been a huge thrill to return to Bright Beacon and to soar once more with the golden flamebirds.
The book is slated for publication in February 2027.
