Story Development & Editorial Manager (Licensed IP) - (Contract)

Overview Creative leader driving unified, multi-format storytelling across Moonbug’s franchises. You will bridge editorial, publishing, gaming, audio, and consumer products to maintain a consistent voice while expanding stories into new formats. You’ll shape canonical storytelling, review external partners, and foster innovative concepts that grow brands across platforms. This role sits at the center of Franchise and CP&E, shaping strategy and execution with impact. Responsibilities Editorial hub across six pillars: oversee global fiction, non-fiction, and comics; originate stories, draft manuscripts, and ensure lore accuracy; approve final print text. Shape audio-first narratives: script direction for podcasts, audio drama, and audiobooks. Guide audiobook development for books, aligning with in-house print stories. Influence podcast storytelling within the Moonbug catalog. Collaborate with toy, apparel, and lifestyle teams to weave narrative into products. Maintain consistency in Character Bibles and narratives across internal teams and licensees. Coordinate with Studio & Production to share narrative content for cross-use; help create cohesive IP ecosystem. Collaborate on world-building, dialogue, and lore in Gaming; manage in-game text and narratives. Scale stories across categories while preserving a unified canonical universe; review external partners to protect brand integrity. Identify opportunities to extend Moonbug franchises into new formats, platforms, and experiences; drive next-generation franchise storytelling and audience engagement. Key requirements Licensed IP Mastery: proven track record with major licensed franchises and ability to innovate within lore boundaries. Experienced Editor: strong structural and copyediting across books, comics, dialogue, and scripts; experience with children 0–7 preferred. Global Experience: storytelling for US and UK markets. Cross-Category Fluent: ability to write/judge copy for publishing/CP and gaming/audio. Senior Stakeholder Management: effective communicator; able to push back with external partners and defend decisions with execs. Commercial Acumen: understanding of how narrative affects sales and brand loyalty. Additional Languages: beneficial; global operations across time zones (UK, US).exceptional communicationcollaboration across disciplinesstrategic storytelling and advocacystory and manuscript developmentcopyediting and structural editingpodcast scripting and audio narrative development