Cain changes roles in Guardian books restructure as Laity leaves

The Guardian's online books editor Sian Cain is moving to its new Saturday magazine as part of an overhaul, while deputy head of books Paul Laity has left.

Last July the media company revealed significant changes to its Saturday print sections with the creation of a new supplement featuring culture, books, features and lifestyle.

Two vacancies, deputy head of books and commissioning editor, were announced last week.

Sian Cain, editor of the Guardian Books site, tweeted: “Now this is being advertised, I guess I can say: I am leaving Guardian Books. I'm joining the new Guardian Saturday magazine as culture commissioning editor. I did this job for six years and I have loved all of it. Young'uns, I got this job and you can too.

“My new job will involve working with the books team to make the new magazine’s culture section as great as it can be. So I’m not completely leaving the world of books - but I will miss being able to talk and write about them all day, every day."

Joint head of books and editor of Review Liese Spencer told The Bookseller earlier this month how dedicated culture section, Review, would close later this year at which point its print coverage will migrate to the culture section of the new Saturday magazine, “where it will get comparable space to what we currently have in Review, if not more”. She also described how the company would “refresh and relaunch some of our online books coverage".

Charlotte Northedge, joint head of books, told The Bookseller: "The Guardian is looking for a deputy head of books, with a specialism in nonfiction, to commission and edit nonfiction reviews and features and deputise across the Books desk. We're also looking for a commissioning editor, specialising in books news, to commission features, interviews and news stories for the new section and for Guardian Books online.”

She added: “This is an exciting moment for the Guardian's books desk, and a chance to ensure we're covering the freshest new writing, across a range of genres and from around the world. We're looking forward to working with new staff members to produce the extensive and high quality cultural and literary coverage the Guardian is known for."