Overall Purpose of Role        

Manage the creation and delivery of a suite of projects (print and digital) from the Reference and/or Languages areas of the business, through all editorial stages from project set-up to final (print or file) supply.

• Day-to-day management of agreed project budgets, balancing internal and external resources to deliver products to agreed schedules.

• Overseeing all editorial aspects of the project and ensuring quality and consistency of the final product is adhering to brand values and fit for purpose in the market.

• Engaging and managing external suppliers to deliver specific key elements of the project including (but not exclusive to) authoring, peer reviewing, copyediting, proofreading, illustrating, acquiring permission, typesetting and design. 

• Undertaking own editorial work where schedule allows or if suitable freelance resource is not easily available.

• Time management and prioritisation to manage a portfolio of projects at the same time.

Responsibility

Freelance management:

• In consultation with Commissioning Editors, recruit, brief and manage authors and freelancers effectively, including external project managers where necessary

• Proactively investigate options for outsourcing elements of individual projects

Project Management:

• Deliver projects (print and digital) to time, budget and a high standard

• Estimate and create costings and adhere to plant spend during project

Editorial Content Delivery:

• Oversee the correct editorial input, compilation and checking as job requires

Product Development:

• Consult and work with commissioning editor on concept and how best to develop it into a product

• Consult and work with commissioning editor on product, editorial and design briefs

• Review draft manuscripts, commission peer review and liaise with author over revisions

• Consult with designers to develop design template and deliver sample materials that meet agreed brief

 Prepress and Postpress Supervision:

• Oversee the required prepress elements of the job

• Ensure all contributor copies are received in a timely manner

• Keep accurate and up-to-date records of any errors and omissions reported

• Ensure all assets are received from external suppliers for archiving

Additional:

• Liaise with other departments – Contracts, Sales, Marketing and Production – to provide timely information

• Attend and participate in all relevant meetings related to the project(s) at hand.

• Production of appropriate and timely sales and marketing materials

Person Specification                                                                                              

Essential:

• Project management, general editorial skill, freelancer management.

• Skilled editor, eye for detail, communicator, calm under pressure, proactive problem solver, organised and able to prioritise and manage time and budgets.

Desirable:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent (or proven work experience).

• Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop), Digital publishing, authoring, knowledge of cartography, knowledge of linguistics

• Creative, interest in Geography, Languages or Education.

Benefits 

Hybrid working model (2+ days in the office) 

28 days holiday plus bank holidays (option to buy and sell holiday days) 

Enhanced pay for maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave 

Private healthcare cover and life assurance 

Summer Hours  

Free access to HeadSpace, employee assistance programme (24 hour helpline), mental health first aiders, and a wellbeing portal 

Season ticket loans (from day 1 for entry level) and cycle to work scheme 

Relocation Rent Support Loan  

Employee networks: HC All In (open forum), Elevate (for ethnic minority colleagues), HarperParents, Menopause at Work and Pride at HC 

Unlimited training on our Learning and Development portal, management courses (up to MA level) and mentoring programmes 

Virtual GP and eyecare vouchers 

Gym membership discount 

Charitable donation matching and  2 volunteering days 

We're a certified Carbon Neutral company 

Free e-books and audiobooks, newspaper subscriptions and discounts on books

Onsite prayer room 

If you wish to discuss anything regarding this position and/or your application to this role, please reach out directly to our Talent Acquisition Manager, sandra.lim@harpercollins.co.uk with subject heading ‘Vacancy Query’ plus the job title and we will aim to get back to you within 5 working days.