As Commissioning Editor, you will be a key member of the Avon team, working alongside the other editors to acquire titles that feed into the acquisition strategy of the list.

You will have ownership of your own stable of existing authors, seeing them through from acquisition to publication for both physical and digital editions. You should be confident to own and drive your own workload as well as devise and implement publishing strategy across the range of commercial fiction.

Although commissioning experience is desirable, more important is your ability to demonstrate that you have solid experience of owning and driving your own publishing successfully and strategically, and the market awareness, taste and hunger to commission.

You will have an extensive range of industry contacts that you can call on, and the ability to build strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders. The successful candidate will be commercially savvy, having an extensive knowledge of the commercial fiction market and a passion for the books that Avon publishes.

About Avon

Avon is a division of HarperCollins, one of the UK’s most prolific and innovative multi-platform publishers. Specialising in commercial fiction, Avon publishes a wide range of titles across crime, women’s fiction, historical and saga, for a predominantly female readership. With books that sell through the high street and the supermarkets as well as in digital, Avon is home to million-copy, digital, Sunday Times and international bestsellers such as C.L. Taylor, Helen Fields, Katerina Diamond, Phillipa Ashley, Mandy Robotham, Lorna Cook, J.M. Hall, Emma Cowell, Alice Hunter and Sue Moorcroft.

Avon offers the opportunity for employees to contribute to discussions across the division, ensuring constant learning and development opportunities as new projects arise. As an exciting, market-leading division, Avon prides itself on being at the forefront of digital and industry developments, continually challenging the norm and aiming for best-in-class commercial fiction at all times.

Key Accountabilities

• Taking ownership of and being the main point of contact for own stable of authors, working across women’s fiction, historical and crime/thriller, seeing them through from acquisition to publication for both physical and digital editions.

• Working on all edits for authors, taking books through from delivery to publication.

• Working on desk edits where necessary or in conjunction with the editorial assistant, liaising closely with the production team and pub ops director to keep them in line with critical path.

• Understanding and wider reading of commercial women’s fiction, historical fiction and crime/thriller market, resulting in strong market knowledge and market-focused publishing strategies across the board.

• Briefing market-informed jackets and liaising with designers, seeing covers through from start to finish, particularly keeping in mind deadlines for retailer sell-in.

• Briefing, overseeing and checking sales/marketing material, e.g. catalogues, sales presenters etc. as necessary.

• Continuing to build and foster relationships with agents, acting as one of Avon’s key ambassadors within the industry, cultivating the established relationships we have already, developing new ones and identifying more agencies to work with.

• Working to ensure best in class metadata at all times.

• Liaising with teams across the business including sales, marketing, publicity, rights and production.

• Acquiring titles in line with Avon’s acquisition strategy, widening the breadth of Avon’s publishing, in particular for the UK and US markets.

• Working in conjunction with the Marketing and Publicity Managers on author events/launches where necessary.

• Attending launches, industry events and festivals.

Experience

• Previous experience of working on commercial fiction

• Owning, devising and implementing publishing strategy

• Experience working at editor level or above

• Be able to demonstrate sound market knowledge of commercial fiction

• Experience of desk editing processes

• Full knowledge of publishing processes

• Experience of working directly with authors

• Demonstrable commissioning experience desirable

Skills and Competencies

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Hungry to own and drive own workload

• Ability to work individually and as part of a team

• Takes initiative

• Problem Solving

• Quick-thinking

• Creative 

• Extremely organised

• A keen eye for detail

• Interpersonal and diplomacy skills

• Strong awareness of market trends

• Computer skills: Word, Excel, PowerPoint

• Desirable but not essential

  • Experience of design programmes such as Photoshop or Canva

  • Quick reader

  • In tune with digital innovations within the industry

Benefits

• Hybrid working model (2+ days in the office)

• 26 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

• 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

• 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

• Onsite physiotherapy (London only)

• Charitable donation matching and volunteering day

• We're a certified Carbon Neutral company

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

• Subsidised canteen and retail discounts

• 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 at stephanie.jemmett@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.