Are you fascinated by global politics and current affairs? Do you want to help find the best new voices in history, smart-thinking, business and tech? Can you find and develop writers who believe ideas matter and want to help their readers make sense of the world? Do you know the brightest and best voices in global podcasts and digital media? Can you take an idea and help shape it into something relevant and spectacular? Do you want to join a small, fun, entrepreneurial team that cares passionately about great writing and commercial books?

HarperNonFiction are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic and well-connected Editorial Director/Publishing Director to publish serious non-fiction across a range of genres, from smart-thinking and business, to history, pop science and tech. This is a brilliant opportunity to join a market-leading non-fiction team at a time when the list is looking to expand across a range of markets. The role is within the HarperNonFiction division, and the successful candidate will report into the Publisher for Mudlark/Smart Thinking.

The Role

Reporting to the Publisher, the Editorial Director/Publishing Director will acquire and publish approximately 10-12 books a year on to the Mudlark/Smart Thinking list, covering a range of serious non-fiction genres, including business and economics (biography, entrepreneurship, management and self-help), popular science, nature and ecology, history, and politics. With a strong focus on publishing expert-led books with strong international appeal across export channels, commissioning themes will also include geopolitics and international relations, AI and tech, sustainability and climate change, smart thinking, law and leadership.

Key tasks and accountabilities:

• Commissioning and publishing a profitable list of high quality, market-leading serious non-fiction and smart thinking books

• Identifying and cultivating new talent from a wide range of creative channels and developing new ideas for the list

• Maintaining a strong eye on new market trends across home and international markets, and identifying key opportunities

• Working closely with global sales teams in developing new ideas and generating strong sales across multiple export territories

• Maintaining strong connections with both home and international contacts, including expert authors, editors, scouts, talent agents and literary agents

• Full management of all parts of the publishing process: contract negotiations; structural editing; first-class creative oversight; liaising with authors and in-house editorial, design, production, sales and wider comms teams to deliver highly effective and best-in-class publishing

• Working closely with the Publisher in strategy development, budgeting, forecasting, cost control, exploring sales opportunities (home, export and special sales)

Skills required:

• Robust experience in trade publishing with first-class editorial expertise

• Clear and demonstrable commissioning experience in the serious non-fiction market

• Comfortable with taking responsibility and owning decisions (pushing for a book, even at a high advance)

• Organised multi-tasker, who delivers briefs, edits and so on to schedule

• Cross-company thinker: someone who can work across News Corp, when possible, to best effect

• Aptitudes: Entrepreneurial thinker, commercial risk-taker, experienced list-builder; strong networker

• Competencies: excellent communication, business acumen, organisational and analytical skills; detail orientated and cost aware

• Disposition: Professional, innovative, collaborative and achievement-driven

 Benefits:

•  Hybrid working model (3 days in the office)

• 28 days holiday plus bank holidays

• 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

• Relocation Rent Support Loan 

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

• Unlimited training on our Learning and Development portal

• Virtual GP and eyecare vouchers

• Gym membership discount

• Onsite physiotherapy (London only)

• 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

• Subsidised canteen and retail discounts

• Onsite prayer room 

The Book Trade Charity offers financial support to people looking to enter the book trade but who may struggle to afford the costs of attending interviews and undertaking internships or entry level positions. For more information visit  https://www.btbs.org/

If you wish to discuss anything regarding this position and/or your application to this role, please reach out directly to 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.

Please note, if you are interested in the role you would need to submit your application via Applied. We do not accept email applications.