Custom Publishing is a small, dynamic publishing department within HarperCollins that creates innovative, illustrated frontlist titles for gift and reference, as well as creative re-casts of HC’s rich heritage backlist. With a focus on non-fiction titles, our range is broad, from MBS to puzzle books, cocktail guides to natural history; our successes include Prosecco Made Me Do It, C.S. Lewis’ Little Book of Wisdom, The Little Book of Bees, Ugly-Cute, The Healing Remedies Sourcebook, Backyard Birdwatcher’s Bible, 365 Lessons from the Stoics, Large-print Wordsearch, and Winter Warmers.

The Role

The Senior Editor will co-generate projects, co-manage the lifecycle of the projects within the Custom Publishing list – from commissioning, concept and pitch development, through editorial stages and quality control to delivery to the customer – working across all HC imprints. The successful candidate will also assist in overseeing the Custom Publishing front list and backlist, assist in pitching ideas, and liaise with customers. Key to the position is the ability to create, develop, and adapt projects to meet the commercial needs of specific global markets and customers (primarily US and UK).

Key Responsibilities

• Generate new ideas and manage a portion of Custom’s front list (alongside the Publishing Director), including commissioning and title life cycle, for the US and UK markets

• Perform in-house editorial work

• Work closely with customers, sales, production, editorial, rights, and design to see projects through to completion and delivery, including tailoring the project to specific customers or regions

• Pitch originated content/customer-led projects to external customers and in-house teams

• Commission authors, illustrators, designers, etc to produce pitches and live projects

• Help to maintain a strong network of freelance designers, developmental editors, authors, and illustrators

• Co-manage and utilise in-house publishing systems and resources

• Co-manage back list (reprints and reissues) with Assistant Editor, including liaising with customers, production, and freelancers for corrections and redesigns/updates

Experience Required

• Significant editorial management experience with colour, black and white, and books-plus projects

• Significant editorial experience of copy-editing, proofreading, proof-checking, copywriting etc

• Experience in commissioning

• Experience in adapting existing content for new channels, formats, and customers

• First-hand knowledge of US and UK market

• Experience of dealing with Americanization (and occasionally Anglicisation) of content

Experience Of

• Producing illustrated titles across range of subjects and formats

• Working with co-editions

• Dealing with different markets

• Technical knowledge (ensuring files are co-editionable, etc)

• Being sensitive to the global market in selecting imagery and text

Skills Required

A proactive, creative team player with a ‘go-getting’ attitude with the ability to be adaptive, flexible, and competent to work within tight timelines and budget constraints, combined with a broad range of editorial and project-management experience within publishing. The ability to establish and maintain good rapport with internal and external contacts is crucial.

• Ability to deliver great products within specified schedules and budgets

• Relationship management, including people management, collaboration, and negotiating skills

• Production knowledge to ensure high-quality, attractive, and profitable books

• Communication – able to clearly present ideas and solutions to internal and external customers and freelancers

• Innovation and creativity – to develop original and customer-targeted projects

• Organisational skills

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 

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