Introduction to the role

Come and be part of a dynamic, creative, and results-driven PR and marketing team bringing joy to children and families across the UK. In a typical day you will be pitching timely feature ideas to journalists, growing your contacts, organising innovative events to drive sales, and working with marketing to develop creative ideas for our next big campaigns, all while providing a best-in-class service to our award-winning authors and illustrators.

We are looking to appoint someone who has some experience of managing campaigns who is ready for the next step as Press Officer or someone with more extensive campaign management experience who is ready for a Senior Press Officer role. So, if you are full of creative ideas, impeccably organised, and have a strong background in PR and events please read on…

Key Accountabilities

• Develop measurable PR campaigns and manage budgets in line with the division’s strategy and fiscal planning.

• Communicate campaign priorities, campaign plans and progress to key internal stakeholders.

• Demonstrate deep knowledge of our books, the wider market, and consumer and media influencers

• Proactively pitch feature ideas to journalists; draft and distribute press releases and media statements

• Prepare detailed briefs and media training to deliver high-quality media content

• Monitor and report on media coverage and wider campaign

• Support the Head of PR in managing Farshore’s presence at festivals and conferences

• Drive awareness and sales through author events at schools, bookshops and more

• Build and promote the Division’s reputation with external stakeholders including media, teachers, librarians, authors, agents

• Oversee the management and briefing of freelancers and agencies

Knowledge and Experience

• Strong knowledge of the UK media landscape.

• Capable of designing and executing creative and innovative publicity campaigns.

• Passion and interest in children's books and publishing.

• Some knowledge of the children’s publishing landscape, the publishing industry, and licensing industry

• Experience with planning events

• Able to prioritise a heavy workload.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Attention to detail.

• Strong relationship building skills.

About Farshore

Our mission is to make every child a proud reader. We want every child to find a book that will spark a lifelong love of reading, because reading for pleasure is essential to children’s life chances, wellbeing, and their understanding of the world.

We are incredibly proud of our wide range of books for every reader, which includes: award-winning authors and illustrators like Michael Morpurgo, Lemony Snicket, Julia Donaldson, Laura Ellen Anderson and BB Alston; popular brands, including Minecraft, Winnie-the-Pooh and Mr. Men Little Miss; and household names like Matt Lucas and Ant & Dec.

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 Senior Recruitment Manager at Kally.simmonds@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.