Introduction to the role

An exciting entry-role opportunity to work across our imprints – HQ, HQ Digital, Pavilion and Akan Books – supporting the publishing process from acquisition to post-publication, and completing key tasks accurately and meeting deadlines to ensure successful publication. We are looking for someone with excellent administration and communication skills, who can offer a high standard of support to a busy and fast-paced team.

Key tasks and accountabilities

Publishing Operations

• Supporting the Managing Editorial Director and liaising with all teams across the division (including editorial, design, marketing, production, finance, sales, publicity, audio, rights, and contracts) to ensure the publishing process runs effectively and to critical path.

• Managing multiple publishing trackers to ensure the team remain on critical path for multiple projects

• Updating editorial and publishing databases with newly acquired titles

• Ensuring metadata for all titles, including covers, is accurate and updated on relevant systems in a timely manner to ensure titles are optimised on retailers

• Running and circulating multiple reports, from pub date and title changes, to contracts, cover art and metadata reports, to ensure the division runs effectively from acquisition to post-publication

• Keeping publishing schedule grids up to date and highly accurate, for use across the division

• Checking covers (pricing and barcodes) and matching up with publishing systems

• Proofreading book and proof covers

• Working with marketing, editorial and production to ensure proofs are sent to print on time.

• Preparing meeting agendas, taking minutes and sharing regular updates with the team on new title progress, ensuring deadlines are met

• Helping the Managing Editorial Director on ad-hoc tasks

HQ Digital Editorial Support

• Assisting with desk editing, preparing prelims and taking ownership for co-ordinating copyedits, proof checking, collation and amendments as required.

• Managing freelance editorial bookings, setting new freelancers up on the HC systems, and updating the schedule as necessary, bringing it to the weekly production meetings.

• Writing copy as required. Ebook editorial checks as required. Voucher proof checking.

Experience required

• Experience in working with spreadsheets and using professional databases

• Experience of proofreading

• Administrative experience

• Knowledge of the publishing process and industry (desirable)

Skills required

• Excellent attention to detail

• Clear communication skills, with the ability to work confidently with colleagues at all levels

• Skilled in coordinating projects and prioritising multiple tasks

• Resourceful and able to quickly grasp new concepts

• Effectively supporting a team

• Ability to work at pace and manage a high workload

Benefits

• Hybrid working model (3 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, Pride at HC, Social Mobility Network and Neurodiversity at Work

• 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 2 volunteering days 

• We're a certified Carbon Neutral company

• Green Electric/Hybrid Car Benefit Scheme (salary sacrifice)

• With Trees for Life we plant a tree in the Highlands of Scotland for every permanent hire

• Free e-books and audiobooks, digital 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/

At HarperCollins, we value authenticity and integrity in our recruitment process. To ensure a fair and accurate evaluation of all applications, we ask that all responses to assessment questions reflect your own thoughts, experiences, and capabilities.  This allows us to fairly assess your knowledge, skills, and experience to determine how they align with the role. We value diverse perspectives and genuine contributions, even if answers are not perfect. The use of AI tools or external assistance to generate responses is discouraged unless explicitly permitted for specific tasks.

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.