Introduction to the Role

Reporting to the Publishing Director, Operations & Editorial, the Assistant Project Editor will oversee the publishing process for selected titles across the William Collins and 4th Estate lists (including new editions, digital products, paperbacks and reprints) and assist the Publishing Director in tasks required to keep the publishing programme up to date. This is not a commissioning role.

Key Tasks and Accountabilities:

• Project managing titles from handover of manuscript through to production

• Ensuring there is good communication between all design, production and editorial teams

• Assisting with various aspects to ensure that the publishing programme is kept up to date

Skills Required

• Excellent editing, proofreading and communication skills

• Some desk-editing/project-managing experience. Experience working on illustrated titles is desirable but not essential

• A strong sense of strategic planning with excellent prioritisation/time-management skills

• The ability to work flexibly and calmly under pressure to meet tight deadlines

• An interest in literary publishing

 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

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 Tarni.Crossley-Lees@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.