Editorial Assistant - HQ Fiction

HarperCollins Publishers

Location London, UK
Salary £25,000, Perm
  • Closing: 12:00pm, 22nd Oct 2021 BST

Perks and benefits

Work from home option
Healthcare
Retirement benefits
Wellness programs
Employee Assistance Programme
Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
Extra holiday
Professional development
Mentoring/coaching
Paid volunteer days
Flexible benefits scheme
Cycle to work scheme

Candidate happiness

8.67 (23741)

Job Description

Specialising in commercial fiction and innovative digital publishing, HQ publishes a wide range of fiction titles including crime, thriller, contemporary fiction, historical and book club, alongside our bestselling non-fiction list, and thriving digital-first imprint.

As Editorial Assistant, you will facilitate the smooth running of the department and provide administrative and editorial assistance to the editorial director and senior commissioning editors.

In addition to this, there will be regular opportunities for the successful candidate to develop their editorial skills, working on edits alongside the editorial director, and writing cover copy and AI sheets. In time, the editorial assistant will take on their own authors under the supervision of their line manager.

This role is ideally suited to an organised and detail-focused candidate who has both initiative and energy and is looking for their first entry-level role in commercial publishing. They will have a keen interest in all genres of commercial fiction, read widely, and be excited at the prospect of applying creative flair to the editorial process, ensuring that our publishing continues to stand out at the forefront of a competitive market.

Core Accountabilities                                                                

Editorial

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

  • Reading submissions and submitting reader reports.

  • Weekly updates of editorial minutes.

  • Managing freelance editorial bookings, setting new freelancers up on the HC systems, and updating the schedule as necessary.

  • Proofreading jacket copy, catalogue copy, AIs, and divisional documents as necessary.

  • Organising and creating back ads, as well as extra endmatter.

  • Writing copy as required.

  • E-book editorial checks as required.

  • Voucher proof checking.

  • Liaising with the production team and editors, helping to ensure critical path is met.

  • First point of contact with other departments for general editorial queries.

  • Liaise with external freelancers on bookings and purchase orders

  • Ensure that books meet critical path in conjunction with the HQ production team

  • Communicate with authors and agents on a regular basis

  • Offer significant assistance to the editorial director and senior commissioning editors as necessary.

 

General

  • Raising purchase orders as necessary.

  • Sending books to authors and agents as requested.

  • Organising author and publication gifts as requested.

  • Updating presentations with new jackets and info as necessary.

  • Ensuring the HQ bookshelves are updated monthly around the building with new titles.

  • Monthly stock checks of HQ books, ordering more in when necessary and returning surplus to stock.

  • Handling book orders and author orders on behalf of the team.

  • Collating monthly launch meeting presentations.

  • Book in visitors and meetings rooms for the editorial director as requested.

  • Take minutes at various meetings.

  • Assist with organisation of prize submissions for the HQ Fiction list.

  • Assist with database management of author/freelance files.

  • Collate and distribute the weekly bestseller charts to the editorial team.

  • Maintain the smooth running of the division alongside the other assistants, managing the division’s roster of meetings and collating minutes as required;

 

Skills & Experience

  • Some administrative/organisation experience

  • An effective multi-tasker, with experience of coping in a pressurised environment

  • Digitally savvy

  • A passion for HQ titles and commercial fiction books

  • Excellent command of the English language

  • Excellent attention to detail

  • MS Office, particularly advanced use of MS Word

  • Excellent organisational skills

  • Great attention to detail

  • Strong verbal and written communication skills

  • Reliable, with the ability to use own initiative

Person Specification

  • Outgoing

  • Optimistic and energetic

  • Passion for commercial fiction

  • Interested in digital publishing

  • Proactive

  • Flexible and happy to ‘muck-in’ whenever required

  • Team player

 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 http://www.booktradecharity.org/

Removing bias from the hiring process

Applications closed Fri 22nd Oct 2021

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Removing bias from the hiring process

  • Your application will be anonymously reviewed by our hiring team to ensure fairness
  • You won't need a CV to apply to this job

Applications closed Fri 22nd Oct 2021