Introduction to the role

Avon is a division of HarperCollins, one of the UK’s most prolific, diverse and innovative multi-platform publishers. Specialising in commercial, high-volume fiction, Avon won Imprint of the Year at the British Book Awards in 2020, and publishes a wide range of titles across crime, women’s fiction, historical and saga, for a predominantly female readership. Selling through both the high street and the supermarkets, Avon is a leader in trend-setting commercial fiction, with million-copy bestsellers such as C.L. Taylor, Helen Fields and Sue Moorcroft to its name. Avon titles are frequently seen at the top of the ebook charts, as well as in the Sunday Times bestseller lists.

Avon offers the opportunity for employees to contribute to discussions across the division, ensuring constant learning and development opportunities as new projects arise. As an exciting, market-leading division, Avon prides itself on being at the forefront of digital and industry developments, continually challenging the norm and aiming for best-in-class commercial fiction at all times.

As Editor, you will provide some editorial and desk editing support to the Publisher as well as establishing and acquiring your own list. You will have ownership of your own stable of authors, seeing them through from acquisition to publication for both physical and digital editions. You will work on a range of titles across different genres, encompassing both women’s fiction and crime and thriller, creating strategies in conjunction with key team members to launch your books to the top of the charts. This is a role with a great amount of potential for growth, and the new Editor will be an important member of our small and dynamic team. It will suit digitally-savvy candidates who have both initiative and energy, and who are excited to think creatively about how we publish our books.

It is essential that you have a strong awareness of market dynamics, with a broad and keen interest in commercial fiction across a range of genres. You should be able to prove that you keep abreast of current publishing trends, as well as displaying intuition about future trend developments. You will have been working as an Assistant Editor or Editor already, and will be able to demonstrate experience of creative and editorial input, plus an eye for detail and quality. You will be a confident and articulate communicator, highly organised, be able to multi-task and have a strong and active interest in social media and digital developments within the industry. You will be creative and forward-thinking, bringing with you a can-do attitude and a desire to drive your books and authors to the top of the charts. You will have experience of desk editing and the overall publishing process, and a desire for continuous learning as your role expands. This role will suit candidates who are used to working in fast-paced and exciting environments, who can think on their feet, and are happy taking initiative where necessary.

Key tasks and responsibilities:

Editorial

• Ownership of and main point of contact for own stable of authors as agreed with the Publisher, working across both women’s fiction and crime/thriller, seeing them through from acquisition to publication for both physical and digital editions.

• Work on structural and line edits of own authors.

• Desk editing own books, working closely with the production team and pub ops director to keep them in line with critical path.

• Understanding and wider reading of UK commercial women’s fiction and crime/thriller market, ensuring strong market knowledge and market-focused publishing strategies.

• Briefing jackets and liaising with designers, seeing covers through from start to finish.

• Copywriting and checking sales/marketing material, e.g. catalogues, sales presenters etc.

• Build and foster relationships with agents, with a view to bringing in the best new talent and commissioning new titles for the Avon list.

• Creating vision documents for new acquisitions, and presenting these at acquisition meetings.

• Ownership of metadata/AIs for individual authors, ensuring this fits with emerging trends in the market, and is completed in line with critical path.

• Writing cover/catalogue/Bookseller copy as required.

• Proofreading jacket copy, catalogue copy and other literature as required.

• Reading, reporting, circulating and rejection of submissions as required.

• To produce timely launch documents in consultation with the Publisher, Key Account Manager and Marketing Manager.

• Supporting the Publisher on a small number of titles, taking responsibility for their desk editing.

• Presenting titles at 6-monthly International and Rights meetings.

• Presenting titles at yearly sales highlights meetings.

Digital

•   Working to ensure best in class metadata at all times.

• Working in conjunction with the Marketing Manager to create innovative digital campaigns which aim to get titles to the top of the charts.

• Liaising with in-house digital teams to ensure understanding of digital promotions, and securing selections for books on the list.

•   Preparing and presenting titles at quarterly digital meetings.

  Sales

• Ensure a strong awareness of what physical retailers are looking for.

• Create content for customer presentations and other presentations where necessary (e.g. R&J submissions).

• Ensure that Sales, International Sales, Audio, Digital Sales and Rights teams have all the advance sales information that they require for own titles.

Publicity

• Work closely with Avon’s publicists to ensure maximum exposure for authors, according to agreed priority list.

• Work in conjunction with the publicity team on author events/launches where necessary.

• Attend launches and festivals as required.

General

• Liaise with picture research team to clear all jacket images as requested.

• Liaise with rights team over cover rights clearance for international use.

• Liaise with the contracts team as and when rights reversion queries arise.

• Negotiate deals for new acquisitions with agents, with support from the Publisher and Contracts team as necessary.

Skills required:

• Solid experience of working within the publishing industry

•   Experience working at Assistant Editor or Editor level (or equivalent)

• Be able to demonstrate sound market knowledge of commercial fiction

• Experience of desk editing processes

• Full knowledge of publishing processes

• Experience of working directly with authors

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Extremely organised A keen eye for detail

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 

  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.