Introduction to the role

Publishing across the contemporary fiction landscape, including historical, crime and thriller and book club, HQ Fiction is proud to be home to an array of Sunday Times bestselling authors, including Adele Parks, Linwood Barclay, Louise Candlish, Erica James and Sarah Morgan, and has a stellar record in launching debuts such as Georgina Moore’s The Garnett Girls and Ellie Keel’s The Four.

We have an exciting opportunity for an Editorial Assistant with a passion for commercial fiction to work with our Publisher for Commercial Fiction on a range of bestselling authors.  This role is an integral part of the HQ Fiction team, providing editorial and administrative support to the Publisher and is ideally suited to a proactive, organised and detail-focused candidate with initiative, energy and a huge passion for commercial fiction.

 As Editorial Assistant, you will work across the Publisher’s list and facilitate the smooth running of the fiction department, working with colleagues in different departments across the division. As an efficient and hard-working member of the team, you’ll be a voracious reader and bring enthusiasm and creativity to our publishing. 

Key tasks and accountabilities:

• Assisting across the Publisher’s list, working closely with other departments to ensure books meet critical path

• Assisting with desk-editing, creating prelims and adverts for the back of books, and any extra material needed, such as book club questions

• Maintaining titles on the HarperCollins database, updating with quotes and reviews when needed, updating metadata

• Communicating with authors and agents on a regular basis

• Writing back cover copy

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

• Creating presentations when needed

• Liaising with external freelancers on bookings and purchase orders

• Assisting with the smooth running of the division, taking minutes when required

• Offering support to the Fiction editorial team when necessary

• Reading and reporting on a range of fiction submissions.

Skills required:

• A passion for commercial fiction and an avid reader

• Some administrative and organisation experience

• Excellent attention to detail

• Advanced MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint

• Excellent organisation skills and the ability to keep to strict deadlines

• Ability to manage workload and multiple projects

• Ability to work as part of a team and use your own initiative

• Cope well in pressurised environment

• Be an effective multi-tasker

• Possess excellent time management skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• The ability to work calmly and effectively under pressure

  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 our Recruitment Manager at 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.