Overview of the role

Reporting to the Editorial Director, Media Brands, the Editor plays a key role in the colour team, and has desk-editorial and other editorial responsibilities for the majority of fiction titles across the list. This is currently not a commissioning role, but an opportunity for an accurate, organised, efficient and creative team player with a meticulous eye for detail to offer vital support to the fiction team and to contribute to the success of the list.

Key tasks and accountabilities

• Editorial responsibilities for the colour list, such as:

• Liaising with senior editorial team members, designers and production controllers to create and manage appropriate schedules for each title, and being responsible for keeping books on track; proactively setting these schedules up each time a new acquisition is confirmed

• Ensuring compliance with Critical Path, and meeting Company and Divisional targets for proportion of titles running to time

• Working with Assistant Editor to arrange freelance copy-editing and proofreading for titles, and liaising with freelancers to ensure these happen on schedule, to budget and to the highest standard

• Collating corrections/edits and making line-edit suggestions where needed; discussing these with editorial lead if necessary

• Liaising with authors and agents throughout the copyediting and proofreading process, always maintaining standards of excellent author care and strong publisher-agent relationships

• Working with the senior editorial and the ops team to manage relevant editorial listings (AIS, BIC, etc) to ensure accurate, complete and up-to-date title/list information is available internally and externally, and is always in line with best practices for online visibility and SEO

• Work with Assistant Editor to manage best practice metadata for all colour titles: attend regular metadata drop-in sessions run by the central sales team,  keep abreast of best practice in terms of keywords, Amazon shout lines etc, to liaise with Marketing on A+ pages and messaging, to ensure all prominent reviews are added to AI listings, and to work with the commissioning editors to make sure that all HCCB Fiction titles have best-in-class online presence and fit with emerging trends in the market

• Attending internal meetings about the progress of titles and keeping the wider team updated about their status

• Checking/proofreading covers and other documents as may be required (eg the Rights Guide)

Skills and experience required

• Clear passion, enthusiasm and excitement for children’s picture books and brands

• Strong desk-editorial experience; exceptional copy-editing and proofreading skills

• Organised, efficient, and with excellent time-management and prioritisation skills

• Self-motivated, energetic and solutions-focused

• Strong author care and interpersonal skills

• Being a key, proactive member of a vibrant and creative editorial team with flair and passion for children’s fiction.

• An awareness/understanding of budgets

Benefits

• Hybrid working model (3 days in the office)

• 28 days holiday plus bank holidays

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Free e-books and audiobooks, 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 recruitment@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.