Commissioning Editor, Pavilion

HarperCollins Publishers

Employment Type Full time
Location Hybrid · London, City of, UK
Salary £34,000 - £41,000 (GBP) depending on skills and experience
Team HQ, Mills & Boon, and Pavilion
Seniority Mid-level
  • Closing: 11:55pm, 1st May 2024 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

8.65 (27058)

Job Description

Pavilion publishes lifestyle books, including fully integrated illustrated cookbooks, as well as reference and narrative non-fiction. Setting the agenda for inclusive conversations about living life beautifully we take pride in our distinctive design, well-researched content and uncompromising production values. 

We are very trend aware especially in genres such as cookery, health, craft, gardening, well-being and personal development. Finding authors and helping them to build their brand, reaching wider audiences and finding new ones, inspiring and guiding, or moving from niche to mainstream is what we love to do and underpins our commercially successful list.

We are looking for someone interested in Craft, Lifestyle and Gardening specifically. Pavilion has a very strong history of publishing successfully in these genres across different territories. Our single-species Beautiful Variety gardening series photographed by Georgianna Lane has sold over 300,000 copies and is published in more than 10 languages around the world.

Key Responsibilities

  • To commission, edit and publish titles successfully and profitably for the Pavilion list.

  • To read and respond promptly to agent submissions and successfully pitch for projects.

  • Build relationships with agents, with a view to bringing in the best talent to Pavilion.

  • Ownership of and main point of contact for your own stable of authors across trend-led subject areas and brands with scope to grow.

  • To maintain strong relationships with authors and agents, providing regular updates on publishing strategy, sell-in and sell-out for ongoing authors.

  • To work closely with the production team to keep both mono and 4-colour illustrated titles on critical path.

  • Understanding and wider reading of UK commercial non-fiction market, ensuring strong market knowledge and market-focused publishing strategies.

  • Briefing jackets and spreads and liaising with designers, seeing covers through from start to finished proof.

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

  • Creating strategy documents for key titles, and presenting these to the wider team as required

  • Clear direction 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 copy as required

  • Presenting titles at monthly International, Rights meetings, sales, and marketing meetings

  • To negotiate deal memos and progress contracts as required

  • To delegate effectively when required, supporting the growth and development of junior staff.

Experience and Skills Required

This commissioning role requires a clear understanding of the non-fiction market, the ability to spot trends and publishing opportunities for the list, and the chance to work with a growing, ambitious collaborative team. 

Desirable candidates will have excellent contacts with a wide range of agents, authors, editors, talent managers, etc with whom we can develop publishing partnerships, and a proven track record in publishing successful, bestselling titles in the categories above. The role will suit digitally-savvy and commercially astute candidates who have both initiative and energy, who are excited to think creatively about how we commission and publish our books and with the ability to develop and implement a profitable publishing strategy across a wide range of titles

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 and Pride at HC 

  • 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 

  • 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.

Removing bias from the hiring process

Applications closed Wed 1st May 2024

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Removing bias from the hiring process

  • Your application will be anonymously reviewed by our hiring team to ensure fairness
  • You’ll need a CV/résumé, but it’ll only be considered if you score well on the anonymous review

Applications closed Wed 1st May 2024