Editorial

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

• Work on all edits for authors, taking books through from delivery to publication.

• Working on desk edits, liaising 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, resulting in strong market knowledge and market-focused publishing strategies across the board.

• Briefing jackets and liaising with designers, seeing covers through from start to finish, ensuring that the choices we make as a team aren’t based on personal preference, but rather on a thorough interrogation of the current market.

• Commissioning, overseeing and checking sales/marketing material as necessary.

• Continue to build and foster relationships with agents, acting as an ambassador for Avon within the industry, cultivating the established relationships we have already, developing new ones and identifying more agencies to work with.

• Acquiring titles in line with Avon’s acquisition strategy, widening the breadth of Avon’s publishing.

• Negotiating deal memos and progressing contracts for all acquisitions.

• Writing cover/catalogue copy as required

Digital

• Overseeing metadata/AIs for your authors/titles, working to ensure these are best in class and ready in line with critical path. Liaising with the pricing/analytics team to get the best out of the titles that are working across the division – whether adjusting BISAC codes, subtitles, keywords, or even looking at new covers or copy. Regularly checking Amazon feeds to see if there are any glitches/problems and flagging them as necessary.

• Working on backlist reissues as required and agreeing on strategy in conjunction with the digital team and Editorial Director.

• Supporting the Marketing Manager to create innovative digital campaigns which aim to get titles to the top of the charts.

• Attending weekly pricing and metadata sessions, cultivating close links with the pricing/analytics team, and working closely with them on new projects as they come up.

• Highlighting key titles to the team that need a focus in digital or those that are struggling, looking at strategies to ensure we get the best out of them.

Sales

• Liaising with teams around the building regarding HC sales events as necessary.

• 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 the Avon publicists to ensure maximum exposure for authors, according to agreed priority list.

• Work in conjunction with Avon’s publicists on author events/launches where necessary.

• Attend launches, industry events and festivals.

Experience

• Experience working at editor level or above

• Be able to demonstrate sound market knowledge of commercial fiction across a range of genres

• Experience of desk editing processes

• Full knowledge of publishing processes

• Experience of working directly with authors

• A range of industry contacts, including agents, to call on

• Demonstrable commissioning experience (desirable)

• Previous experience of working on commercial fiction (desirable)

Skills/Competencies  

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Takes initiative

• A problem solver

• Quick-thinking

• Creative 

• Extremely organised

• A keen eye for detail

• Interpersonal and diplomacy skills

• Technically competent

• Computer skills: Word, Excel, PowerPoint

• Strong awareness of market trends

• In tune with digital innovations within the industry

Disposition

• Passionate, energetic and enthusiastic

• Enjoys a challenge

• Remains calm when working under a heavy workload

• Dynamic team member

• Diplomatic

• Excellent people management skills

• Flexible – able to work evenings and weekends as required to attend launches/events

• Passionate about books and commercial fiction

  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 

• 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  https://www.btbs.org/

• 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.