Deputy Publishing Director - Avon

Introduction to the role

The Deputy Publishing Director will support the Publishing Director in the day-to-day running of the division, helping to drive editorial acquisitions and strategy, alongside developing and implementing Avon’s overarching strategy in conjunction with the Publishing Director.

The Deputy Publishing Director will be responsible for their own stable of authors across a range of commercial genres (including women’s fiction, crime and thriller titles), managing their books from pitch to publication. Team management plays a large part of the role, and providing 1-2-1 support for team members is a key part of ensuring this busy division continues to deliver the excellent results it is renowned for.

Avon is a small but mighty team within HarperCollins, known for its market-leading commercial publishing, commitment to quality across all formats, and its supportive and welcoming team atmosphere. In 2020 Avon was recognised for excellence in its field when it won Imprint of the Year at the Nibbies.

Key tasks and accountabilities

• Support the Publishing Director in driving strategy for the division in line with requirements from the Executive Publisher, ensuring growth targets are hit via expansion of the list across a number of key areas, including the division’s publishing in the US and expansion of the Avon Originals project.

• To help steer editorial strategy and deliver viable, creative, innovative publishing that is commercially successful, and contributes strongly to the division’s growth targets.

• To work with the team to identify market trends and publishing opportunities, feeding these into the acquisition strategy for the list.

• Day-to-day responsibility as editor for a roster of authors on the Avon list, with the potential to work across women’s fiction, crime, thriller, saga and historical, taking their books from pitch to publication and driving strategy for their publishing.

• Acquiring new books for the list in line with divisional strategy and market trends.

• To review, develop, maintain and deliver profitable publishing plans in line with divisional targets. To include setting and maintaining publishing schedules and responding to changing market needs as appropriate.

• Management of some members of the Avon team, taking responsibility for their day-to-day care, career progression and pastoral needs as necessary.

• Work closely with HC’s international teams, particularly in North America, to prioritise Avon’s books in line with strategy and in-country trends.

• Represent Avon internally and externally and deputising for the Publishing Director when necessary, championing our authors, books and team members at all available opportunities. Develop strong working relationships with agents across the industry, ensuring high quality submissions and new opportunities consistently come our way.

• Maintain, encourage and demand the highest standards from team members across the division.

Your first six months

• Support the Publishing Director to continue the plans that have been set in train as part of the division’s three-year growth strategy, focusing in particular on opportunities for more publishing via the North American markets and expanding the Avon Original programme, acquiring and publishing further IP titles in line with current trends and gaps in the market.

• Help to drive key recontracts and acquisitions, with a keen eye on market trends.

• Drive an entrepreneurial spirit across the division.

• Work closely with the digital sales team to seek out new opportunities for our titles, continuing to give Avon the edge in a crowded market.

• Rapidly gain an understanding of opportunities in the international markets, particularly North America, building close relationships with the 360 and Canadian teams that allows for continued collaboration and yields strong results.

• Ensure best in class publishing across the division and the very best care of your own stable of authors.

Skills and Experience required

• Extensive editorial experience working in commercial fiction, ideally across a range of genres

• Managerial experience

• Negotiation experience​

• Experience of list management

• Experience of running P&Ls

• Commercial analysis skills – using market data to inform publishing decisions at list and title level

• Understanding of book market, with proven experience of using Bookscan, Consumer Insight and available data to make strong publishing decisions

• Understanding and experience of price, formats, creative costs to deliver on KPIs for individual books and at list level

• Experience of skilfully managing key business relationships

• Proven presentation and communication skills

• Great interpersonal skills to be able to work with many stakeholders 

• A positive and can-do attitude

• Experience of working in a busy and dynamic environment, and a clear ability to work well under continued time pressures

Benefits

• Hybrid working model (2+ days in the office)

• 26 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

• 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

• 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 volunteering day

• 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 our Talent Acquisition Manager at [email removed - click apply for more details] with subject heading ‘Vacancy Query’ plus the job title and we will aim to get back to you within 5 working days.