Editorial Assistant, HQ Digital

HQ Digital is the digital-first list of HQ, specialising in innovative digital publishing across the commercial fiction market, from contemporary fiction, historical fiction to crime and thrillers.  Recent bestsellers have included How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent, Murder by Candlelight by Faith Martin and The Marriage Lie by Kimberley Belle, and we’re proud to have launched stellar careers for a host of digital bestselling authors, including Rebecca Raisin, Lisa Hall, Portia Macintosh, Neil Lancaster and Holly Martin.

This role is an integral part of the Fiction team, providing editorial and administrative support to the Publishing Director on the HQ Digital list.  As Editorial Assistant, you will facilitate the smooth running of the digital list and our ebook publishing. As an efficient and hard-working member of the team, your responsibilities will be to ensure our digital publishing runs to schedule and that every department has the necessary material they need to make our fabulous books bestsellers.  There will be regular opportunities for the successful candidate to develop their editorial skills, assisting with cover briefs for books, and writing cover copy and AI sheets, and you will liaise regularly with authors.

This role is ideally suited to an organised and detail-focused candidate who has both initiative and energy and is looking for an entry-level role in commercial publishing, or a current editorial assistant who is keen to work on a thriving commercial fiction list.  They will have a keen interest in all genres of commercial fiction, read widely, and be excited at the prospect of applying creative flair to the editorial process, ensuring that our publishing continues to stand out at the forefront of a competitive market.

Key Responsibilities

• Supporting the Publishing Director’s publishing by ensuring their titles keep to our divisional critical path

• Overseeing books through the production process, arranging copyediting and proof-reading with freelancers when required, updating advance information sheets and general administrative duties.

• Responding to author and agent queries

• Reading submissions when required, preparing readers reports and managing our submissions in-box

• Working closely with Sales and Marketing to ensure teams have all they need for successful sell-in

• Organising and creating back ads, as well as end-matter

• Checking ebooks and vouchers.

• BIC completion and compliance in internal systems

• Arranging publication day gifts

• Maintaining databases and helping with mailings

• General editorial tasks and some ad hoc administrative duties to support the Fiction team when required.

• Raising purchase orders as necessary

• Sending books to authors and agents

• Compiling Powerpoint presentations for Launch meetings and presentations

• Booking in visitors as required.

• Assist with database management of author/freelance files.

• Organisation of prize submissions for the Publisher’s list.

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 work streams

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

• 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 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 

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 [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.

Please note, if you are interested in the role you would need to submit your application via Applied. We do not accept email applications.