Senior Publicist, HarperNorth (Maternity Cover)

Are you a publicist who thrives on working with authors of everything from crime to memoir and cookery to rom-com, building exciting campaigns for writers who excel in their fields – celebrities, broadcasters, politicians, historians and more? Do you love connecting books to readers across the nation, in print, online, at events and on the air? We have a fantastic opportunity for an experienced publicist to join our Manchester-based Northern powerhouse team, working on books from writers across the north and taking them to national and international audiences.

If you’ve previously worked in-house at an agency or publisher, with experience working with talent ranging from big names to debut fiction, this could be the role for you! It’s a great time to join our team, who have celebrated numerous Sunday Times top tens this year across both fiction and non-fiction.

ABOUT HARPERNORTH

HarperNorth, the new Manchester-based imprint of HarperCollins publishes fiction and non-fiction across the market with authors including Stuart Maconie, Coleen Nolan, Jonathan Whitelaw and Karen Woods. From crime to rom-com and memoir to history, we publish best-selling and chart-topping fiction and non-fiction to reach readers across the world. Our offices are just off St Peter’s Square near Manchester Library, and our office includes a roof terrace, free breakfast every day and frequent well-being activities including free manicures, massages and yoga sessions.  

About the role:

• This is a maternity cover, and you’ll have lots of autonomy to develop publicity campaigns that will reach far beyond the north, working across fiction and non-fiction

• You’ll aim for review and feature coverage of our brilliant books, and have a fabulous little black book of contacts in newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, podcasts and online

• You’ll plan effective author events to raise their profile and generate sales

• You’ll work with the other HarperCollins teams based in London to communicate what we’re doing and widen the reach of the activity

• You’ll maintain relationships with key industry people and journalists, producers and new media contacts

• You’ll be an active voice, driving campaigns with your energy and expertise

About you:

• You’ll have established publicity experience, ideally in trade book publishing, and be able to bring your knowledge to generate innovative publicity campaigns

• You’ll have good contacts and know the media landscape and what drives book sales

• Working with authors, agents and managers, you’ll plan and execute events and tours

• You will show enthusiasm to find new and innovative ways to promote our books

• Strong relationship building skillsare a must, and you’ll be at ease with agents and booksellers

• You will have excellent communication skills, ability to speak confidently and pitch ideas

• If you think you’d be brilliant at the job but don’t quite match all the criteria, why not apply anyway and bring any questions you have with you?

  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 [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.