Managing Editorial Assistant - Transworld

We are seeking a Managing Editorial Assistant to join our Transworld team on a full-time and permanent basis. Transworld is one of PRH’s nine publishing houses, containing four distinctive imprints: Bantam, Doubleday, Torva (non-fiction), and our new romantasy imprint in partnership with FairyLoot. We publish a wide range of commercial, genre and literary fiction and non-fiction, by bestselling authors from Lee Child and Terry Pratchett to Sophie Kinsella, Ruth Jones, Kate Atkinson and John Boyne, and from Bill Bryson and Richard Dawkins to Mary Portas and Tess Daly.

The role involves:

• A strong team player, assisting in the smooth running of Transworld’s Managing Editorial department.
• Responsible for back-up for the team and liaising with acquiring editors, production and design colleagues on all aspects of the copy-editorial processes.
• Ensuring that the editorial aspects of the critical path are adhered to and editorial standards maintained.
• Managing work sent to freelance proofreaders, handling external and internal offset titles, reprints and other backlist titles.
• Being a lynchpin of Transworld’s digital jacket circulating system.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Editorial and administrative support for the team.
• Acting as a focal point between Editorial, Production and Design.
• Allocating work to our freelance proofreading pool, managing the traffic of page proofs to freelancers, editors and authors, and supervising the freelancers’ payment, including coding and monitoring invoices and setting up new freelancers on company systems.
• Managing and progressing work on external offsets, reprints and other backlist titles, and providing back-up editorial support to the paperback Managing Editor.
• Assisting with the jacket circulation system, monitoring deadlines and progress, and taking charge of this when required.
• Proofreading jackets and covers, and marketing/publicity materials, including book proof covers.
• Arranging and attending weekly progress meetings, and other departmental meetings as they arise.
• Maintaining and organising departmental records: eg editorial work records, progress and costs in the relevant spreadsheets/Biblio.
• Any other tasks assigned by the Managing Editorial Director.
• Covering where possible for Managing Editors in their absence.

Over time there is scope for you to progress editorially, eventually working closely on MSs and proofs and progressing titles through copy-editing and proofreading stages.

What you’ll bring:

• Demonstrable love of books and an interest in trade publishing and the editorial/production process.
• Excellent organisation and time-management skills to keep books on schedule.
• Ability to be both proactive and reactive, anticipating problems and intercepting them as they arise.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to work closely with colleagues and external contacts, including authors.
• Interpersonal sensitivity, diplomacy and tact.
• Impeccable attention to detail and accuracy.
• Stellar proofreading skills.
• Excellent tech skills including Excel/Word/Outlook, and, potentially, Microsoft’s Power Apps/BI.

Application instructions:

Please apply with your CV and cover letter outlining why you are the right candidate for the role by 11:59pm on 10th June 2025. Please ensure you include a cover letter, as it is a crucial part of our assessment process. The cover letter offers an opportunity to show how your experience and interests align with the role requirements. Typically, we expect the cover letter to be no more than one or two pages in length.

Please note we are looking for someone to join the team as soon as possible, but we are also happy to accommodate a reasonable notice period for the right candidate. We anticipate a two-stage interview process which will include a virtual first-stage interview and in-person second stage interview.

Salary: £27,500 plus benefits.

What you can expect from us:

Our people are the heart of our business, and we work hard to support a culture of responsibility and recognition.

Hybrid working: While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. For this role we expect that you are in the office a minimum of three days per week.

About Penguin: We’re the UK’s largest publisher, made up of some 2,000 people and publishing over 1,500 books each year. Our doors are open to all kinds of talent. In a constantly evolving industry, we work hard to stretch the definition of the word publisher. Here, you’ll work with a breadth of talent who all play their part to make each of our books a success. Together, we make books for everyone because a book can change anyone.

The recruitment process: As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we offer interviews to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role, and opt-in on their application form. The essential criteria for this role are listed as part of the ‘What you’ll bring’ section. There may be times when the volume of applications means we cannot take all eligible candidates to interview. We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing PRHCareersUK@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable to for us to support your request.

Please note, we are not able to accept agency CVs for this role. Any CVs sent speculatively will not be eligible for a fee.