At a Glance
- Tasks: Create and execute innovative publicity campaigns for exciting books across various genres.
- Company: Join a passionate team at And Other Stories, a creative publishing house.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous leave, and climate-friendly perks.
- Other info: Flexible work arrangements and a commitment to inclusivity and sustainability.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the literary world while working with talented authors.
- Qualifications: Experience in publicity or communications, strong communication skills, and creativity.
The predicted salary is between 35000 - 35000 £ per year.
And Other Stories seeks a creative, highly organised publicist to join our small and passionate team. Our ideal candidate is a champion of extraordinary, highly original books across literary fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry.
Salary: £35,000 per annum, depending on experience, plus contributions to a pension scheme. This salary includes a London weighting.
Location: Candidates must be based in London. Work from home, plus meetings, events and travel.
Closing date: end of Sunday 6 September 2026
We are looking for a dynamic publicist to work across all our books, delivering innovative publicity campaigns that maximise the long-term reputations, profiles and sales of our authors. You'll have a curiosity about the evolving media landscape and a keenness to work collaboratively in the team and deliver exceptional author care.
Working from home with regular travel for meetings and events, you will plan and execute press and publicity campaigns in the UK and Ireland for 15-20 titles per year, delivering exceptional author care and expanding the reach of our list.
A note on travel: Regular travel with authors and to other events (e.g. sales conferences) will be necessary. And Other Stories events may take place in the evenings or on weekends. All travel outside London is fully paid by the company. If you are interested in the position but are concerned about the impact of travel or evening events on your caring responsibilities, disability, long-term health condition, religious practices, commitment to sobriety, or any other personal factor, we strongly encourage you to apply anyway and discuss options with us. We actively tailor roles to ensure work is sustainable for everyone. If you are considering applying but have specific accessibility questions, we encourage you to be in touch.
In addition to regular annual leave allowance (38 days for full time roles, including bank holidays), employees also receive extra annual leave after three and after five years' service. To encourage climate-friendly lifestyle choices, any employee who has not travelled by air for personal holidays in one calendar year is entitled to three extra 'slow travel' days the next year.
Key Skills & Experience
- Experience executing publicity or communications campaigns within publishing, the arts, media, or related creative sectors
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to pitch books with nuance and flair
- Familiarity with digital/social platforms as PR tool
- Drive to find innovative publicity avenues beyond standard avenues
- Proven organizational skills and the self-motivation needed to manage deadlines and working independently from home
- A commitment to anti-racism, inclusivity, and environmental sustainability in publishing
If you possess many of these skills and experiences but feel you don't yet have all of them, please apply anyway!
Main Responsibilities in Brief
- Strategy & Campaigns: Plan and execute integrated publicity campaigns for 15-20 titles annually across national/regional print, broadcast, and online media.
- Tour Management: Plan and coordinate author tours (in-person, virtual, and hybrid), applying for cultural funding support for tours where applicable.
- Media & Author Care: Build trusting relationships with authors, journalists, booksellers, and festival programmers.
- Prize Administration & Events Data Reporting: Manage UK/European literary prize submissions and collate audience data from events for reporting to Arts Council England.
- Press & Partnerships: Draft press materials, manage media contact databases, and cultivate network partnerships to grow the press's reach.
Candidates invited to interview will also be sent a more detailed list of responsibilities. As above, if you have yet to take point on all these items, we still welcome your application.
UK work permission required: candidates must already have the legal right to work indefinitely in the United Kingdom. Please confirm your eligibility in your application.
Access & Reasonable Adjustments: If you require any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process, please let us know.
We invite all applicants to complete our voluntary, anonymous EDI form.
Publicist employer: Arts Council England
Arts Council England is an exceptional employer, dedicated to fostering a vibrant work culture that prioritises inclusivity and creativity. With flexible and hybrid working arrangements based in Manchester, employees are empowered to manage diverse projects while receiving ample opportunities for professional growth and development within the arts education sector. Join us in making a meaningful impact on the lives of children and young people through the arts.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Publicist
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We think you need these skills to ace Publicist
Some tips for your application 🫡
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How to prepare for a job interview at Arts Council England
✨Master the Art of Storytelling
In public relations, storytelling is key. We should prepare compelling narratives about past campaigns or projects we’ve worked on. Think about how we can illustrate our impact and creativity in those stories—be ready to discuss specific examples that showcase our skills in managing media relationships and crafting messages.
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