Editorial Assistant, HQ in London

Please note: this vacancy will close once 200 applications have been received. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Specialising in commercial fiction and innovative digital publishing, HQ publishes a wide range of fiction titles including contemporary fiction, romance, romantasy, historical, crime, thrillers and book club, alongside our bestselling non-fiction list, and thriving digital-first imprint. Combining rapid growth with commercial success, HQ has a stellar record in launching fiction debuts such as Ellie Keel’s The Four, Nadine Matheson’s The Jigsaw Man, Georgina Moore’s The Garnett Girls, and This Lovely City by Louise Hare, along with an array of outstanding Sunday Times bestsellers such as Adele Parks, Linwood Barclay, Sarah Morgan, Robert Thorogood, Erica James, Briar Boleyn and B.K. Borison.

As Editorial Assistant, you will facilitate the smooth running of the department and provide administrative and editorial support to the Publishing Director and Editorial Director, and the Publishers when requested. This role is ideally suited to an organised and detail-focused candidate who has both initiative and energy and is looking for their first entry-level role in commercial fiction publishing. They will have a keen interest in all genres of commercial fiction, and read widely, although an interest in romance fiction is particularly ideal here, 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.

If you wish to discuss anything regarding this position and/or your application to this role, please reach out directly to recruitment@harpercollins.co.uk with subject heading ‘Vacancy Query’ plus the job title and we will aim to get back to you within 5 working days.

Key Responsibilities

• Editorial:
• Assisting with desk editing, preparing prelims and taking ownership for co-ordinating copyedits, proof checking, collation and amendments as required.
• Reading submissions and submitting reader reports for the Publishing Director and Editorial Director.
• Weekly updates of team editorial meeting minutes.
• Managing freelance editorial bookings, setting new freelancers up on the HC systems, and updating the schedule as necessary, bringing it to the weekly production meetings.
• Shadowing on editorial work as necessary.
• Proofreading jacket copy, catalogue copy, AIs, and divisional documents as necessary.
• Organising and creating back ads, as well as extra endmatter.
• Writing/adapting copy as required.
• Ebook editorial checks.
• Voucher proof checking.
• Liaising with the production team and editors, helping to ensure critical path is met.
• First point of contact with other departments for general editorial queries.
• Take ownership of creating effective metadata for the Publishing Director and Editorial Director as requested, and updating older titles when necessary.
• Creating and circulating digital bound proofs internally.
• General:
• Raising purchase orders as necessary.
• Sending books to authors and agents as requested.
• Organising author and publication gifts as requested.
• Day-to-day communication with authors and agents, at the Publishing Director and Editorial Director’s request.
• Responsibility for updating presentations with new jackets and info as necessary.
• Assisting the Publishing Director and Editorial Director with bound proof mailings.
• Ensuring the HQ bookshelves are updated monthly around the building with new titles.
• Monthly stock checks of HQ books, ordering more in when necessary and returning surplus to stock, and ensuring that the HQ book shelves are kept neat and tidy.
• Handling book orders and author orders on behalf of the Publishing Director and Editorial Director.
• Creating PowerPoint presentations as requested by the Publishing Director and Editorial Director.
• Book in visitors and meetings rooms for the Publishing Director and Editorial Director as requested.
• Organise appropriate tech for meetings as requested.
• Take minutes and organise the agenda for the weekly Title/Subtitle meeting, alongside the other editorial assistants and assistant editors.
• Organisation of prize submissions for the Publishing Director and Editorial Director’s lists.
• Assist with database management of author/freelance files.
• You may also be expected to help with other tasks not listed above, particularly in supporting the Publishers and Publishing Directors, and the smooth running of the Fiction editorial department.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Some administrative and organisation experience.
• An effective multi-tasker, with experience of coping in a pressurised environment.
• Digitally savvy.
• A passion for HQ titles and commercial fiction books, particularly romance.
• Excellent command of the English language.
• Effective communicator at all levels.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Voracious reader of commercial fiction.
• Advanced MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Some experience working with Adobe is desirable.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Great attention to detail.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Reliable, with the ability to use own initiative.
• Flexible, proactive and a team player.