Editorial Assistant, Zaffre Publishing Group London, England
Job description
Job title: Editorial Assistant
Reports to: Matthew Phillips, Non-Fiction Publisher
Department: Zaffre Publishing Group
Location: Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square, London
Salary: £26 – 28k / annum (depending on experience)
General Summary
The Zaffre Publishing Group – Bonnier Books UK's largest adult publishing division – is looking for an editorial assistant to join its dynamic and fast-paced commercial non-fiction team.
The Zaffre Publishing Group comprises Bookseller Imprint of the Year 2023 nominee Blink Publishing, a publisher of commercial, high-profile non-fiction from some of the UK’s biggest names; Lagom, a fast-growing health and well-being list; John Blake Publishing, the UK’s No.1 publisher of true crime.
The ideal candidate would be an open, energetic, detail-oriented team-player with a passion for books and an enthusiasm for popular culture.
This is a fantastic opportunity to become a valued member of a collaborative publishing team, where you’ll find out first-hand how the book-making process works and have the opportunity to work with big-name and brand authors. Key responsibilities are to support the allocated team with administrative, research and file-maintenance tasks, with special responsibility for scheduling, minute-taking, reprints, and Biblio data.
Key responsibilities
- Oversee the scheduling and editorial critical paths of Blink, Lagom and John Blake titles
- Manage freelance copyeditors and proof-readers, taking in corrections and working with editorial team to manage changes and update manuscripts
- Assist with setting titles up in Biblio and ensuring all metadata is complete at key milestones and updated regularly
- Report on submissions and contribute to discussions about acquisitions
- Minuting team meetings and divisional meetings
- Attend editorial and wider divisional meetings
- Invoice processing
- Assist in securing endorsements for all titles
- Send out proof and finished copies to authors, agents and media contacts
- Send title information to literary festivals
- Update reviews on Biblio for titles both pre-and post-publication
- Contribute to social media updates for all imprints
- Clear permissions for images and quotes
- Assist with scheduling book fair appointments
- Additional administrative duties, as required
- Implement and utilise all relevant editorial checklists.
- Acting as the main point of contact for author queries, resolving problems and answering questions promptly and accurately.
- Liaising with other members of the non-fiction team as well as colleagues from other departments such as production, design, marketing, and sales.
- Writing and editing marketing and back cover copy, where appropriate.
- Assisting with the development of new book projects by conducting market research
- Liaise and help to coordinate 3rd-party contributors and freelancers
Qualifications and Experience
- An ambitious and creative self-starter with a passion for books
- A proactive, energetic and enthusiastic person who is diligent and full of creative ideas.
- An interest in learning and developing editorial skills within a fast-paced, energetic and outward-looking department.
- Ability to manage jobs from inception to completion to the highest standard
- A literate communicator - both verbally and in written correspondence
- Able to work across function with the ability to pivot tasks dependent on direction and priority at any given time
- Works well under pressure
- Well versed in essential Microsoft and/or Apple office packages
- Demonstrates inclusivity and tolerance at all time
- Previous editorial publishing experience is preferable but not essential
- Previous experience of Biblio management is preferable but not essential
- Experience of working across a team and a variety of functions is essential
Competitive Salary
Working with a team of passionate, talented people
Internal learning and development programmes
Career Development opportunities
Fun social events
At Bonnier Books UK, we believe that every book matters. We love to publish stories and content that open our eyes to new perspectives and bring us closer together. We offer a nurturing home for our authors, illustrators and brand partners, publishing bestselling books for readers and listeners everywhere. We know that fantastic stories can come from anywhere and our purpose is to bring them to as wide an audience as possible, a simple ethos that has led to us becoming one of the country’s leading publishers.
The offspring of Bonnier Books, a family-owned top-15 world publisher headquartered in Sweden, we are inspired by a rich literary heritage but not bound by convention. We think in generations rather than quarters, and strive always to operate in an open, curious way that contributes to the future of the planet and its people. As a climate-neutral publisher we are an active participant in the Science Based Target initiative, committed to a strategy to limit global warming to 1.5 °C.
