Assistant Editor

London

Contract: Permanent

Closing date: 15 June 2026

Who we are and what we do

Little, Brown is a division of Hachette, one of the largest publishing groups in the UK, with 10 publishing divisions and over 60 imprints.

Named Publisher of the Year in the 2026 British Book Awards, we're one of the most successful and dynamic publishers in the UK. Abacus, Virago and The Bridge Street Press are three of our prize-winning literary imprints, publishing the very best in literary fiction and non-fiction.

What you'll be doing

Supporting the smooth running of the Abacus, Virago and The Bridge Street imprints

Assisting the Abacus Publisher, Abacus/Virago Publishing Director and The Bridge Street Publisher

Managing publication of books from receipt of manuscript to finished copies, including liaising with other internal departments as necessary

Liaising with authors and maintaining a good relationship between each author and the business

Managing legal reads and clearing permissions

Checking proofs and ebook files; liaising with authors during proof stages and collating corrections; monitoring and championing accuracy and quality of all elements

Creating, sending and tracking author and freelance contracts where appropriate

Writing Title Information sheets and cover copy

Proof-reading cover copy

Reading submissions and contributing to Editorial Meetings and acquisition discussions

Supporting acquisition process by preparing costings and looking up sales figures

Maintaining correct information and metadata on Biblio

Admin including expenses, meeting room bookings and diary management

Who we are looking for

We're looking for a candidate with proven experience as an Editorial Assistant. You will be:

A passionate reader, with an interest in both literary fiction and non-fiction

Proactive

A problem solver, able to identify potential problems and propose solutions

Meticulous, with excellent attention to detail

Keen to learn

Adaptable

Commercially minded, with a good understanding of the book market

You will have excellent communication skills and organisational skills, and will be confident project-managing multiple publications. Knowledge of Biblio is desirable.

What we offer

28 annual leave days per year, increases to 29 days after 2 years' service and goes up to 30 days after 5 years' (+ bank holidays)

Private medical insurance

Dental insurance

Generous pension schemes

Rent deposit loans

2 community days per year

Summer hours (finishing at 1pm on Fridays during the summer months)

Retail discounts through Hachette rewards

Cycle to Work scheme

Eye care vouchers

Wide-ranging training library

Development programmes (including mentoring)

Up to 70% off book purchases

A charity bookshelf

An active range of staff-led employee networks that are voluntary, including AgeWise, Gender Balance, Thrive, Pride, All Together, Wellbeing, Women in Tech and religious networks

Season ticket loans

And much more!

The role will be based at our London office, with a blend of in-office (3 days) and homeworking (2 days) per week.

Our commitment

Hachette employs people on the basis of their abilities. We aim to attract and develop talent from a base as broad as the world of readers we want to reach, with a wide and representative range of age, faith, disability, race, gender, sexuality and socio-economic, regional and cultural backgrounds.

We want everyone to have the opportunity to perform at their best during our recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, you can let us know at the ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ section of your application. We’ll make sure you’re supported throughout the process.

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 junior roles. For more information visit www.booktradeentrysupport.org