Editorial Assistant, HarperNorth

Administration

• Managing the editorial tracker to ensure all titles’ progression through the critical path is monitored
• Agenda building and circulation for Editorial and Acquisitions meetings
• Organising/diary management of HarperNorth meetings: Editorial, Acquisitions, Publishing Operations, Focus and Launch
• Taking minutes at divisional meetings, as required
• Arranging author/ agent meetings and presentations, and preparing documents
• Use of other general office admin/systems
• Helping HN’s Marketing and Publicity assistant with general enquiries inbox management
• Liaising with freelancers, raising purchase orders and processing invoices
• Onboarding new editorial suppliers/ freelancers
• Liaison on Publisher’s behalf with authors, agents, other departments etc.
• Providing advance/sample materials for other departments e.g. sales, marketing, rights, audio
• Tracking materials to/from designers, editors and production
• Placing author/ agent book orders
• Completing prize submissions
• Collating sales data for sharing with authors and agents

Editorial

• Researching the book market as required, including Bookscan, chart and competitor research
• Raising new contracts, managing new contracts through the system
• Creating/managing advanced information sheets, including bibliographic data
• Monitoring Amazon to ensure copy and jackets are up to date
• Monitoring and amending metadata in line with promotions
• Looking up sales figures and data, creating sales reports for internal usage
• Writing up physical and e-book copyright pages
• Completing Editorial to Production forms
• Completing audio briefing forms
• Preparing and circulating cover briefs
• Occasional picture research for internals/ covers
• Management of open submissions inbox: turn downs and fielding potential submissions to editors
• Writing reader reports for submissions
• Researching new authors/ concepts for IP projects
• Working closely with the Production team to ensure books are on schedule and files signed off by all relevant parties
• Booking and managing freelancers for copy-edits and proofreads, including collation and marking up files
• E-book editorial checks
• Creating back ads for cross promotion in e-books
• Helping to manage reprints/ second outings: responsibilities include organising the re-branding of covers, updating prelims, back ads and reading group notes etc.
• Sending copies to authors/agents
• Proofreading jacket copy and catalogue copy
• Creating and monitoring timelines for key publications
• Working closely with Sales and Marketing to help promote titles across the list
• Communicating with authors about promotions

, Knowledge & Expertise

• Previous work experience, not necessarily in publishing
• Solid administrative & organisation experience or knowledge with a high level of computer literacy
• Reliable
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to multi-task
• Effective communicator at all levels (within the team, author/ agent facing)
• Familiar with MS Word; Excel; Outlook; Powerpoint
• Have a high level of accuracy and attention to detail
• Be a book lover
• Broad literary taste and interest in the media and cultural landscape and trends
• Have a real passion for regional diversity within the publishing industry

• Application Deadline: 26 July 2026
• This vacancy will close once 200 applications have been received. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
• If you wish to discuss anything regarding this position and/or your application to this role, please reach out directly to [email protected] with subject heading ‘Vacancy Query’ plus the job title and we will aim to get back to you within 5 working days.

• Compensation: £25,500 / year