Assistant Editor, General (6-month-FTC)

Apply Now; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 31,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Hamish Hamilton, part of Penguin Random House, is seeking an Assistant Editor for a six‑month sabbatical cover to join a distinguished literary list.

You will work with the Publishing Director and Editorial Director on editorial and administrative tasks, from acquisitions through to publication, including reading submissions, writing cover copy, organizing proofs and permissions, and coordinating author copies.

Qualifications

• Proactive and highly organised editor with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and communicate across teams.
• Genuine passion for books, ideas and politics.

Responsibilities

• Manage internal book process from acquisition to publication to meet deadlines.
• Process invoices and expenses in internal systems.
• Organise proofs, author copies, prizes, translations, and signings.
• Read submissions and provide verbal and written feedback.
• Write persuasive cover copy and maintain title data.
• Clear permissions and oversee legal reads.
• Coordinate inset and integrated materials.
• Arrange travel and accommodation.
• Serve as contact for authors, agents and colleagues.

Job description

Are you passionate about literature, culture and politics? This is a rare opportunity for a highly organised and proactive Assistant Editor to join Hamish Hamilton for six months to cover a sabbatical.

About the team

Hamish Hamilton is one of Britain’s most distinguished literary lists. Now an integral part of Penguin Random House, we provide a home for an exciting and eclectic group of authors, united by the distinctiveness and excellence of their writing.

Founded in 1931, our mission remains to publish the finest literary fiction and non-fiction from around the world, with a focus on writing that is original, essential, remarkable and lasting.

Publishing around twenty new titles a year, both fiction and non-fiction, and all points in between, Hamish Hamilton’s authors include Pat Barker, Alain de Botton, Noam Chomsky, Ta‑Nehisi Coates, Angela Y. Davis, Kiran Desai, Avni Doshi, Ekow Eshun, Bernardine Evaristo, Jonathan Safran Foer, Eduardo Halfon, Han Kang, Mohsin Hamid, Marlon James, Olivia Laing, Darian Leader, Deborah Levy, Robert Macfarlane, Sophie Mackintosh, Saree and Ussama Makdisi, Javier Marías, Jackie Morris, Paul Murray, Emilie Pine, Adam Phillips, Arundhati Roy, W. G. Sebald, Ali Smith, Zadie Smith, Susan Sontag, Linn Ullmann, Isabel Waidner and Lina Wolff.

We value curiosity and are looking for people who notice the world, ask questions, and bring fresh perspectives to what we do. If you’re endlessly curious and love discovering and sharing new ideas, you’ll feel at home here.

The role

In this role you will work with HH Publishing Director Simon Prosser and Editorial Director Hermione Thompson as part of a small but dynamic team within Penguin General. Reporting to the Publishing Director, the Assistant Editor will be responsible for a wide range of editorial and administrative tasks which include:

Key responsibilities

• Managing the internal book process under supervision, from acquisition to publication, to ensure that deadlines are met
• Populating computer systems, including processing invoices and expenses
• Organising mailings for bound proofs, creating spiralbound proofs, sending out contractual author copies, submitting books for prizes and translation grants and overseeing tip‑in signings
• Reading submissions and sharing verbal and written feedback
• Writing persuasive cover copy and keeping all title data up‑to‑date
• Clearing permissions and overseeing legal reads
• Organising the creation of inset and integrated materials
• Arranging travel and accommodation
• Acting as a point of contact for authors and agents, as well as in‑house colleagues

What you’ll bring

You will be proactive, highly organised and efficient, have a fantastic eye for detail and be reliable and calm under pressure. The role of an Assistant Editor is varied and fast‑paced, so you’ll need exceptional and time management skills to juggle many priorities and projects at once. You’ll also be working closely and collaboratively with colleagues across the business as well as authors and agents, so you’ll need to have the ability to communicate effectively to a wide range of people. And, of course, you will have a genuine passion for books, ideas and politics.

£31,000 - £34,000 dependent on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus bonus and benefits.

Use of AI tools

Here at Penguin General, we believe in the power of authenticity and human creativity. Throughout our recruitment process, please share your thoughts, experiences and skills in your own voice

Disability Confident

As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we offer interviews to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role, and opt‑in on their application form. The essential criteria for this role are listed as part of the ‘What you’ll bring’ section. There may be times when the volume of applications means we cannot take all eligible candidates to interview.

We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing [e-mail]. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable with, for us to support your request.

While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. For this role we expect that you will be in the office 3 days a week, or more if you choose. The required days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.