Commissioning Editor

Hachette UK; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A major publishing company is seeking a motivated commissioning editor to publish commercial fiction, focusing on acquiring, editing, and publishing quality works. The role involves publishing 17–21 books annually, managing author relationships, and making data-informed decisions to enhance market success. Ideal applicants should have a creative copywriting background, strong editorial skills, and a passion for understanding readers' needs. This position offers competitive salary, hybrid work arrangement, and numerous employee benefits.

Benefits

28 annual leave days, increasing with service

Private medical insurance

Generous pension schemes

Cycle to Work scheme

Up to 70% off book purchases

Qualifications

• Strong sense of what commercial fiction readers want.
• Meticulous editing skills and excellent author communication.
• Ability to use data to inform publishing strategies.

Responsibilities

• Publish around 17–21 books a year across various genres.
• Acquire and edit manuscripts autonomously.
• Build strong relationships with authors, ensuring their needs are met.

Skills

Creative copywriting

Editing

Author relationship management

Data analysis

Attention to detail

Strong communication

Problem-solving

Job description

Closing date for applications: 1 February 2026

Salary: £30,500 - £42,000 dependent on experience and location (+bonus +benefits)

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

This is an exciting opportunity to publish commercial fiction at one of the most successful and dynamic digital publishers in the world.

Find us brilliant new authors, publish great books, collaborate with a talented team and learn all there is to know about creating digital bestsellers. We’re looking for someone who makes a habit of improving the way things are done, and who enjoys combining smart data and creativity.

Bookouture is the UK’s fastest growing digital publisher and part of Hachette UK. We are only thirteen years old but we have grown rapidly every year and have now sold more than 90 million books to readers worldwide. We were among the first publishers to harness the power of data, and we believe we remain the best at it. We have all the advantages of being part of a big five publisher with the mindset and entrepreneurial drive of a start‑up. If you love commercial fiction, want to get brilliant books in the hands of readers around the world, and are excited about digital publishing and the chance to create and grow your own list, we want to hear from you.

What you’ll be doing

We have an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated commissioning editor to join our editorial team. You will be publishing around 17–21 books a year, across a range of commercial fiction genres such as crime and thriller, romance women’s fiction, and historical. You will be acquiring, editing and publishing with a high level of autonomy and ensuring we are publishing the highest potential authors in the most commercial way, with an eye on the global market, excellent author care, and strong editing, packaging and copywriting skills.

At Bookouture, editors have great freedom to acquire autonomously, and we can go direct to designers with a creative vision. We have access to daily sales and pre‑order numbers at the click of a button. We can change covers, copy and titles overnight – and see the impact the next day. We build strong and trusting relationships with our authors, collaborating with them to ensure readers love what we publish together. Our books are published across the world, and we are as focussed on the US as the UK.

Who we are looking for

• You will have a strong sense of what commercial fiction readers want, know a great story when you see one, and be able to guide authors to the strongest hooks.
• You will be a creative copywriter, a meticulous editor, and excellent with authors.
• You will have an eye for a brilliant cover design and know what makes a strong commercial package across the US and UK.
• You will use data to inform your work, and love using your analytical brain to understand what’s working and what could be done better.
• You will have a can‑do attitude and a creative approach to problem‑solving.
• You will be a strong communicator, capable of building good relationships and unafraid of having challenging conversations when needed.
• You will have a relentless focus on results, and on getting our books to the broadest possible readership. You will be agile and reactive, thriving on change and taking risks.
• You will be invested in diversifying our business, making our books as diverse as the range of readers we aim to reach.
• You might have an editorial background and be looking for a new commissioning role, but this is not essential if you can demonstrate that you have a deep understanding of the fiction we publish and all the skills we’re looking for.

What we offer

Bookouture is a dynamic working environment, where your ideas will be heard and where you will have the capacity to change things, take risks and do things differently. We are a fun and sociable workplace where there is always lots going on. You will be part of a fast‑growing company, with the opportunities for career progression that offers.

Our staff are our greatest asset, and our benefits reflect this:

• 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
• 12 Staff‑led employee networks that are voluntary, including AgeWise, Gender Balance, Thrive, Pride, All Together, Wellbeing and religious networks
• Season ticket loans
• And much more!

Our commitment

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

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. If you are shortlisted and need us to make any adjustments to help you attend for interview, please let us know.

Please state in your application that you found this role through Creative Access.