Commissioning Editor, Audio (7-month-FTC)

Apply now!; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Disability confident employer

Hybrid working: 3 days in office

Job summary

Penguin Random House Audio, the UK’s leading audiobook publisher, is seeking a Commissioning Editor on a 7-month fixed-term contract. You will lead commissioning and delivery of major frontlist audiobooks, shape acquisitions, and foster relationships with authors, narrators, agents, and production partners to ensure outstanding titles.

Reporting to the Audio Editorial Director, you’ll balance creative ambition with commercial constraints, manage budgets, and collaborate across PRH teams.

Qualifications

• Editorial or commissioning experience within audiobooks or related content environments.
• Excellent project-management and organisational skills.
• Strong communication and relationship-building abilities.
• Good commercial awareness and ability to balance ambition with budgets.
• Collaborative, proactive approach with initiative and broad publishing understanding.

Responsibilities

• Lead commissioning and delivery of major frontlist audio publications from acquisition to publication.
• Make casting and production decisions with authors and partners to deliver high-quality audiobooks.
• Represent Audio in acquisitions conversations and assess commercial potential of projects.
• Identify new publishing opportunities and build relationships across PRH Audio and the wider publishing business.
• Manage priorities, budgets and schedules to ensure timely delivery within budget.

Skills

Editorial experience

Commissioning experience

Project management

Communication skills

Commercial awareness

Team collaboration

Audiobook knowledge

Job description

Job Description

At Penguin Random House Audio,we’rethe UK’s leading audiobook publisher, dedicated to creating exceptional listening experiences for audiences everywhere. Working with some of the world’s most exciting authors,narratorsand creative talent, we publish bestselling and award-winning audiobooks across every genre — from major frontlist releases to carefully curated catalogue publishing.

Audio is one of the most dynamic and fast-growing areas of publishing, and at PRH Audio we combine creative ambition with commercial rigour to deliver market-leading work.

We are now looking for aCommissioning Editor, Audio, on a 7-month fixed-term contractto lead the commissioning and delivery of major frontlist audiobooks, contribute to ambitious acquisitions and help create outstanding audio publishing for our authors and audiences.

The role

Reporting to the Audio Editorial Director, the Commissioning Editor will take ownership of a portfolio of major frontlist audio publications, shaping creative ambition from acquisition through to publication.

You will work closely with publishing teams across PRH, as well as authors, narrators, agents,producersand recording partners, to deliver outstanding audiobooks on time and to budget. You will bring strong editorial judgement to casting and production decisions, contribute confidently to acquisitions conversations, and balance creative ambition with commercial and practical considerations.

You will also playan important roleinidentifyingnew publishing opportunities and building strong relationships across PRH Audio and the wide publishing business.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the commissioning and delivery of major frontlist audio publications, shaping creative direction from acquisition through to publication.
• Make confident casting and production decisions, working with authors, publishingteamsand creative partners to deliver outstanding audiobooks.
• Represent Audio in acquisitions and publishing conversations, bringing editorial judgement, audienceunderstandingand commercial awareness.
• Identifyand contribute to new publishing and catalogue opportunities, working with senior editorial colleagues to assess their creative and commercial potential.
• Build strong relationships with authors, agents,narratorsand publishing colleagues, providing excellent author care and positioning Audio as a proactive and collaborative partner.
• Work closely with colleagues across Audio, including marketing,operations,salesand production, to deliver ambitious and joined-up publishing.
• Take ownership of projects under your remit, managing priorities,budgetsand schedules to ensure high-quality publishing is delivered on time and to budget.

Whatyou'llbring

You’llbe a confident and collaborative editor with strong creative judgement, excellentorganisationand a real enthusiasm for audio publishing.You’llbe comfortable taking ownership of major projects, makingrecommendationsand building trusted relationships with colleagues and external partners.

You’llunderstand that great audio publishing combines creative ambition with commercialawareness, andwill be able to prioritise effectively across a busy list whilemaintainingexcellent standards of author care and delivery.

• Editorial or commissioning experience within audiobooks, audio, bookpublishingor a related content environment, with strong creative and editorial judgement.
• Excellent project-management and organisational skills, with the ability to take ownership of multiple projects and priorities.
• Strong communicationand relationship-building skills, with confidence working with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Commercial awareness, including an understanding of budgets and the ability to balance creative ambition with financial considerations.
• A collaborative, proactive approach, with the confidence to make recommendations, use initiative and contribute to wider publishing decisions.
• Experience commissioning or producing audiobooks or other audio content.
• Knowledge of the audiobook market, narrators,talentand production processes.

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 [e-mail] . Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable with, for us to support your request.

Circa £40,000 dependent on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus bonus and benefits.

Hybrid working

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 would be in the office 3 days a week.

Additional Information

Disclosure requirements pertaining to the collection of your personal data:

Responsible for processing the information provided in your application is the company specified in the job advertisement, with its registered office as indicated. The company processes your data for the purpose of establishing an employment relationship on the basis of Art. 6 (1) b GDPR / Section 26 (1) sentence 1 BDSG.

The retention period for your data is determined by the statutory time limits applicable in the respective country, beginning upon completion of the recruitment process. You can find these here .

You can contact the company’s Data Protection Officer at the above-mentioned postal address.

Further information on data protection and your rights can be found here .