Editorial Assistant - Penguin General/Viking (12-Month FTC)

Bertelsmann; London; Hybrid; GBP 28,000; Full time

Job description

Editorial Assistant - Penguin General/Viking (12-Month FTC)

Are you driven by an insatiable curiosity about the world – from history and politics to science and culture – constantly seeking out the latest ideas, debates and innovations? Are you fascinated to know more about the latest in non-fiction publishing? Are you fastidiously organised, a great team-player and able to remain meticulously attentive to detail while working quickly to tight deadlines across multiple projects simultaneously?

The Role

Penguin General/Viking is looking for an Editorial Assistant to work on our non-fiction publishing, for 12 months. The successful candidate will report to Viking Non-Fiction’s Editorial Director and provide support to this editor and two others.

At Viking we love publishing books that combine brilliant writing with popular appeal, which hit the bestseller lists, win prizes and shed light on the world around us. In non-fiction, our authors range from world leaders to sporting legends, from cutting-edge scientists to prize-winning historians, and from distinguished journalists to eminent philosophers.

The role will involve a wide array of editorial and administrative tasks, including:

• Providing general office administration e.g. booking meeting rooms, arranging couriers, minuting meetings, processing expenses, processing invoices, sending out proof mailings, arranging for author advanced copies
• Ensuring titles hit critical path deadlines e.g. preparing cover briefing documents, creating title information sheets
• Managing book and prize submissions
• Maintaining internal systems
• Proofreading book covers
• Preparing editorial material for the sales, communications and rights teams
• Researching book ideas
• Offering feedback on book proposals and manuscripts

What you’ll bring

The role will be particularly suitable to someone who:

• Has an insatiable curiosity for new ideas, wherever they come from, and ideally is a voracious non-fiction reader
• Is a team-player, with excellent verbal and written communication skills, and a knack for working closely with a diverse team (whether colleagues, authors or freelancers)
• Is highly efficient, organised and proactive, with the ability to prioritise a demanding workload
• Has a meticulous eye for detail and for spotting (and solving) problems before they arise

You don’t need previous publishing experience. You do need an interest in books, a willingness and ability to learn, and passion for our mission – to make books for everyone, because a book can change anyone.

Application instructions

If this sounds like you, please apply with a CV and cover letter (800 words at most) by 11:59pm on 29th April. As part of your cover letter, tell us about:

• Why you think you would be a superb Editorial Assistant at Viking Non-Fiction, focusing on how you have displayed the above attributes (no more than 500 words).
• A recently published non-fiction book you would recommend and why (no more than 300 words).

Salary

£27,500 plus 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 the successful candidate to work from our London-based office a minimum of three days per week, with a maximum of two days per week working remotely. One of the office days must be a Wednesday, with the other two to work around in-person meetings/other team events which may arise.

About Penguin

We’re the UK’s largest publisher; made up of some 2,000 people and publishing over 1,500 books each year. Our doors are open to all kinds of talent. In a constantly evolving industry, we work hard to stretch the definition of the word publisher. Here, you’ll work with a breadth of talent who all play their part to make each of our books a success. Together, we make books for everyone because a book can change anyone.

The recruitment process

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.