Editorial Assistant, Penguin Press

Penguin Random House UK; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading publishing company in Greater London is seeking an Editorial Assistant responsible for supporting the publishing team's smooth operations. The ideal candidate will manage editorial tasks, liaise with high-profile authors, and ensure quality in all title data. A successful candidate will be highly organized and possess a strong degree of literacy. This role requires a commitment to creativity and innovation within a flexible working environment, typically requiring in-office presence three days a week.

Qualifications

• Candidates must possess strong literacy and writing skills.
• Must be highly organized and capable of multitasking.
• Excellent time management with a track record of meeting deadlines essential.

Responsibilities

• Read and report on proposals and submissions.
• Draft copy for internal and external circulation.
• Manage the internal book process and author communication.

Skills

High degree of literacy and writing skills

Good awareness of the current external media market

Highly organised

Exceptional time management skills

Excellent communication skills

Ability to work autonomously using initiative

Dedication to being creative and innovative

Job description

Overview

Penguin Press is home to serious and groundbreaking non-fiction in hardback and paperback, plus the extended family of classic fiction, non-fiction, poetry and drama. We have established a reputation for books that bring new ideas to readers and represent the best in editorial and design standards. We have published numerous international and UK bestsellers, 28 Nobel Prize winners and seven Pulitzer Prize winners. Join our accomplished team and contribute to a legacy of excellence and innovation in publishing.

The role

The Editorial Assistant is responsible for the supporting the smooth running of the publishing team by completing supporting editorial tasks through the production lifecycle and providing support to the Publishing Director.

Key responsibilities

• Reading and reporting on proposals and submissions.
• Drafting copy for internal and external circulation.
• Working with authors to brief, assemble, and proofread maps, diagrams, and internal images for their titles.
• Managing the internal book process, including scheduling, compiling the jacket and cover copy, collating proofs, populating ATI, liaising with the author, and liaising internally with Managing Editorial, Production, Design, Marketing and Publicity, Sales, and Rights departments.
• Acting as a point of contact for authors and agents, answering questions where possible and passing other queries to manager.
• Provide excellent author care at all times, often to high profile authors.
• Checking proof corrections.
• Entering Biblio data for new titles and making changes to copy or other data when changes occur (schedule, any metadata), keeping all title data up-to-date, complete and high quality at all times.
• Sending advanced review copies and early finished copies to editorial influencers.
• Sending reviews, bound proofs and finished copies / foreign editions to authors and agents.
• Dealing with customer complaints (e.g. typos, missing pages, correspondence to customers).
• Coding invoices, arranging author payments and invoices with Royalties and Purchase Ledger department.
• Monitoring and issuing take-down notices for infringing material posted online.
• Taking minutes for department meetings and circulating with colleagues.

What you’ll bring

• High degree of literacy and writing skills.
• Good awareness of the current external media market.
• Highly organised with the ability to multitask and handle competing priorities.
• Exceptional time management skills and the ability to work to tight deadlines, sometimes under pressure.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively to a wide range of people.
• The ability to work autonomously using initiative.
• Dedication to being creative and innovative.

Disability Confident

If you have opted into our disability confident scheme, above is the essential criteria you must meet to be considered for our interview scheme. Please note, there may be occasions where the volume of applicants means we can’t take all eligible candidates to interview.

Application instructions

Please apply with your CV and cover letter outlining why you are the right candidate for the role by 11:59pm on 22nd March 2026.

As part of your cover letter, please tell us in no more than 300 words about a non-fiction ‘book that changed your mind’.

Here at Penguin, we believe in the power of authenticity and human creativity. When you apply for a position, we want to encourage you to showcase your unique voice. Throughout our recruitment process, please share your own thoughts, experiences, and skills. This helps us get a true sense of who you are and what you might bring to our team.

We celebrate creativity and diverse perspectives, so please be yourself! While we recognise AI tools can be helpful, we recommend using them thoughtfully to ensure your responses reflect you.

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.