Senior Commissioning Editor

Severn House; London; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Severn House seeks a Senior Commissioning Editor to join their dynamic editorial team in London or Edinburgh. The role involves commissioning genre titles, maintaining author relations, and supporting the Editorial Director. Ideal candidates will have experience in fiction commissioning, market knowledge, and a passion for genre fiction.

Benefits

Employee benefits

Qualifications

• At least five years’ commissioning experience in fiction.
• A genuine interest and passion for genre fiction.
• Strong knowledge of the market and commercial awareness.

Responsibilities

• Commission at least 2-3 books per month.
• Be lead editor for 2-3 titles per month.
• Establish positive relationships with literary agents.

Skills

Commissioning experience

Interest in genre fiction

Market knowledge

Self-starter

Team player

Deadline management

Job description

1 day ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Direct message the job poster from Severn House

Publisher of Severn House | Publishing Professional

Senior Commissioning Editor (London or Edinburgh)

Severn House is proud to be part of Canongate Books , who is one of the UK’s leading independent publishers and the first UK trade publisher to be B Corp certified . We’re looking for an enthusiastic and hard-working Senior Commissioning Editor to join our editorial team. The role is full time and can be based out of either our London or Edinburgh office.

About Severn House

Severn House is a vibrant publishing house which produces a broad range of genre titles , from Crime & Mystery, Thrillers and Romance, to Sci-Fi and genre mash-ups. Founded in 1974 as a publisher of hardback fiction, Severn House now produces titles in all formats, including eBooks, paperback and large print. This is an exciting time for Severn House as we are continuing to evolve and broaden our eclectic, unique list

Our small, dynamic team publish 85+ original titles a year so we’re looking for a confident, experienced Senior Commissioning Editor who has a passion for genre fiction and who can hit the ground running.

The individual must be a talented editor used to providing excellent agent/author care and who relishes the challenge of commissioning to brief. This role supports the Editorial Director in proactive agent outreach and shaping the list of Severn House for the future.

Key duties will include:

• Commission at least 2-3 books per month, which fit the Severn House brief to build and shape the list through proactive research and agent outreach
• Be lead editor for 2-3 titles per month, assigning structural edits as appropriate, and maintaining direct editorial relationship on key and developing authors
• Draw up costings and offers to be approved by Editorial Director and Publisher before negotiating deals with authors and agents
• Be a strong second to the Editorial Director and assist in establishing positive relationships with a wide range of literary agents, communicating and promoting the Severn House brand and brief widely at conferences and events as required
• Be the direct line manager for two editorial team members

What knowledge, skills, experience we’d like you to have:

• At least five years’ commissioning experience in fiction
• A genuine interest and passion for genre fiction
• Strong knowledge of the market and commercial awareness
• A confident self-starter and team player
• Able to respond flexibly to a busy workload and manage multiple deadlines

Salary : £38,000+ pa depending on experience and location. We offer a wide range of benefits- Employee benefits (canongate.co.uk)

To apply, please send your CV (including contact details for two references) and a covering letter to Joanne Grant, detailing why you feel you are suitable for this role. Email to [e-mail]. The deadline for applications is midday 27 th June 2025.

Full posting can also be found here: https://severnhouse.com/jobs/

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Marketing, Public Relations, and Writing/Editing

• Industries

  Book and Periodical Publishing

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