Editorial Assistant (Transworld)

Editorial Assistant (Transworld)

Are you a passionate reader of commercial fiction? Calm and resilient under pressure? Highly organised? We are seeking an Editorial Assistant to join our Bantam Fiction team at Transworld.

About Bantam

Bantam Fiction is the commercial imprint of Transworld and publisher of some of the UK’s bestselling and most-loved authors. From Lee Child, Sophie Kinsella, Ruth Jones, Jilly Cooper, Clare Pooley, Shari Lapena, Paula Hawkins, Tess Gerritsen, Trisha Ashley and Val Wood, Bantam has an unparalleled reputation for launching blockbuster debuts and building the biggest fiction brands in the market. We are a dynamic and collaborative team looking for someone to join us at an exciting time in our evolution.

The role

The Editorial Assistant is responsible for the smooth running of the list by completing editorial tasks, related administration and providing support to the Editorial Director/Fiction and Brand Publisher on the Bantam (Commercial Fiction) imprint.  

Key responsibilities:

Administration

• Managing line manager’s diary, including arranging appointments and organising schedules (e.g. book fairs and trips)

• Sending reviews, bound proofs and finished copies / foreign editions to author and / or agent

• Liaising with authors/ agents regarding administrative matters

• Coding invoices, arranging author payments and invoices with Royalties and Purchase Ledger departments

• Taking minutes for department meetings and circulating as directed

• Logging submissions

• Submitting books for literary prizes

• General administration e.g. sorting post, photocopying, arranging couriers and transport

• Monitoring and issuing take-down notices for infringing material posted online

• Dealing with complaints (e.g. typos, missing pages, correspondence to customers)

• Providing support at author signings and events as requested

• Submitting departmental titles to relevant prize submissions and liaising with the team on deadlines

Editorial

• Assisting with the internal book process after structural edit of specified books, liaising with author and Copy-editorial colleagues as necessary

• Seeking text permissions and illustration permissions as required

• Assisting with proofs as required

• Preparation for second formats and backlist reissues – fill in the relevant forms, discuss with editors, source the ads, etc.

• Check jackets and covers, and cross-reference copy on Collaborate with Biblio.

• Entering Biblio data and metadata for new titles, and making changes to copy or other data when changes occur , and keeping all title data up-to-date, complete and high quality at all times

• In some cases supporting the editors with submissions by reading and reporting on specific titles

• Sending TCM Bookscan sales figures to designated authors and agents

• Acting as a point of contact for authors, to answer questions where possible and passing other queries on to manager. The Editorial Assistant is expected to provide excellent author care at all times

• Taking responsibility for writing cover copy/Title Information forms/preparing cover briefs

• Attending team meetings and taking part in discussions

What you’ll bring

Essential criteria:

• Highly organised with the ability to multitask and handle competing priorities

• Exceptional personal organisation and time management skills

• Proactively supporting the manager and team to meet Critical Path deadlines

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively to a wide range of people

• Strong attention to detail

• The ability to work autonomously using own initiative, as well as with multiple stakeholders

• Creative and innovative, curious and inquisitive

• Experience/knowledge of MS Office Excel/Word/Outlook

Disability Confident

If you have opted into our disability confident scheme, the 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 30th March 2025.

• Please ensure you include a cover letter, as it is a crucial part of our assessment process. The cover letter offers an opportunity to show how your experience and interests align with the role requirements. Typically, we expect the cover letter to be no more than one or two pages in length.

• Please note we are looking for someone to join the team as soon as possible, but we are also happy to accommodate a reasonable notice period for the right candidate.

• We anticipate a two-stage interview process which will include a virtual first-stage interview and in-person second stage interview. We may include a third-stage informal chat if appropriate. We are happy to discuss this further with you throughout the recruitment process.

Salary

£27,500 plus benefits.

What you can expect from us

Our people are the heart of our business, and we work hard to support a culture of responsibility and recognition.

Our benefits include:

• Financial – discounted shopping, season ticket loan, rental deposit loan

• Wellbeing – healthcare cash plan, employee assistance, gym loan

• Lifestyle – taste card, tech scheme, free and discounted books

For our full benefits list please visit: https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/what-we-offer/

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 office a minimum of three days a week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays) with a maximum of two days per week working remotely.

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

You can read about our recruitment process at https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/how-we-hire/

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 emailing PRHCareersUK@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable to for us to support your request.

Please note, we are not able to accept agency CVs for this role. Any CVs sent speculatively will not be eligible for a fee.

Company: The Random House Group Limited 

Country: United Kingdom 

State/Region: London 

City: London 

Postal Code: SW11 7BW 

Job ID: 278703