Assistant editor

Closing date for applications: 7 November 2025

Salary: £29,000 based in London; £26,680 based in Sheffield (+bonus +benefits)

Location: The role will be based at our London or Sheffield office, with a blend of in-office (3 days) and homeworking (2 days) per week

Ready to take the next step in your publishing career? Join a team championing forward-thinking fiction and non-fiction, where you'll support a vibrant list and have the chance to develop and publish your own projects.

Wildfire Books is a boutique imprint of Headline Publishing Group that launched in 2016. Our aim is to publish forward-thinking, agenda-setting fiction and non-fiction that spark conversation and spread like wildfire – books, as we like to say, that have a bit of soul. The results speak for themselves: in a few short years, we’re proud to have had many Sunday Times bestsellers and our books have been nominated for the Women’s Prize, International Booker Prize, the Orwell Prize, Cundill History Prize, Hawthornden Prize, Baillie Gifford Prize, National Book Award, Carnegie Medal, Book of the Year at the Nibbies, McKitterick Prize, National Book Critics Circle, Pulitzer Prize, CWA Daggers, and more.


What you'll be doing

We have an exciting opportunity for someone looking for the next step in their publishing career to join the Wildfire editorial team. If you are creatively minded, have a passion for reading both fiction and non-fiction and an eye for spotting new talent then we would love to hear from you. The successful candidate will provide editorial support to both the fiction and non-fiction editors/publishers at Wildfire, and will have the opportunity to manage their own editorial projects, including complete ownership of selected authors, alongside assisting with the day to day running of the list. You will be expected to read and report on manuscripts, lead the systems and processes that go into producing the book, brief freelancers and liaise with authors and agents. There will also be scope to acquire and publish your own titles for the Wildfire list, and you’ll be able to get involved in our vibrant intellectual property (IP) development programme, generating and developing your own ideas, using a detailed understanding of the market. It’s a busy, demanding, but most of all rewarding, second-step role in editorial. At least, that’s what the last person who had the role before says:

“Wildfire is a great launchpad for the next step in your publishing career. We cover a lot of ground in terms of the genres we publish, and you’re guaranteed lots of diverse experience, giving you the opportunity to develop your skills very quickly. If you’re a dynamic personality, looking to start building your own list - this is the perfect job for you.” Areen Ali (now senior commissioning editor)


Who we are looking for

We are looking for someone who has publishing experience in an editorial function and with a passion for both fiction and non-fiction. You must be a self-starter with a meticulous eye for detail and excellent organisation and problem-solving skills. You will be able to communicate well and build positive working relationships with contacts at all levels, and work collaboratively as part of a team. You will have strong copy-writing skills and be a confident presenter. You will be a key member of the Wildfire editorial team, a place where having an entrepreneurial mindset and a confident vision to deliver sales success is championed. The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate an awareness of emerging trends in fiction and non-fiction, will have a flair for IP development, and strive to put the consumer at the heart of everything they do.


What we offer

Our staff are our greatest asset, and our benefits reflect this:

• 28 annual leave days per year, increases to 29 days after 2 years' service and goes up to 30 days after 5 years' (+ bank holidays)
• Private medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Generous pension schemes
• Rent deposit loans
• 2 community days per year
• Summer hours (finishing at 1pm on Fridays during the summer months)
• Retail discounts through Hachette rewards
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Eye care vouchers
• Wide-ranging training library
• Development programmes (including mentoring)
• Up to 70% off book purchases
• A charity bookshelf
• 12 Staff-led employee networks that are voluntary, including AgeWise, Gender Balance, Thrive, Pride, All Together, Wellbeing and religious networks
• Season ticket loans
• And much more!

Our commitment

The Book Trade Charity offers financial support to people looking to enter the book trade but who may struggle to afford the costs of attending interviews and undertaking junior roles. For more information visit www.booktradeentrysupport.org

Hachette employs people on the basis of their abilities. We aim to attract and develop talent from a base as broad as the world of readers we want to reach, with a wide and representative range of age, faith, disability, race, gender, sexuality and socio-economic, regional and cultural backgrounds. If you are shortlisted and need us to make any adjustments to help you attend for interview, please let us know.

Please state in your application that you found this role through Creative Access.