Commissioning editor/senior commissioning editor

Salary: £33,000 - £45,000 dependent on experience and location (+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.

Acquire and publish standout non-fiction, working with high-profile authors and developing the next generation of bestselling writers.

Weidenfeld & Nicolson is one of the most prestigious and long-standing imprints in the history of British publishing. Our books are agenda-setting, award-winning, best-selling and genre-defining. Since its inception in 1949, W&N has been widely recognised for its commitment to and track record of excellence in non-fiction publishing. In recent years, the imprint’s illustrious history has been reanimated by a new commissioning team, who have delivered multiple unmissable publications, and become known for their agility, ambition and dynamism.

Our non-fiction authors include Antony Beevor, Oliver Bullough, Ed Caesar, Elinor Cleghorn, Ian Dunt, Helen Garner, John Higgs, Andrew Holgate, Bettany Hughes, Greg Jenner, Simon Sebag Montefiore, Hettie O’Brien, Michael Palin, Adam Rutherford, Philippe Sands, Quentin Tarantino, Petroc Trelawny and Malala Yousafzai.

What you'll be doing

Working within W&N’s tight-knit team of editors, you will develop a dynamic publishing programme that shows real range and ambition. Focusing on bold, high quality and commercially successful non-fiction that captivates readers worldwide, you will acquire new titles, nurture strong relationships with authors and agents and play an instrumental role in shaping the list for years to come.

• You will be responsible for publishing 8-10 non-fiction titles a year, working with a selection of W&N’s already established, high-profile authors, alongside commissioning tomorrow’s bestsellers and prize-winners.
• You will acquire and publish standout non-fiction across a wide range of subjects. Whether that includes popular history, books by major cultural figures and standout interventions in science and current affairs, we’re excited to hear your ideas for how you might strengthen W&N’s exceptional non-fiction list.
• Collaborating with teams across publishing, sales, marketing and PR, you’ll play a key role in bringing these books to a global audience.
• Alongside the rest of W&N’s energetic team, you will contribute to the strategic development of the imprint and its publishing.

Who we are looking for

• The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of commissioning and successfully publishing quality non-fiction titles.
• You will have a strong commercial instinct and a keen awareness of the non-fiction market. You will be attuned to trends, consumer interests and the evolving technology landscape and how these might steer your non-fiction publishing.
• You will have a strong instinct for identifying projects with both commercial potential and cultural significance, and the confidence to champion them from acquisition through to publication.
• You will take an entrepreneurial approach to commissioning and be energised by generating your own ideas and making direct approaches to authors and agents.
• You will have established relationships with agents, authors and other industry contacts, and a proven ability to earn the trust of those you work with.
• You will be alive to opportunities across international markets and different formats and will commission with the fullest possible life of a project in mind. You will also be interested in W&N’s rich backlist and have ideas about how to maximise its potential.
• You will approach the task of actively contributing to W&N’s non-fiction strategy and publishing programme with energy, ambition and a clear vision that you can bring others behind.

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
• An active range of staff-led employee networks that are voluntary, including AgeWise, Gender Balance, Thrive, Pride, All Together, Wellbeing, Women in Techand religious networks
• Season ticket loans
• And much more!

Our commitment

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.

We want everyone to have the opportunity to perform at their best during our recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, you can let us know at the ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ section of your application. We’ll make sure you’re supported throughout the process.

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

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are under-represented in the creative industries.

Please make sure that you state in your application that you found this role via Creative Access.