Commissioning editor/senior commissioning editor, Orbit

Closing date for applications: 23 January 2026

Salary: £33,000 - £45,000 dependent on experience and location (bonus + benefits)

Location: London or Sheffield office, with a blend of in-office (3 days) and homeworking (2 days) per week

Shape the future of science fiction & fantasy by discovering new authors, publishing stand-out books and collaborating with one of sci fi publishing's leading editorial teams.

Hachette UK is a creative powerhouse and the UK's second largest book publishing group. Our mission is to make it easy for everyone to discover new worlds of ideas, learning, entertainment and opportunity. We're made up of 10 autonomous publishing divisions and over 60 imprints with a rich and diverse history and an incredible range of authors. We're also the market leader in e-books and publish a range of bestsellers in audio format, the fastest growing part of our business.

Orbit UK is the science fiction and fantasy imprint of Little, Brown Book Group. Little, Brown is a division of Hachette, one of the largest publishing groups in the UK, with 10 publishing divisions and over 60 imprints. Shortlisted for Imprint of the Year at the 2025 British Book Awards, for over fifty years Orbit has been publishing the most outstanding books in science fiction and fantasy: novels that have swept the board for awards, been global bestsellers, forged new paths and pushed the boundaries of genre fiction. One of the biggest genre imprints in the UK, Orbit is committed to broadening the audience for SFF and we support diversity in every aspect of our publishing. Authors published by Orbit include Sunday Times and international bestsellers Rachel Gillig, James S. A. Corey, N. K. Jemisin, Heather Fawcett, Brigitte Knightley, John Gwynne, Iain M. Banks, Robert Jordan, Fonda Lee and Jim Butcher – along with many other acclaimed, bestselling and award-winning writers. Orbit also recently launched its new Run For It list, dedicated to publishing the best voices in horror.

Little, Brown's identity is personified by our innovative, dynamic and free-thinking people. Across our thirteen imprints, you won't find a wider range of titles anywhere in UK publishing. We pride ourselves on quality and diversity. A repeat recipient of the Publisher of the Year award, we're one of the most successful and dynamic publishers in the UK. Everyone here is proud to be in the business of opening doors and minds.

What you'll be doing

We have an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Commissioning Editor or Senior Commissioning Editor (dependent on level of experience) to join the Orbit editorial team.

• Publishing around 14 to 18 books a year on the Orbit and Run For It lists, across a broad range of SFF with a particular focus on fantasy, romantasy, cosy fantasy and horror.
• Acquiring, editing and shepherding novels through the entire publication process

• Collaborating closely with our sales, marketing and publicity teams to ensure we are publishing the highest potential authors in the most commercial way

What we are looking for

• Experience in an editorial commissioning role, a brilliant commercial eye and a strong proven track record in acquiring and publishing SFF titles profitably
• A great knowledge of the SFF and horror market, as well as good awareness of the special edition market
• Superb communication and author care skills
• Excellent structural editing, copywriting and proofreading skills
• A great eye for fantastic cover design and knowledge of what makes a strong commercial package
• A proactive, quality-orientated and consumer-focussed outlook
• A can-do attitude, a creative approach to problem-solving and an aptitude to work well as part of a large team
• Fantastic administrative and organisational skills, and great computer literacy (Microsoft Office, able to pick up new digital skills as required)

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!

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 your interview, please let us know.

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.