Editorial assistant, Century (Cornerstone)

Closing date: 22nd October 2024

Salary: £27,500 per annum plus bonus and benefits

We are looking for a proactive, efficient, and creative Editorial Assistant to work with Century fiction’s Publishing Director and Senior Commissioning Editor across a range of bestselling commercial authors.

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.

Century is the home of the best in brand and genre fiction, known for our industry-leading event publications. Last year Century fiction published 36 Sunday Times bestsellers which spent a total of 88 weeks in the bestseller lists. Our authors include James Patterson, Harlan Coben, Lisa Jewell, Anthony Horowitz, Tom Hindle, Katie Flynn, Paige Toon and Gill Hornby.

Reporting to the Publishing Director, you will work on a number of Century’s bestselling titles across multiple genres. You will be an integral part of each author brand team, working closely with colleagues on a varied year-round programme of publishing.

This role offers a fantastic opportunity to dive into the world of publishing. We're looking for someone inquisitive, capable of managing a variety of tasks, and eager to make a tangible impact on our department's efficiency. Join our busy, fun, and collaborative team. Your career development will be supported, and you'll have the chance to participate in a wide range of employee networks and access development schemes like mentoring.

What you'll be doing

• Managing diaries.
• Organising meetings.
• Taking minutes.
• Ensuring our publishing remains on critical path.
• Liaising with the editorial management and production teams on book schedules.
• Keeping internal systems up to date.
• Prompting editors for material.
• Organising submissions for literary prizes.
• Working on back catalogue titles.
• Researching cover briefs.
• Sending out book proofs.

What you’ll bring

• Exemplary organisational skills and an eagle eye for detail are essential for this role, as are strong administrative abilities to ensure multiple deadlines are met.
• You should be agile and able to pivot quickly.
• A can-do, enthusiastic attitude is crucial, along with the ability to work independently and under pressure.
• The ability to communicate effectively with key stakeholders and colleagues across the company is vital.
• Previous experience in publishing isn't necessary, but a passion for commercial fiction is a must.

Disability Confident

If you have opted into our disability confident scheme below is the minimum 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.

Minimum criteria

• Demonstrable interest in Century and the books we publish
• Proven written ability showcased through your application
• Experience/ Knowledge of MS Office Excel/Word/ Outlook
• Demonstrable understanding of managing multiple stakeholders at varying seniorities
• Demonstrable communication skills

How to apply

Please apply with your CV and Cover Letter by 23:59 on Tuesday 22nd October. As part of your cover letter, please tell us about a recently published book you’ve read and why you enjoyed it (in no more than 200 words).

We will not accept applications that do not include a tailored cover letter – this is an important part of our assessment and is an opportunity for you to tell us more about your interest in the role and transferrable skills.

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

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