Editorial assistant, Macmillan Collector’s Library

Closing date for applications: 29 June 2025

Salary: £27,500

We are looking for an enthusiastic, highly organised editorial assistant who appreciates classic literature to join Pan Macmillan’s classics imprint, Macmillan Collector’s Library.

The successful candidate will provide editorial and administrative support to the Macmillan Collector’s Library (MCL) Publisher. You will play a vital part in the editorial process and you’ll help successfully deliver our ambitious and varied publishing programme.

This is a great role for someone with a good knowledge of and enthusiasm for classic literature in all its forms as well as being widely read in contemporary fiction. You’ll be a quick learner who thrives in a busy environment.

Your team:

Macmillan Collector’s Library (MCL) publishes beautiful books drawn from classic literature across many genres and formats. We place great value on literary heritage and our mission is to bring much-cherished books as well as new discoveries to a wide and varied readership.

We’re a small, dynamic and creative team and everyone’s ideas are welcome. We work with anthologisers, editors, writers and academics to create and publish a varied range of beautifully produced books that appeal to readers of all ages. Launched in 2016, MCL has earned a significant place in the highly competitive classics publishing world and our pocket-size hardcover books are sold and recognised all over the world.

Your role:

As the Editorial Assistant, you will play a crucial role in supporting the MCL Publisher in all aspects of the editorial process and will be responsible for the smooth running of our administrative processes. You will have the opportunity to assist in the development and production of a wide range of titles and be a key support in keeping books on track all the way through to publication and beyond.

Your key responsibilities:

• Keeping our bibliographic database and book metadata up to date
• Working closely with our Managing Editorial and Production departments; for example, by sourcing original texts, handing over manuscripts ready for copyediting and checking page proofs
• Administering freelancers’ paperwork and invoices
• Writing and checking cover copy and book jackets
• Assisting the MCL Publisher with new acquisitions and licence renewals by liaising with the Contracts and Royalties departments internally and contributors and literary agents externally
• Writing agendas for and taking minutes at departmental meetings
• Clearing and chasing text and image permissions
• Administering the Picador Collection, Picador’s contemporary classics paperback imprint
• Acting as the main port of call for colleagues who have questions about the publishing schedule and fielding external enquiries.

Essential experience, abilities and knowledge you’ll need to succeed:

• Excellent administration skills with the ability to organise, prioritise and manage workflow
• Effective written and spoken communication skills
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Proven interest in literary classics and current market trends
• Willingness to learn new skills
• Aptitude for team work
• Experience working with systems and tools such as MS Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, Google Workspace and Biblio
• Ability to adapt effectively to changing priorities and deadlines.

Desirable skills we’d love you to have:

• Some practical experience working in the publishing industry, as a bookseller or in a related fields
• Evidence of working with bespoke in-house systems and/or a willingness to learn
• The desire and initiative to contribute ideas about publishing and attracting contemporary audiences to the classics.

What you’ll get in return:

In return we can offer you a range of great projects, a supportive and collaborative working environment as well as a competitive salary and benefits package.

Some of the benefits we offer:

• 28 days’ annual leave increasing with years of service + bank holidays
• Generous pension scheme
• Discounted private medical insurance
• Group income protection scheme
• Enhanced family pay and leave
• Flexible working hours and summer hours (early finish on a Friday during summer months)
• 2 Volunteer Days per year
• 75% off all Pan Macmillan books and regular staff book sales (highly reduced rates)
• Season ticket loan/advance
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounts on shopping and gym memberships; Christmas club savings
• Daily free breakfast and monthly company lunch

This is a full time, permanent role, and will be based in our offices in Farringdon, London, with some flexibility to work from home each week.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate the right to live and work in the UK in order to be considered for this role.

At Pan Macmillan, we are highly committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at every level of our organisation. We welcome applications from all individuals, including any age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. Our efforts to promote DEI are ongoing, and we continually strive to learn and improve our policies and practices. You can read our full Diversity & Inclusion Pledge here: https://www.panmacmillan.com/about/diversity-and-inclusion

We want to ensure that all candidates are supported throughout the recruitment process, if you have any reasonable adjustments or accessibility requirements please contact Kayelle Danyluk (Head of Talent Acquisition) at kayelle.danyluk@macmillan.com

Please note that all personal information which we process in connection with your application will be treated in accordance with our Recruitment Privacy Notice available here: https://panmacmillan.com/recruitment-privacy-notice. Please read our Recruitment Privacy Notice before submitting your application

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.