Marketing, data and events assistant trainee

Closing date for applications: Thursday 15th January 2026 at 5.00pm

Salary: Real Living Wage

Location: Edinburgh - potential for hybrid working pattern

Start date: Mid February 2026

Duration: 6 months

Working hours: Full time, 35 hours per week

Interviews: Week commencing 2nd February 2026

Launch your publishing career at the heart of Scotland’s book industry! From digital marketing and content creation to supporting events and data projects, this traineeship offers hands-on experience and valuable insights into the industry.

Publishing Scotland is the network, trade and development body for the book publishing sector in Scotland. Established in Edinburgh in 1974, it is a membership body and a charity. Publishing Scotland acts as the voice and network for the publishing sector in Scotland, developing and promoting the work of companies, organisations and individuals in the industry. Its flagship programmes are all in support of its strategic pillars:

1. Work towards a more diverse and sustainable sector
2. Professionalising the sector - helping individuals and companies with a targeted audience
3. Internationalising - creating international opportunities for the book sector
4. Showcasing the sector

The marketing, data and events assistant trainee will have two main areas of focus. The first is providing assistance to the marketing and trade development manager at Publishing Scotland. The trainee will provide support to some of our key promotional activities in support of Scottish book publishers as well as contributing to the work that helps Scottish publishers improve their marketing and sales activities. The second focus is supporting metadata and data management projects. This will provide the trainee with insight into how these projects are managed, and experience being involved in the early stages of a major data project and in its transformational effects on the efficiency of an organisation.


Key activities

Assisting with content management for BooksFromScotland

• Initially, uploading information about new books and authors to the BooksFromScotland website, using WordPress
• As the role progresses, making decisions about the content we put together for the quarterly e-issues
• Liaising directly with publishers to acquire information about their new and upcoming titles and feature content

Assisting with digital marketing for BooksFromScotland

• Compiling the issues to be circulated via our newsletter
• Digital marketing in support of BooksFromScotland on social media (X, BlueSky and Instagram)
• Growing the BooksFromScotland mailing list with competitions and extra content
• Engaging with publishers and authors on social media

Support for Book Trade events

• Liaising to confirm slots for pitching events where publishers pitch their books to the major book festivals in Scotland
• Hosting publishers and representatives of the relevant festival and ensuring the smooth running of pitching events
• Liaising to confirm slots for Meet the Buyers days
• Liaising with publishers on attendance for online Open Book sessions

Administrative support for the annual Publishing Scotland Trade Day

• Assisting with compiling PowerPoint presentations for Fever Pitch and Opening Quiz
• Liaising with publishers on book samples, food allergies and author attendance
• Compiling seating plans and attendee lists
• Assisting with signage and attendee lanyards
• Assisting with setup on the day, making sure tables are ready for publishers

Involvement with PS Data and Metadata projects


What you will learn

• How to work in a small, collaborative team and be supported to develop essential professional skills, including communication, time management and planning
• The routes that books take to market including:
  • How publishers pitch books to booksellers and festivals
  • How publishers market their books to different types of customers
  • How publishers market their books directly to readers
• The publishing sector in Scotland including:
  • Different types of publishing companies
  • Different genres of publishing
  • The key authors, agents, and publishing companies to be aware of

What you will gain

• Experience of content management for a website and digital marketing via social media
• Insights into how efficient systems sit at the heart of successful publishing businesses and organisations
• Multiple opportunities to visit a variety of publishing businesses
• The opportunity to visit and possibly do a short placement at the distributor BookSource

What we are looking for

• Passionate about the world of books and publishing with a particular interest in learning how books are pitched, marketed and sold
• Knowledge or experience using social media professionally and a content management system (ideally WordPress or similar) is beneficial
• Experience organising or hosting events would be beneficial
• Good analytical and problem solving skills
• Good Excel skills (or the aptitude to learn them)
• A willingness to ask questions about how things are done, and why
• Strong organisational skills
• A demonstrable high level of literacy - academic qualifications are not the only way to demonstrate these

To apply

• Log in to your Creative Access account or register today to apply for this opportunity
• Upload your CV and cover letter as one document (applications without a tailored cover letter will not be accepted)
• Once submitted, you can no longer amend your application, so proof-read carefully
• Do not contact the company directly
• Please email any queries about this role to Creative Access at this address: recruit@creativeaccess.org.uk

This opportunity is open to Black, Asian and ethnically diverse candidates.

This role is part-funded by the Mo Siewcharran Memorial Fund which supports internships for young talent from ethnicities that are under-represented in the theatre, publishing and music industries.