Publishing assistant, Digital-First

Closing date for applications: Wednesday 18th March 2026 23:59

Salary: Starting from £27,000

Location: London

Help Simon & Schuster UK turn bingeable thrillers and romantasy into online hits, supporting editorial, marketing and operations every step of the way.

Simon & Schuster is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of ViacomCBS. It was founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest publisher in the United States, publishing 2,000 titles annually under 35 different imprints.

Simon & Schuster UK is seeking a Publishing Assistant to work across its exciting new digital-first imprints, joining a data-driven commercial fiction team and providing administrative support across editorial, marketing, sales, and operations. Reporting to the Publishing Director, this is an exciting opportunity for someone who loves everything commercial fiction, from bingeable thrillers to racy romantasy and wants to work with books and authors who will reach a wide audience in the online space.

What you'll be doing

Editorial:

• Setting up and maintaining editorial data within the title management system, ensuring accuracy and consistency across all records.
• You will support editors by managing metadata, copy and cover information, and will assist in drafting jacket copy, selecting keywords, and preparing cover design briefs to help position titles effectively in the market.

Operational:

• Ensuring titles meet critical path deadlines by liaising closely with editorial, production, and marketing teams.
• You will coordinate with copyeditors, proofreaders, typesetters, authors, and marketing freelancers, while also raising purchase orders, processing invoices, and setting up freelancer details within internal systems and provide additional support on ad hoc projects as required across the team.

The Publishing Assistant will monitor and report on sales and marketing performance, preparing regular reports and updates for authors and internal stakeholders to support data-driven decision-making and campaign optimisation.

Who we are looking for

• The ideal candidate will have a proactive, can-do attitude and be detail-oriented, practical, and curious, with a genuine passion for commercial fiction and a strong interest in what drives success online.
• Comfortable moving between creative, administrative, and analytical tasks, they will demonstrate adaptability, initiative, excellent communication, and strong organisational and problem-solving skills, alongside the ability to work confidently to deadlines.
• They will be comfortable using digital tools to organise and manage their work, streamline processes, curious to learn about metadata, online discoverability, and digital platforms, and enthusiastic about digital reading and listening, whether through eBooks, subscription services, audiobooks, or online book communities.

This role doesn’t require prior publishing experience. While administrative experience is advantageous, we welcome and encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate strong organisational skills, transferable experience and an interest and awareness of the publishing landscape, coupled with an eagerness to learn and excitement to take the first step in their publishing career.

We appreciate the strong interest in this role, however due to the high volume of applications, we may close the position early.

Unfortunately, Simon & Schuster UK cannot accept applications from candidates without a legal right to work in the UK or who require visa sponsorship. Right to work checks are carried out on candidates who make it to offer stage.

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.