Senior commissioning editor

Location: The role will be based at our London or Sheffield office, with a blend of in-office (3 days) and homeworking (2 days) per week.

Turn your passion for sport and popular culture into bestselling books, discovering new voices and developing ideas with commercial potential.

Headline was founded in 1986 with a single promise at its heart: to publish the books people want to read. Sometimes, the simplest ideas are best. Headline has spent over three decades creating bestsellers. Our passion for the commercial means we are home to some of the UK's biggest-selling authors and that we can continue to invest in new talent with stellar sales potential.

Headline Non-Fiction publishes an ambitious and wide-ranging list of commercial non-fiction, spanning sport, high-profile memoir, comedy, popular culture, history, lifestyle and puzzles. Our authors have included Matthew McConaughey, Lewis Moody, Michael Douglas, Christina Applegate, Theresa May, James Acaster, Ranvir Singh, Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Ben Stokes.

The Headline Non-Fiction team is a close-knit, ambitious group of editors with a reputation for outstanding author care and a mission to make our list as profitable as possible. Here's what some of the team say about working at Headline:

‘Being part of the Headline Non-Fiction team is a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in a broad range of genres, stories and voices. Our team champions creativity and new ideas as we strive to publish the books readers want.’- Bethany Jenkins, Editorial Assistant, Headline Non-Fiction

‘Headline Non-Fiction is a friendly and ambitious team with a shared passion for publishing great books. If you’re looking for a job where every day is different, this is the place for you!’ - Bianca Bexton, Editorial Director, Headline Press

What you'll be doing

Are you an ambitious, commercially driven non-fiction commissioner with a passion for sport, entertainment and popular culture? Do you have a track record of publishing bestsellers and a talent for spotting the next big thing?

Headline Non-Fiction is looking for an experienced Senior Commissioning Editor to build an exciting list of commercial non-fiction, with sport at its heart, alongside comedy, music, entertainment, memoir, royal biography, TV brands, trivia, personal development, puzzles and popular history.

Sport is a major area of focus for Headline, and we're looking for someone with the ambition and creativity to grow our publishing in this space. From high-profile sporting memoirs and compelling behind-the-scenes stories to original concepts that tap into the passions of sports fans, you'll have the opportunity to identify new talent, develop exciting projects and build on our reputation for bestselling sports publishing.

We're looking for someone with an entrepreneurial approach to commissioning: an editor who can attract the very best agent submissions, identify exciting new voices and, crucially, generate brilliant publishing ideas of their own.

Original IP development is another key priority for Headline, and we want someone who can think beyond traditional author-led publishing to develop distinctive concepts, innovative formats and successful series with long-term commercial potential. Whether it's a sports trivia series, an original puzzle concept or a fresh approach to a popular subject, you'll have the commercial vision to develop distinctive publishing propositions with the potential to become bestselling brands and successful series.

Reporting to the Deputy Publishing Director of Headline Non-Fiction, you'll be responsible for building and managing your own list, combining proactive commissioning with strategic acquisitions. You'll also have the opportunity to work alongside the Publishing Director and Deputy Publishing Director on some of our biggest celebrity projects.

You'll have the confidence and experience to take ownership of your publishing, from acquisition through to publication, and the commercial ambition to drive your books onto the bestseller lists. You'll work collaboratively with colleagues across editorial, sales, marketing, publicity and rights to maximise the success of every title.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced commissioner to make their mark on one of the UK's most commercially ambitious non-fiction lists, with the freedom to develop original ideas, pursue exciting talent and build a profitable publishing programme.

Within your cover letter, please tell us about one book you would love to commission for Headline Non-Fiction. We're particularly interested in your ideas for sports publishing, but we'd also love to hear about original IP concepts or exciting commercial opportunities across our wider list.

Who we are looking for

• We're looking for an experienced, ambitious and entrepreneurial commissioner with a proven track record in commercial non-fiction and a particular passion for sport.
• You'll have excellent editorial judgement, strong commercial instincts and a thorough understanding of the non-fiction market.
• You'll be excited by the opportunities in sports publishing, with a keen awareness of the personalities, stories and cultural moments that capture the public imagination, and the ability to turn these into bestselling books.
• You'll have an established network of agents, authors and industry contacts, ideally including connections across the sporting world, as well as the confidence to seek out new opportunities beyond traditional publishing channels.
• You'll be comfortable working with high-profile talent and have the experience and sensitivity to manage complex publishing projects.
• Above all, we're looking for an ideas person. Someone who is constantly thinking about what readers might want next, who can recognise the potential in a sporting phenomenon, cultural trend or underserved audience, and who enjoys developing original publishing concepts from the ground up.
• You'll have the creativity to develop original IP across a range of commercial categories, from sport and trivia to puzzles, entertainment and popular culture, and understand how to build projects with broad appeal, international rights potential and long-term backlist value.
• You'll be proactive, collaborative and motivated by success, with the energy and ambition to build a distinctive, profitable list within the wider Headline Non-Fiction team.

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
• An active range of staff-led employee networks that are voluntary, including AgeWise, Gender Balance, Thrive, Pride, All Together, Wellbeing, Women in Techand religious networks
• Season ticket loans
• And much more!

Our commitment

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.

We want everyone to have the opportunity to perform at their best during our recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, you can let us know at the ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ section of your application. We’ll make sure you’re supported throughout the process.

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 https://btbs.org/grants

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.