Desk Editor (12m FTC)

Job description

The focus of the role will be to project manage allocated titles: seeing each title through a full series of stages, as well as general editorial, and admin tasks. You will be actively contributing to ideas generation, creative direction and IP development.

Project management:
• Managing editorial processes (in-house and freelance) for each title and working to a set deadline
• Regularly updating the project management system and other in-house information databases (a working knowledge of Biblio would be required)

Editorial work:
• Writing briefing documents for new projects
• Reviewing manuscripts
• Copy-editing
• Structural editing
• Proof reading
• Blurb and copy writing
• Briefing and liaising with freelancers.
• Contributing to the development and creation of new book ideas (including presenting new ideas at the acquisitions meeting)
• Market/competition research
• Photo and picture research
• Content development/layout design briefing
• Cover ideas development and layout/design briefing (including presenting new ideas at the huddle meeting)
• Compilation of in-house books
• Occasional writing of in-house devised projects
• Providing feedback in Editorial Checks
• Assessing submissions

In addition to the duties and responsibilities listed, the jobholder is required to perform other duties assigned by their manager from time to time.

We’d love it if you had…

We are looking for someone with proven publishing experience to join the Summersdale team in a maternity cover role to work on non-fiction, health and well-being, and gift and humour across our expansive list of books, games, decks and other non-book product. The ideal candidate will have proven experience of managing projects to tight deadlines, problem solving skills to maintain schedules, be able to deal with and care for authors and have the initiative to take ownership of titles assigned to them.

You will need to be highly organised, inquisitive and flexible to the ever-changing demands of the fast-paced business.

Candidates will also need to demonstrate that they have:
• A hands-on approach and willing to get stuck-in!
• First class writing skills and an excellent eye for detail
• A strong eye for design and creative flair
• Commercial awareness
• Initiative and able to handle a fast-paced environment
• Self-motivated

Employer details

Octopus publish books for everyone. We love to enlighten, nourish, entertain and most of all inspire readers and listeners everywhere.

Octopus is a division of Hachette, one of the largest publishing groups in the UK, with 11 publishing divisions and over 60 imprints. Everyone here is proud to be in the business of opening doors and minds.

This position sits within Summersdale Publishing, part of the Octopus Group. Summersdale is a vibrant, award-winning publisher that provides entertaining, informative and innovative content in the genres of general non-fiction, health and well-being, and gift and humour across both books, games, decks and other non-book product. We produce a diverse range of over 130 titles per year, with a backlist of over 800 titles.