Job Description
We are looking for a creative, curious and highly organised individual to join the Penguin Press team as an Editorial Assistant on a permanent basis.
About Penguin Press: Penguin Press publishes ground-breaking non-fiction across Allen Lane, Pelican and Particular Books, working with bestselling and award-winning authors such as Judith Butler, Ha-Joon Chang, Malcolm Gladwell, Jonathan Haidt, Katja Hoyer, Naomi Klein, Claudia Rankine, Carlo Rovelli, Gary Stevenson, and Lea Ypi. Press is also home to the world-famous Penguin Classics library.
The opportunity: As Editorial Assistant, you will report to a Publishing Director and provide administrative support to editors who publish an eclectic range of non-fiction titles (including history, popular science, politics, and memoir) as well as Classics and fiction in translation. There will also be opportunities for you to support on editorial tasks. You will have a wide range of duties such as:
- Liaising with departments across the business, including Publicity, Marketing, Production, Sales, Contracts and Rights
- Acting as a point of contact for authors, agents and translators
- Creating marketing crib sheets, and helping to brainstorm ideas for campaigns
- Organising mailings to authors and agents to solicit endorsements
- Assisting with the editorial and production process
- Reading and reporting on submissions
- Managing diaries and booking fair schedules
- Drafting and proofreading catalogue and cover copy
What you’ll bring: The role will be best suited to a highly organised individual with keen attention to detail and the ability to work on a variety of projects simultaneously: a self-starter who can keep things moving in a timely manner in a fast-paced environment. You will need excellent communication and interpersonal skills as you will be working closely with authors and agents.
You don’t need to have previous publishing experience to be considered: we are looking above all for an inquisitive reader with an interest in serious non-fiction and Penguin Classics.
Minimum criteria:
- Demonstratable interest in serious non-fiction and Penguin Classics
- Proven written ability showcased through your application
- Experience/Knowledge of MS Office Excel/Word/Outlook
- Demonstrable understanding of managing multiple stakeholders at varying seniorities
- Demonstrable communication skills
Salary: £27,500 plus bonus and benefits.
Competitive benefits package: Our people are the heart of our business, and we work hard to support a culture of responsibility and recognition. Our benefits include:
- Financial – discounted shopping, season ticket loan, rental deposit loan
- Wellbeing - healthcare cash plan, employee assistance, gym loan
- Lifestyle – taste card, tech scheme, free and discounted books
For our full benefits list please visit:
Hybrid working: We’re experimenting with a hybrid way of working that suits the needs of each team. While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. We expect the person in this role to be in the office 2-3 days a week - the exact balance of office to remote working will depend on the nature of your role and team needs, and we are open to discussing this through the recruitment process.
How to apply: Please apply with your CV and Cover Letter by 23:59 on Wednesday 11th September. As part of your cover letter, please also address the following questions (in no more than 500 words combined):
1) Tell us about some of your favourite non-fiction writers and what they do best.
2) What are three Penguin Classics you would recommend to anyone and why?
Please note untailored cover letters will not be accepted.
The recruitment process: You can read about our recruitment process at
As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we offer interviews to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role, and opt-in on their application form. There may be times when the volume of applications means we cannot take all eligible candidates to interview.
Please note, we are not able to accept agency CVs for this role. Any CVs sent speculatively will not be eligible for a fee.
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