HarperCollins Publishers UK
Assistant Editor, Fiction (12 month FTC)
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Application Deadline: 6 September 2026
Department: Editorial
Location: London
Compensation: £31,500 - £32,000 / year
Description
We have a brilliant opportunity to work with our bestselling General Fiction list, working to support our two Publishing Directors and a Commissioning Editor, as part of our busy, friendly General Fiction team. It’s a role that offers a broad range of responsibilities, with a focus on editorial support for some of our key brand authors, production support for the busy list, and some direct contact with authors and management of their publishing. The role also includes administrative tasks across the General Fiction team and an ability to prioritise is key. We’re looking for someone with practical editing experience in a commercially focused publishing team, who is passionate about popular fiction, romance and great storytelling.
Key Responsibilities
Editorial:
- Working closely with the Publishing Directors to give editorial support on their authors
- Managing all aspects of production on their titles and seeing them through the production process, including booking freelancers
- Doing structural and line edits as needed or alongside the Publishing Directors and working with authors
- Checking copy-edits, resolving queries and collating page proofs
- Completing ebook editorial checks
- Writing and preparing cover and launch briefs, and cover copy
- Creating Advance Information sheets to key sales deadlines, monitoring and updating them
- Inputting metadata across all relevant titles and monitoring it – including checking Amazon - to ensure it remains relevant and up to date
- Proof-reading cover runouts, author presentations, short stories and other texts, as well as sales and marketing material, e.g. catalogues, rights sheets, presenters
- Creating author questionnaires, reading group questions and other extra content
- Reading and reporting speedily on submissions shared by the Publisher or Publishing Director
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Administration:
- Liaison on Publishing Directors’ behalf with authors, agents, and other departments
- Provide advance/sample materials to internal divisions
- Organising purchase orders and processing invoices
- Supplying TCM figures, international sales figures and overall sales analysis
- Raising new contracts
- Ordering gratis copies for authors
- Taking minutes when necessary at inhouse meetings
- Sending out proofs for advance quotes
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
- Previous experience in Trade Editorial
- Project-management experience – effective at multi-tasking, with the ability to cope in a pressurised environment
- Direct liaison with authors, agents, and other departments within the publishing company
- Editing and writing copy experience
- Reliable and demonstrates initiative
- Effective communicator at all levels
- A keen eye for detail
- Advanced MS Word and Intermediate Excel and Outlook
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location