Bertelsmann
Editorial Assistant - Penguin Classics (Penguin Press, 12-month FTC)
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Job Description
An opportunity has arisen for a curious and highly organised individual with excellent communication skills to join the Penguin Press team as an Editorial Assistant on a 12-month, fixed-term basis.
About the team
Penguin Classics is the world’s largest and best-known library of classic literature. Ranging from the epics of the ancient past to the novels, plays, essays and poetry of the twentieth century, the list includes works by authors such as Marcus Aurelius, Jane Austen, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Shirley Jackson, Hannah Arendt, Seichō Matsumoto and John le Carré. The Penguin Classics series is published by Penguin Press, which is also home to the non-fiction imprints Allen Lane, Pelican and Particular Books, and a contemporary poetry list.
The role
As Editorial Assistant, you’ll work closely with a Publishing Director and an Editorial Director, with a particular focus on providing daily administrative and editorial support for the Penguin Classics list.
Key responsibilities:
- Assisting with the editorial process on forthcoming books; for example, clearing permissions, drafting cover copy, liaising with translators and academics, proofreading and populating Title Information sheets
- Providing general administrative support for the Penguin Classics list – e.g. by responding to customer queries, organising corrections, managing title metadata and monitoring online retailer feeds
- Liaising closely with departments across the business, including Publicity, Marketing, Production, Sales, Rights, Contracts and Art
- Acting as a point of contact for authors, estates and agents, answering questions where possible and escalating other queries where appropriate
- Organising mailouts to authors and agents
- Preparing agendas and taking minutes for meetings
- Processing expenses and invoices, booking meeting rooms and sorting post
- Undertaking background research and reading books or other materials, as directed by the editors
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What you’ll bring
Essential criteria:
- A curiosity about book publishing and enthusiasm for the titles published by Penguin Press
- Confidence in engaging with complex texts
- Excellent attention to detail and a meticulous approach to your work
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines effectively
- A proactive approach, with the confidence to take initiative and help keep things running smoothly
- Clear and effective written and verbal communication skills
- The ability to build positive working relationships and communicate confidently with a wide range of people
- An eagerness to learn, develop your editorial skills and build a career in publishing.
Disability Confident
If you have opted into our disability confident scheme, the above are the essential criteria you must meet to be considered for our interview scheme. Please note, there may be occasions where the volume of applicants means we can’t take all eligible candidates to interview.
Application instructions
Please apply with your CV and cover letter outlining why you are the right candidate for the role by 11:59pm on 8th September 2026.
Please use up to 200 words of your cover letter to tell us about an underappreciated classic of fiction, non-fiction or poetry that you would recommend, and why.
Please ensure you include a cover letter, as it is a crucial part of our assessment process. The cover letter offers an opportunity to show how your experience and interests align with the role requirements. Typically, we expect the cover letter to be no more than one or two pages in length.
Please note we are looking for someone to join the team as soon as possible, but we are also happy to accommodate a reasonable notice period for the right candidate.
We anticipate a two-stage interview process which will include a virtual first-stage interview and in-person second stage interview. We are happy to discuss this further with you throughout the recruitment process.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Here at Penguin, we believe in the power of authenticity and human creativity. When you apply for a position, we want to encourage you to showcase your unique voice. Throughout our recruitment process, please share your own thoughts, experiences, and skills. This helps us get a true sense of who you are and what you might bring to our team.
We celebrate creativity and diverse perspectives, so please be yourself! While we recognise AI tools can be helpful, we recommend using them thoughtfully to ensure your responses reflect you.
Salary
£29,000 plus benefits.
Hybrid working
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. For this role we expect the successful candidate to work from our London-based office on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays and offer the remaining two days to be worked remotely.
Additional Information
Disclosure requirements pertaining to the collection of your personal data: Responsible for processing the information provided in your application is the company specified in the job advertisement, with its registered office as indicated. The company processes your data for the purpose of establishing an employment relationship on the basis of Art. 6 (1) b GDPR / Section 26 (1) sentence 1 BDSG. The retention period for your data is determined by the statutory time limits applicable in the respective country, beginning upon completion of the recruitment process. You can find these here. You can contact the company’s Data Protection Officer at the above-mentioned postal address.
Further information on data protection and your rights can be found here.
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