Octopus Publishing Group
Press Officer
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Who we are and what we do
Octopus publish books for everyone. We love to enlighten, nourish, entertain and inspire readers and listeners everywhere.
A leading publisher in illustrated books, from cookery (including leading food writers Diana Henry and Sabrina Ghayour), a range of drinks books (such as the iconic World Atlas of Wine and James Hoffman's How to Make the Best Coffee at Home), and beautiful gardening, interiors and gift books. Octopus also publishes award-winning non-fiction (Edward Chisholm's A Waiter in Paris is soon to be a major film), and brilliant brands (not least Bold Beans and Citizens of Soil), as well as ground-breaking fiction on our Brazen imprint.
Octopus is a division of Hachette, one of the largest publishing groups in the UK, with 10 publishing divisions and over 60 imprints. Everyone here is proud to be in the business of opening doors and minds.
Who we are looking for
We are looking for a dynamic Press Officer to work across our books at Octopus, creating and delivering innovative publicity campaigns that maximise sales and raise the profile of our authors and brands. You'll have a curiosity about the evolving media landscape and an understanding of what media can have a real impact on book sales, will be collaborative in working with a wide range of stakeholders, and deliver exceptional author care. Organised and with strong communication skills, you will be a self-starter who is able to multi-task and thrives working with a close team.
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You'll be responsible for your own campaigns across the breadth of Octopus's list (no day will be the same), working within timeline and budget, as well as supporting the Communications Director and Publicity Director on lead titles. You will regularly meet with and pitch to event and festival organisers and a wide range of media, and become familiar with and have an affinity for the range of Octopus's publishing.
You will have experience working in a publicity department in publishing or relevant creative industry, and be familiar with the media across online, broadcast and traditional, with excellent copywriting skills.
This is a fantastic opportunity to join Octopus at a time of growth and change, with some thrilling publishing ahead.
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 Tech and religious networks
- Season ticket loans
- And much more!
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The role will be based at our London office, with a blend of in-office (3 days) and homeworking (2 days) per week.
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 www.booktradeentrysupport.org
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