Assistant Editor, Head of Zeus Non-Fiction x 2

Assistant Editor, Head of Zeus Non-fiction x 2

The opportunity

Head of Zeus, a subsidiary of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, is an innovative publisher of a diverse range of bestselling fiction, narrative nonfiction, and children's books. With a dedicated team of 50 in the vibrant Clerkenwell area, this publisher brings together vast experience, worldwide distribution, and a culture that promotes creativity and decisiveness, making it an exciting place for literary enthusiasts looking to make an impact in the industry. We are now looking to fill this editorial position in the nonfiction Apollo imprint – one of the UK’s premier publishers of serious narrative, history, politics, travel and culture.

These very busy roles offer an exciting opportunity to develop an editorial career providing key editorial support on Head of Zeus’s premier nonfiction imprint. The role’s will assist the senior commissioning team and working alongside the existing assistant editor, serve as a key link to authors, and the production/ design depts.

The role

To assist with the day-to-day running of the imprint and provide support across all aspects of the team’s publishing:

• Serve as the desk editor for the publisher and editorial director
• Create and review AI’s (Advance Information sheets) and new entries for acquisitions
• Prepare P&Ls for acquisition meetings and liaise with sales team
• Review and update keywords/metadata and proof Amazon copy
• Ensure Biblio entries for all titles are up-to-date and feeding out correctly
• Maintaining digital and print schedules and critical path for Apollo titles
• Preparing and checking catalogue copy
• Reading submissions and providing feedback to Apollo editors
• Opportunity to bring projects to acquisitions meetings
• Assessing and, where necessary, rejecting submissions
• Structural edits for any titles where they are named editor

To assist Apollo senior commissioning team with editorial management of books:

• Liaising with authors and production department from copyedit stage onwards
• Liaising between production department and editors to ensure deadlines are met and that books are typeset as per critical path
• Picture research and clearance of imagery for picture sections and illustrated titles.
• Brief cartographers for maps required for specific titles.
• Proof collation and checking corrections on pages 
• Providing information for prelims 
• Proofreading and signing off prelims for print
• Proofreading cover
• Ad-hoc tasks as required

Communicating with authors:

• Notifying authors and agents of digital promotions
• Sharing sales figures
• Ordering gratis/contract copies from warehouse for authors and agents
• General support with author visits/author meetings

Knowledge, skills and experience 

• A demonstrable passion for commercial publishing is essential; the successful candidate will have real market awareness and be able to talk about books in the market
• Ability to work efficiently and prioritise tasks as they come in
• Excellent communication and time management skills
• Top notch project management skills, good organisation and meticulous attention to detail
• A positive and collaborative approach to working
• Working knowledge of Biblio.
• Strong IT skills including competency in using Microsoft Office, Word and Excel

Additional information

The role is a full-time, permanent position. There are 2 x positions available.

Salary Pay Point or Range: Up to £32,000, Depending on Experience

The role is based at our London office 5-8 Hardwick Street, London, EC1R 4RC on a hybrid-working pattern of 2 days office based / 3 days home based (or fully office based if preferred). 

Allocated office days for this role are: Mondays and Wednesdays.

This position is eligible for Bloomsbury’s Rental Deposit Loan Scheme. To assist candidates who want to start and to establish a career in publishing, Bloomsbury offers an interest-free rental deposit to support securing somewhere to live. The rental deposit loan can be up to £3,000 and will be paid back over 2 years.

Please apply via the ‘APPLY NOW’ button with your CV (Word or PDF format only) and detail how you meet the requirements outlined above for this role by 23:59 Thursday 10th of April 2025.

For best results, please use a desktop to apply as some mobile browsers may not fully support the application portal.

Bloomsbury reserve the right to close the role early if we exceed the required number of applications

Bloomsbury Benefits

As well as a fantastic opportunity to join a global award-winning organisation, Bloomsbury offers the following competitive benefits package:

Working Pattern

• Hybrid working pattern of: 2 days office based / 3 days home based (or fully office based if preferred)

Holidays

• 25 days holiday
• 3.5 days Christmas company holiday

 Other Benefits

• Two paid Personal Wellness Days
• Flexible Fridays – take Friday afternoon off by working an additional 3 hours and 30 minutes earlier in the week
• Work Anywhere Fortnight - For two weeks of any calendar year. The minimum period for Working Anywhere is one week, the maximum period is two weeks.
• Season Ticket Loan
• Share Save Scheme
• AXA Healthcare Plan (Private Medical Insurance)
• Peppy Health App
• In-house Doctor
• Eye Care Voucher Scheme

Company culture – Employee Voice Meetings, Staff Networks (Bloom, Accessibility, Mental Health, Pride, and Parents, Guardians and Carers, Multi-Faith) and 13 Mental Health First Aiders trained across the UK offices, Publishing Events and access to free Publishing Resources

For additional benefits see below

Bloomsbury is a place where anyone of any background, race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender identity, age, ability, or socio-economic status can thrive, feel comfortable, and be heard and accepted. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

We are willing to make any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please flag to the recruitment team if required

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.  

The Book Trade Charity provide financial assistance for people looking to get into the publishing industry; you can find more information and talk directly here: http://booktradeentrysupport.org