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Quadrille are looking for a new Assistant Editor to support their Publishing Director in a team of two, working in a newly created imprint focusing on design-led, illustrated non-fiction.
Following the acquisition in October 2023, Quadrille is part of Penguin Random House UK. This position will be based in our Southwark office, with hybrid working options.
About the new imprint
A captivating collection of gift books that seamlessly merge lifestyle, edgy design, opinion and inspiration to ignite thought, elevate perspectives and spark conversations. We believe in the transformative power of books and prove that every book should be judged by its cover.
From interior design and fashion to pop culture, cookery, drinks and witchcraft, each book serves as a source of inspiration, knowledge and guidance, enhancing the lives of our readers.
Key responsibilities
The Assistant Editor is primarily responsible for seeing books through the production lifecycle, from acquisition to publication, ensuring their success. In this dual editorial and administrative role, you can expect to be:
- Project managing the internal book process, including scheduling, compiling the jacket and cover copy, collating proofs, populating title information sheets, liaising with the author, agreeing a delivery date, and liaising with Production and freelancers.
- Keeping data on the books up to date, and inputting this onto internal systems. Also responsible for collating sales data and presenting to Publishing Director
- Acting as a point of contact for authors, to answer questions where possible and pass other queries on to manager. The Assistant Editor is expected to provide excellent author care at all times.
- Adhoc administration such as minute taking during meetings, organising diaries and scheduling meetings, checking and authorising invoices and logging expenses.
Over time you’ll also get the opportunity to edit and commission your own books although you’ll be expected to champion all the team’s books to all teams in-house and externally.
Candidate profile
Perhaps you’re an Editorial Assistant looking for their next move or have some publishing experience behind you. We’re looking for someone creative, with an eye for design and a mind for project management. You’ll understand the basics of publishing and have the drive and inquisition to learn and develop. Alongside this you’ll:
- Have strong organisational and time management skills, confident prioritising and working to deadlines.
- Be a strong communicator.
- Be confident learning and using new systems and software.
Importantly too, you’ll have a good awareness of the current external media market, keep up to date with trends and have a creative, adventurous mind always thinking about the next big thing to publish.
Please apply with your CV and cover letter telling us why you’re right for the role, by midnight on Wednesday 14th February.
About Penguin
We’re the UK’s largest publisher; made up of some 2,000 people and publishing over 1,500 books each year. Our doors are open to all kinds of talent. In a constantly evolving industry, we work hard to stretch the definition of the word publisher.
Here, you’ll work with a breadth of talent who all play their part to make each of our books a success. Together, we make books for everyone because a book can change anyone.
What you can expect from us
Salary is circa £31,000 depending on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus benefits. Our people are the heart of our business, and we work hard to support a culture of responsibility and recognition. Our benefits include:
- Financial – income protection, life assurance, childcare allowance
- Wellbeing – healthcare cash plan, critical illness cover, health checks
- Lifestyle – enhanced parental leave, tech scheme
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. For this role, we expect you to be in the office 2–3 days a week, at our office in Southwark. The location of the office will change later 2024/2025.
The recruitment process
As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we're part of the offer an interview scheme. This is where disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role can opt in to get to the next recruitment stage. There may be some situations where volume of applicants means we can't take all eligible candidates to interview.
We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing PRHCareersUK@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable to for us to support your request.
Please note, we are not able to accept agency CVs for this role. Any CVs sent speculatively will not be eligible for a fee.
