Commissioning Editor

Job description

Who we are and what do

Octopus is a division of Hachette, one of the largest publishing groups in the UK, with 12 publishing divisions and over 60 imprints. Everyone here is proud to be in the business of opening doors and minds.

brazen books is the new, bold literary arm of Octopus, Hachette. It has published a raft of critically acclaimed bestsellers and record-breakers since its launch in 2022 including Fern Brady's Strong Female Character, which recently won the Nero Prize for Non-Fiction 2024. It publishes both fiction and non-fiction as well as a score of translated titles. In 2024-5 we will be publishing Florence Given's Women Living Deliciously, Hanna Thomas Uose's Who Wants to Live Forever, Hope Reese's The Women Are Not Fine and Monika Kim's The Eyes are The Best Part.

What you'll be doing

Do you want to join a new, gutsy literary imprint?

brazen books is a young, award-winning imprint within OPG, Hachette. Our books are innovative in their approach, artful in their execution and literary in their appeal.

We are looking for a focused, innovative editor to join our team to acquire, edit and publish in both fiction and non-fiction. The role is for someone who excels at editing; and is both daring in their style and exacting in their execution.

The ideal candidate will also have a deep understanding of the commissioning landscape as well as the publishing one and be able to provide quick, insightful feedback to the Publisher's proposals/manuscripts/covers as well as whipcracking and cheerleading their own.

This newly formed role is for someone who is longing to work for a bold, forward-thinking imprint where they have room to flex their publishing tastes and be at the beating heart of a new list's formation.

Purpose of the role

• To commission books fiction and non-fiction (/ poetry).
• To develop, edit and manage additional books commissioned by the Publisher; taking editorial ownership, providing creative input and critical assessment.
• To support the Publisher; with brazen's publishing strategy and identity, exploring untapped opportunities (home, export and special sales), accelerating growth of list, and being a point person for brazen books in the wider office.
• To drive creative, innovative strategies for key publishing and editorially manage complex projects throughout their lifespan.

Who we are looking for

Key accountabilities

• Able to create a clear strategy for a book; from its cover to P&M plan
• Contribute to overall imprint's profile through big acquisitions and high-quality editing
• Be a cheerleader and whipcracker internally and externally for all Brazen titles
• Explore gaps in the market
• Ensure all deadlines are met and costs controlled
• Be a key team player
• Strong contacts with agents
• Make author care a top priority.

Skills and experience

• Significant successful editing experience working on a high-profile list
• Excellent author/agent relationships
• Able to think 'beyond the book' and help us develop digital, e-book and audio
• Publishing nous
• Excellent writer
• Proven editorial flair
• Comfortable with taking on responsibility and owning financial decisions
• Hyper-organised multitasker

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
• Generous pension schemes
• Rent deposit loans
• 2 community days per year
• Summer hours (finishing at 1pm on Fridays during the summer months)
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Wide-ranging training library
• Development programmes (including mentoring)
• 12 Staff-led employee networks that are voluntary
• Season ticket loans

The role will be based at our London office, Carmelite House, 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.

If you are shortlisted and need us to make any adjustments to help you attend for interview, please let us know.

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