Job title: Commissioning Editor
Company: Manilla Press, Bonnier
Location: Hybrid working, including working from Victoria House, London at least two days a week.
Is the role Full time? Yes
Is the role permanent? TBC
Salary range: £35,000 - £37,000
Contact: https://www.bonnierbooks.co.uk/careers/
Closing date: 7 December

Job description

Reports to: Sophie Orme, Publisher, Manilla Press
Department: Editorial

Manilla Press, the home of bestselling and award-winning upmarket and literary fiction and non-fiction at Bonnier Books UK is looking for a passionate, highly organized and proactive commissioning editor to work alongside the Publisher to spot and seek out new talent and deliver exceptional publishing that has broad reach and upmarket appeal.

Manilla Press was launched in 2020 and includes bestselling, prize-winning authors such as Stacey Halls, Christy Lefteri, Louise Nealon, Laura Imai Messina and Satoshi Yagisawa. The successful candidate will make a significant contribution to the development of the Manilla Press list, nurturing and confidently publishing our existing authors, acquiring market-leading new talent and contributing towards making Manilla Press a destination imprint.

This is a perfect next step for an experienced, hard-working assistant editor or editor with a demonstrable passion for upmarket fiction. They would be a strong team player and combine a keen eye for detail with high editorial standards along with plenty of ideas, enthusiasm and energy. They will enjoy working closely editorially with authors, leading the publishing of their books and inspiring the broader team.

Key responsibilities

  • Working with the Publisher on the publication of existing Manilla Press authors – from author care and administrative duties to editing, project-managing and desk-editing – including taking sole responsibility for a number of titles.
  • Commissioning up to circa 5 books a year with a particular focus on trend-leading literary fiction with broad appeal.
  • Establishing and maintaining strong relationships with authors, agents and scouts, working to make Manilla Press a destination imprint.
  • Being part of a closely-knit team and contributing to list strategy.
  • Managing relationships with other departments, including sales, marketing, publicity, design and production.

Qualifications and Experience

  • You will be a passionate reader with exceptional taste and strong commercial acumen.
  • You will have at least two years’ experience within a trade publishing team.
  • Excellent project management skills, ideally with experience of desk editing and successfully steering books from acquisition to publication.
  • Self-motivated with the ability to manage and prioritise a varied workload to meet multiple deadlines.
  • Exemplary attention to detail.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • An interest in learning and developing skills within a fast-paced, energetic and outward-looking department.
  • A keen understanding of the print and digital markets.

If you are interested in this role, please apply via our website. We look forward in hearing from you.

Bonnier Books UK is committed to building a diverse workforce through positive action. Currently, Black, Asian and Multi-Ethnic employees are under-represented in our workforce and we actively encourage applicants from these groups. For further information, please read our Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan here.