Operations Manager

Company: Saqi
Location: London (hybrid)
Is the role full time? Yes
Is the role permanent? Yes
Salary: £37,500–£42,000 depending on experience
Contact: [email protected]
Closing date: 17 July 2026

Job description

About Us

Founded in 1983 from the pioneering Al Saqi Bookshop in London, Saqi Books is an award-winning independent publisher dedicated to bold, original voices from the Middle East, North Africa and their diasporas. Our list spans politics, history, memoir, literary fiction and art, and includes prize-winning authors, leading scholars and influential public voices. In 2026, we were shortlisted for Trade Publisher of the Year at both the British Book Awards and the Independent Publishers Guild Awards.

We are now entering a new phase of growth and diversification. Alongside our own publishing programme, we provide services to publishing clients – a side of the business we are actively expanding. The Operations Manager will play a key role supporting the day-to-day running of the organisation.

The Role

We’re looking for an Operations Manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of Saqi Books and our publishing services activities. This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys building efficient systems, coordinating multiple priorities and ensuring that projects and processes run smoothly.

Working closely with the Managing Director and Publishing Director, you will oversee both finance and HR administration along with operational systems, helping to ensure that teams have the support, information and infrastructure they need to work effectively.

You will be highly organised, comfortable juggling competing priorities and proactive in identifying and resolving operational issues before they become problems.

What You’ll Do

• Oversee day-to-day financial administration, including invoicing, supplier payments, cash flow monitoring, royalties and liaison with our external accountant
• Manage HR administration across the business, including contracts, onboarding and induction, payroll coordination, pensions, probation tracking and recruitment administration
• Liaise closely with our external HR consultant on policies and people matters
• Manage the operational infrastructure of the business, including IT systems, software subscriptions, premises and compliance requirements
• Maintain and improve operational systems and processes
• Coordinate activity across editorial, sales, marketing and production teams to ensure projects and schedules remain on track
• Compile reports, maintain records and support budgeting, forecasting and planning processes

About You

• You’ve worked in an operations, office management or business administration role, ideally in publishing, media or a small organisation
• You’re highly organised, detail-oriented and comfortable managing multiple priorities at once
• You’re financially literate and confident supporting budgeting, reporting or financial administration
• You have experience of HR administration, including recruitment, onboarding and payroll coordination
• You enjoy building systems and processes that help teams work more effectively
• You’re a strong communicator who can work confidently across different teams and functions
• You’re proactive, resourceful and comfortable taking ownership of problems and seeing them through
• You handle sensitive commercial and personnel matters with discretion and good judgement
• Experience of publishing workflows and royalty administration would be an advantage

Send a CV and a covering letter to [email protected]. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. We particularly encourage applications from candidates who are underrepresented in publishing.