Literary agent (part-time, maternity cover)
Jo Unwin Literary Agency Ltd (JULA) represents debut and bestselling, award-winning authors in the UK, USA and internationally. JULA prides itself on managing its authors’ careers with thought, ambition, care and, wherever possible, a sense of fun.
JULA is looking for part-time maternity cover for one of their literary agents from mid-October, which allows for handover with the agent. The role involves looking after a broad list of award-winning and bestselling clients ranging from children’s and YA to adult fiction, non-fiction and poetry, across literary and commercial spheres.
The cover is required for three to four days a week (depending on applicant’s availability and flexibility), for a minimum of seven months. It’s the perfect role for an editor with significant in-house experience who is considering a move across to agenting, or for an experienced junior or associate agent looking to step up.
Responsibilities
- Project management for all existing clients – keeping track of and responding to contractual delivery dates, marketing and publicity campaigns and publication plans on behalf of clients.
- Responding to day-to-day enquiries from clients, publishers and external industry professionals.
- Reading, assessing and editing a broad range of clients’ work at structural and line / copy level ready for further development, contractual delivery or submission to existing and new publishers.
- In collaboration with Jo Unwin, overseeing the renewal and / or approval of contracts for existing clients, not limited to publishing agreements both at home and internationally, ad hoc commercial contracts and film and TV options.
- Working with co-agents to secure and approve deals for existing clients’ work where rights are unsold, and providing publishers and agents with the relevant materials.
- Handling and processing permissions requests and agreements, either internally or with publishers who hold the relevant rights.
- Helping clients organise and schedule publicity events and pieces where not handled by their publishers, and securing and negotiating subsequent payments.
- Checking royalty statements and payments against contracts.
- Meeting and liaising with any publishers, producers or other interested parties who would like to discuss the agent’s list.
- Updating JULA catalogue entries for existing clients where relevant.
- Working with JULA staff to ensure client payments and agency commission are made and logged accurately.
Knowledge, Skills, Experience
- An experienced and confident publishing professional with an understanding of processes both in publishing houses and literary agencies
- Ideally, an experienced editor at both structural and line level – particularly across fiction – who feels confident working across both adult and children’s / YA texts (though freelancers could be used to fill any gaps where necessary).
- A diplomatic and discreet individual with a good understanding of author care and the agent-author relationship.
- A confident project manager and negotiator, who can advocate for clients forcefully but collaboratively, at a senior level.
- Someone with an agile mindset who is happy to take on a varied workload with a good amount of autonomy and independence.
Practicalities
We’re currently working remotely and will be for a while yet, but the role may involve some eventual travel to a London office, depending on what’s possible for the candidate.
Office hours are 9.30-5.30, though again some flexibility is possible for a part-time role.
Salary: £28-£32K pro-rata but open to some discussion, on the understanding that the candidate won’t be fulfilling the new business part of a literary agent’s role.
We’re committed to increasing representation and reducing inequality in the publishing industry. We’re working hard and collaboratively to create a safe, welcoming and supportive workplace for people of all backgrounds and identities. If you would like a confidential chat about this position before applying, please email rachel@jounwin.co.uk or jo@jounwin.co.uk. Nothing discussed will affect your application.
How to apply
To apply, please email recruitment@jounwin.co.uk with your CV and a covering letter explaining why you want the job and how your skills and experience are well-matched to it.
Deadline for applications
Friday 6th August 2021 5pm BST, with interviews to start via Zoom from Wednesday 11th August.