Editorial Assistant, Fashion & Textiles

This is an exciting opportunity to become a crucial part of Bloomsbury’s award-winning academic division. We are looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic and hardworking Editorial Assistant to provide administrative and organisational support for our Academic Fashion & Textiles list. The list publishes academic research works, textbooks and supplementary texts in various sub-fields of fashion and textiles including: dress history, material culture, sustainability, design, merchandising and retailing. Our best-selling titles include How to Read a Dress and Zero Waste Fashion Design. We also publish interdisciplinary book series such as ‘Dress, Body, Culture’ and ‘Dress and Fashion Research’. The role involves supporting an Editorial Director, Publisher and two Assistant Editors and reports into a Publisher. 

The role

The role will provide administrative support to the Fashion & Textile team in the effective management of print and electronic products throughout the publication process. You will also liaise with authors, customers and other departments such as Marketing, Production and Digital, to deliver a high standard of author care.

Tasks will be varied but will include:

• Developing and maintaining strong working relationships with authors, volume editors and series editors to ensure a high standard of author care throughout the publishing process
• Keeping the publishing programme on schedule through regular liaison with authors, and by maintaining and updating the frontlist plan for any given year
• Preparing manuscripts for handover to production to agreed standards and on schedule
• Setting up new titles on Biblio (our bibliographic database), and ensure that any changes to projects are updated promptly and in line with key dates
• Commissioning peer reviews for projects as requested by their manager; ensuring these reviews are delivered in a timely way; recording the progress of all projects under review
• Putting together cover briefs, cover copy and briefing cover designs
• Supporting editors in managing backlist, including monitoring stock levels, reprints and the Print on Demand scheme, as required
• Responding promptly and appropriately to external and internal inquiries
• Providing basic reports and sales information
• Completing pro forma and book orders
• Providing administrative support for team (filing, photocopying etc.)
• Creating and managing companion websites

Knowledge, skills and experience 

• Relevant processes, systems and websites
• management of own workload
• Basic project management
• Interest in developing industry and market awareness
• Highly organized with  the ability to multi- task, combined with ability to prioritize appropriately
• Attention to detail, accurate proof reading
• Effective team working, networking and building relationships

Additional information

The role is a full-time permanent position.

Salary Pay Point: £27,000

The role is based at our London office 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP on a hybrid-working pattern of 2 days office based / 3 days home based (or fully office based if preferred).  Allocated office days for this role are: Wednesday and Thursday.

As an Assistant role, this position is eligible for Bloomsbury’s Rental Deposit Loan Scheme. To assist candidates who want to start and to establish a career in publishing, Bloomsbury offers an interest-free rental deposit to support securing somewhere to live. The rental deposit loan can be up to £3,000 and will be paid back over 2 years.

Please apply with a CV and covering letter addressed to Human Resources (Word or PDF format only) via the ‘APPLY NOW’ button detailing how you meet the requirements outlined above for this role by 21st June 2024.

For best results, please use a desktop to apply as some mobile browsers may not fully support the application portal.

Bloomsbury reserve the right to close the role early if we exceed the required number of applications

Bloomsbury Benefits

As well as a fantastic opportunity to join a global award-winning organisation, Bloomsbury offers the following competitive benefits package:

Working Pattern

• hybrid working pattern of: 2 days office based / 3 days home based (or fully office based if preferred)

Holidays

• 25 days holiday
• 3.5 days Christmas company holiday

Other Benefits

• Two paid Personal Wellness Days
• Flexible Fridays – take Friday afternoon off by working an additional 3 hours and 30 minutes earlier in the week
• Season Ticket Loan
• Share Save Scheme
• AXA Healthcare Plan (Private Medical Insurance)
• In-house Doctor
• Eye Care Voucher Scheme

Company culture – Employee Voice Meetings, Staff Networks (Bloom (BAME), Accessibility, Mental Health, Pride, and Parents, Guardians and Carers, Multi-Faith) and 21 Mental Health First Aiders trained across the UK offices, Publishing Events and access to free Publishing Resources

For additional benefits see below.

Bloomsbury is a place where anyone of any background, race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender identity, age, ability, or socio-economic status can thrive, feel comfortable, and be heard and accepted. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

We are willing to make any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please flag to the recruitment team if required

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK – Bloomsbury Publishing do not sponsor visa applications

The Book Trade Charity provide financial assistance for people looking to get into the publishing industry; you can find more information and talk directly here: http://booktradeentrysupport.org

The Company

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

Bloomsbury Publishing is a leading independent publishing house, established in 1986, with authors who have won the Nobel, Pulitzer and Booker Prizes, and is the originating publisher and custodian of the Harry Potter series. Bloomsbury has offices in London, New York, New Delhi, Oxford and Sydney. Within Bloomsbury’s Academic division, it publishes under Bloomsbury, as well as under a number of prestigious and historic imprint names. Read Our Story for how it all began. 

 Bloomsbury is committed to creating a working environment that stimulates creativity and collaboration, is respectful of difference, is inclusive and ethical in its practice, and promotes well-being. We are determined to nurture and develop our employees to reach their highest potential, and we know that our success is down to the passion, commitment and hard work of our talented people. We recognise the urgent need to attract and support applicants from all backgrounds and identities to become part of the global publishing industry, allowing diverse voices to reflect and shape our culture and society.

Please read more on our Missions and Values here.

Please read our environmental policy here.