Senior Publicity Manager, Head of Zeus

Join Head of Zeus at Bloomsbury, home to award-winning, internationally bestselling and critically-acclaimed authors such as Dan Jones, Min Jin Lee, Ben Okri, Cixin Liu, Elodie Harper and Sally Gardner.

Reporting in to the Head of Publicity, Head of Zeus your role will be to lead and deliver publicity campaigns for Head of Zeus’s Apollo imprint, home to authors including Dan Jones, Ben Okri, Sally Coulthard, Fintan O’Toole and Elodie Harper. You’ll be driving the success of our literary fiction and non-fiction titles as a key, senior player in the publicity team.

As well as creating multi-platform campaigns that break out debut talent, build bestselling names to new heights or shape the cultural agenda, you will work closely with other departments, including editorial, sales and marketing colleagues. You will be adept at forging and maintaining excellent relationships with the media and events planners and high-profile and influential stakeholders. You will have an in-depth understanding of, and active interest in, the ever-evolving media landscape, the wider publishing industry and creative sectors, and an awareness of the campaigns that deliver profile and sales.

You will be ambitious for our authors, as well as championing the list as a whole; pursuing new promotional opportunities and ideas internally and externally. Excellent interpersonal skills are a given, and you will be adept at maintaining close working relationships across all departments.

The role

• Work closely with the Head of Publicity to understand the priorities for the publicity team, ensuring upcoming Apollo titles have a clear publicity campaign plan, which is communicated to author, agent and internal colleagues.
• Develop and implement campaigns to drive and support the sales team’s revenue growth targets
• Handle all aspects of book publicity for allocated titles, including writing publicity plans and press releases; creating proof and review mailing lists; pitching for features, interviews and serialisation deals; coordinating blog tours; organising book launches and author events; accompanying authors to events within the UK and Ireland; logging and reporting progress and confirmed activity
• Liaise closely with editorial, sales and marketing colleagues in the UK and other territories to ensure comprehensive integrated campaigns across all platforms
• Build and maintain high quality relationships with authors and agents and ensure excellent communications on campaign plans and progress
• Identify book and brand opportunities and priorities in a rapidly changing market
• Adhere to the annual publicity budgets in consultation with the Head of Publicity
• Set an example to more junior members of the team at all times
• Assist in best practice support and communication with external publicity freelancers or freelance publicity agencies
• Contribute publicity insight and expertise to the acquisitions process by supporting the Head of PR in their contribution to the weekly publishing meeting, reading select proposals where relevant and giving informed feedback
• Deputise for the Head of Publicity when necessary

Knowledge, skills and experience 

The ideal candidate will:

• Have a strong track record in delivering effective integrated publicity campaigns that drive sales, build author profile and reach new readers
• Possess exceptional communication skills
• Be an avid reader and passionate about books
• Have a thorough understanding of the current publishing industry
• Have excellent media and events contacts
• Have strong contacts in and knowledge of UK bookshops
• Be proactive, bringing creativity and enthusiasm to the role
• Have significant experience pitching to festivals and arranging author events with bookshops, festivals and other event organisers
• Have the ability to coach and mentor
• Have strong negotiation skills
• Have strong presentation skills
• Have excellent organisation skills and the ability to prioritise effectively
• Be able to work simultaneously on a number of projects with different timelines
• Be able to work independently to solve complex problems

Additional information

The role is a full-time, permanent position

The role is based at our London Head of Zeus office 5-8 Hardwick Street London 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.

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 Monday 20th March 2023.

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 45 minutes earlier in the week

Season Ticket Loan

Sharesave Scheme

In-house Doctor

Eyecare Voucher Scheme

Company culture – Employee Voice Meetings, Staff Networks (Bloom (BAME), Accessibility, Mental Health, Pride, and Parents, Guardians and Carers), 9 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.

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.