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Executive Scouting Assistant

The company

Daniela Schlingmann Literary Scouting Ltd. works with a host of outstanding international publishers around the world to find the very best of fiction, non-fiction and children's books from the U.K. and the U.S. to be published in translation, and to be adapted for film and TV. 

Our offices are based in Bayswater, just north of Hyde Park, in Central London.

Job title

Executive Scouting Assistant

The role

We are a small, friendly and nurturing team looking for a meticulous and hard-working Executive Scouting Assistant to start as soon as possible. The successful applicant will provide general administrative support for the office and input new book information onto our database. Other responsibilities include diary management, managing spreadsheets and contacts lists, scheduling for book fairs and client visits, responding to client queries and related research. As we work closely with the U.S. market, some liaising with U.S. contacts may occasionally be required outside of regular work hours.

The ideal candidate

The ideal candidate will enjoy playing a long-term role in the agency’s international work. Scouting is exciting, varied and very fast-paced, so we are looking for someone highly organised and diligent, who is able to remain cool-headed in a busy working environment. They should show good judgement, communicate well and enjoy and excel at administration tasks. They should be self-motivated and feel comfortable working independently.

Candidates will have at least one year’s experience of full-time employment in an office environment. That experience can be in the book trade or elsewhere, but an interest in books and publishing is essential. A particular interest in translation rights and international markets is also welcome.

Responsibilities and duties

General

  • Entering key information onto our database and writing clear copy for our book reports.
  • Assisting with producing and editing book reports and inputting corrections.
  • Responding to emails as quickly as possible and assisting with managing our email flow.
  • Logging responses from clients.
  • Assisting with client queries.
  • Working closely with colleagues to request material from agents and publishers.
  • Following industry news and social media to find information on authors, deals, personnel moves and other key industry information.
  • Providing any miscellaneous admin support when required.
  • Scheduling book fair appointments for clients and diary management.
  • Assisting with obtaining information about key titles in preparation for book fairs.
  • Assisting with general bookfair organisation and attending as required.

Qualifications and Skills

  • Highly motivated and able to work quickly and accurately under pressure
  • Strong organisational skills and great attention to detail
  • Excellent communication and listening skills
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Comprehensive IT and data entry skills and experience of working with databases
  • Discretion and diplomacy, as the role requires handling extremely confidential information and liaising with senior international publishers and agents 
  • European foreign languages are an advantage, as would be a dual European-British or U.S.-British citizenship

Contract type

Full time

Primarily working from home, with ad hoc days in the office when required  

Salary

£22-24k depending on experience

Benefits include flexible working, pension scheme, eye care voucher scheme, Cycle to Work voucher scheme, allowance for setting up home-working station

To apply, email charlotte.james@schlingmann.co.uk stating DSLS EXECUTIVE SCOUTING ASSISTANT in your subject line. Please send your CV and a covering letter, and include your earliest availability.

Applications will close on Sunday, 28th August 2022, but we reserve the right to close the recruitment process early if we have found the right candidate. 

We aim to be an equal opportunities employer and are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation or race.

www.schlingmann.co.uk

Executive Scouting Assistant

Daniela Schlingmann Literary Scouting Ltd, London
Full-time, Home Working, Permanent
Professional, Trade
Administration, Assistant, Publishing, Communications, Data, Business Development
Reference: 
Executive Scouting Assistant
Salary description: 
£22-24k depending on experience

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Candidates will have at least one year’s experience of full-time employment in an office environment. That experience can be in the book trade or elsewhere, but an interest in books and publishing is essential