Literary Agent, Books (Full Time, Maternity Cover) 

Literary Agent, Books (Full Time, Maternity Cover) 

Who We Are

The WME Literary Department boasts a roster of bestselling and award-winning authors in all areas of fiction and nonfiction. With offices in New York, London, Nashville and Beverly Hills, WME Literary agents have the full range of expertise, from literary and commercial fiction to cookbooks to memoir to celebrity. The WME Literary Department’s extensive international rights team is devoted entirely to selling translation rights for clients’ books in over 50 languages around the globe.

WME, part of the Endeavor network, is a leading entertainment talent agency representing artists and content creators across all media platforms, specifically movies, television, music, theatre, digital and publishing. 

Who We Are Looking For

WME are looking to hire a full-time Literary Agent in the London Books team on a temporary basis as Maternity Cover, to start as soon as possible. You will be working across WME’s list of best-selling and prize-winning fiction and non-fiction, providing support to our US authors, selling their UK rights and managing their UK business. Our ideal candidate will have worked in publishing in an agenting or rights capacity already, with experience in deal making and the UK market. 

Responsibilities:

• Represent a list of existing WME US authors in the UK market 
• Strategize and pitch US projects to UK publishers
• Manage the deal process from auction and negotiation to contract
• Advise on all aspects of the clients’ UK business, from submission through to publication.  
• Attend meetings with publishing teams in the UK and liaise on copy, covers, campaigns etc
• Track and manage the authors’ contracts, payments and sales updates
• Manage the Agent’s existing domestic UK client list
• Respond to day-to-day enquiries
• Collaborate with the London team on departmental projects

Experience & requirements:

• A confident publishing professional with more than 4 years’ experience in the industry 
• Some experience of agenting or rights selling preferred but not essential
• Proven deal making skills and knowledge of the UK publishing market
• A good understanding of author care and the relationship between agent and author, and with their publishers
• A confident advocate for authors who will negotiate and collaborate with senior publishing partners on their behalf
• A professional with a can-do attitude, motivated to take on a varied workload and to work as part of a team

Working Conditions:

• This is a full-time, 12 month temporary position
• This role will be based at New Oxford Street, London
• Working hours are 9:30 – 18:00, Monday to Friday
• Travel to the US may be required