Junior commissioning editor, Sydney

Hachette Australia

Reporting to the Head of Children’s Publishing, this role will acquire and develop books primarily for Hachette Australia’s Children’s imprint, with some scope to acquire for our Adult fiction and non-fiction lists. You will have proven experience and knowledge of local publishing, and a strong understanding of the local publishing market. You will remain abreast of market trends and actively seek new publishing partnerships and opportunities, and work effectively with the Hachette Australia team to passionately promote and sell our books.

The successful applicant will acquire and develop books primarily for Hachette Australia’s Children’s imprint, with some scope to acquire for our Adult fiction and non-fiction lists.

Some of the key responsibilities and skills of this role include:

• Create and develop publishing projects from idea through to publication, in association with the Head of Children’s.
• Establish and develop relationships with 3rd party licensors, film/TV and sign appropriate talent and properties.
• Actively explore market and pop culture trends through social media and other platforms, both online and IRL.
• Ensure backlist and educational opportunities are exploited, including rebranding where appropriate.
• Assist with agent submissions, as directed by Head of Children’s.
• Deliver acquired titles in a profitable and timely manner, informed by the agreed strategy, financial criteria, standard and schedule.
• Liaise with the Sales, Marketing, Publicity and Product teams, to supply of all necessary material to ensure that the sales, marketing and publicity opportunities of each book are maximised.
• Ensure that, alongside our Rights team, subsidiary rights opportunities are exploited, both locally and internationally.
• In association with Head of Children’s, manage the briefing and execution of all artwork and design for your titles to achieve a strong, innovative, commercially successful look for our books that will drive and enhance sales.
• Build strong relationships with authors, illustrators, and children’s communities to encourage the success of our books and foster long-term relationships.

About you
This role will suit a highly motivated and creative individual who has an enthusiasm for new ideas and an ability to actively seek new opportunities. Candidates will work closely with, and be guided by, the Head of Children’s, but will also need to be proactive and able to self-manage when working autonomously. This opportunity will suit you perfectly if you are innovative and personable with a friendly can-do attitude, and are keen to hit the ground running with ideas for new books. Currently this role is available as a full-time position, however, we are open to a flexible working arrangement for the right person, so don’t hesitate to apply!

This role is perfect for you if you have:

• At least 2-3 years of experience working in a publishing house
• Creativity, enthusiasm and are self-motivated with a willingness to take guidance
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Strong organisational skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Proficiency with full Microsoft Office Suite
• Proactive reliable individual, capable of working autonomously
• Have a can-do attitude and work ethic
• A passion for books and reading!

Category: Jobs