Editorial assistant, Methuen Drama Plays & Musical Theatre

Closing date: 12th November 2024

Salary: £27,000 per annum

Contract: The role is a full-time, permanent position

Join Bloomsbury's Methuen Drama as an editorial assistant, supporting the Plays and Musical Theatre list and working with authors and theatres to bring productions to life.

Bloomsbury is a leading international publisher with strengths in trade, children's, professional and academic publishing. Methuen Drama is a specialist theatre imprint that sits within the academic division at Bloomsbury.

We are currently looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic and hardworking Editorial Assistant to provide administrative and organisational support for our Plays and Musical Theatre list. The successful candidate will assist the Senior Publisher, working across our fast track plays, play collections and musical theatre books. The list comprises of playtexts produced alongside productions in the UK and USA on our historic Modern Plays list as well as trade and academic play collections and a growing list of musical theatre books across a variety of different product types.

This role will provide administrative support to the Senior Publisher, Plays and Musical Theatre, in the effective management of books throughout the publication process. This includes liaising with authors to ensure manuscripts are delivered on time, preparing manuscripts for production, sending proposals and draft manuscripts for review, managing backlist titles, and other administrative duties.

This is an excellent opportunity to learn first-hand about a broad range of activities across the publishing business and develop the key skills required for a career in publishing. The successful candidate will join a friendly team based in our central London offices.

Key responsibilities

• 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
• Liaising with theatres, authors and agents to ensure on-time production of our Fast Track Play schedule
• Preparing manuscripts for handover to production to agreed standards and on schedule
• Setting up new titles on Biblio (our bibliographic database), and ensuring that any changes to projects are updated promptly and in line with key dates
• Writing and editing marketing copy
• Commissioning peer reviews for projects as requested; 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
• Providing administrative support for team (filing, photocopying etc)

Knowledge, skills and experience

• Highly organised with the ability to multi-task and prioritise
• Exceptional attention to detail and command of English spelling and grammar
• Proactive and able to take initiative
• Good time management with ability to meet deadlines
• Evidence of project management skills
• Solution-focused, calm and able to logically solve problems under pressure
• Flexible and able to work independently
• Effective teamworking, networking and building relationships
• Excellent communication (oral and written) to internal and external contacts, handling information sensitively and professionally
• Strong IT skills including competency in using Microsoft Office, Word and Excel
• Some commercial awareness and understanding of the publishing industry desirable
• Places a high value on quality of content, author care, company reputation and sustained customer relationship
• A proven interest in theatre, plays and musical theatre is an advantage

Additional information

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: Wednesdays and Thursdays

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 submit your CV (in PDF or Word format) by clicking the 'Apply' button and complete the application form detailing how you meet the requirements for this role by 12th November 2024.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, Bloomsbury Publishing is unable to sponsor visa applications.

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

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.

Please state in your application that you found this role through Creative Access.

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: