Publishing Director, HQ Digital (12-month Maternity Cover)

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HQ Digital is the digital-first list of HQ, specialising in innovative digital publishing across the commercial fiction market, from contemporary fiction, historical fiction to crime and thrillers. Recent bestsellers have included How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent, Murder by Candlelight by Faith Martin and The Marriage Lie by Kimberley Belle, and we’re proud to have launched stellar careers for a host of digital bestselling both in the UK and internationally, including Rebecca Raisin, Lisa Hall, Portia Macintosh, Neil Lancaster and Holly Martin.

A key role in the HQ division, you will be excited by the opportunity to manage our digital-first list, and have a clear, informed view of digital fiction publishing, with innovative, inspiring ideas as to how to bring the very best fiction ebooks to market. This is a senior role which harnesses both a creative and strategic approach driving growth for the HQ Digital list, encompassing new title launches, ongoing author strategy, and backlist management.

The role requires a passion for digital publishing, the ability to respond quickly to trends and publishing opportunities, and the chance to work with an enthusiastic, ambitious team. You will be an energetic champion of both your books and the list, working closely with the sales, publicity, marketing and rights teams, supporting junior colleagues in their development.

Reporting to the Commercial Fiction Publisher, you will be responsible for implementing a profitable publishing strategy, acquiring new titles and encouraging our commissioning editors in their digital publishing, ensuring that HQD remains at the forefront of this exciting, fast-moving part of the fiction market.

Key Responsibilities

Publishing Strategy

• Plan, champion and execute a profitable and market-orientated digital publishing strategy for HQD.
• Acquiring new titles for the HQ Digital list, creating bestselling digital brands and global bestsellers, through both acquisition and IP.
• To review and develop profitable publishing plans in line with divisional targets; setting and sticking to publishing schedules, responding to changes in the market when needed.
• Identifying gaps on the list and jumping on emerging digital trends, both home and internationally, ensuring our team of fiction editors is fully aware of the opportunities to commission to the heart of the digital market.
• Sharing your understanding of the UK digital publishing market, competitor awareness and helping our editors build market-focused publishing strategies.

Budget

• Responsibility for delivering budget revenues and controlling costs, delivering sales and profit.
• To be key driver in the budgetary process, working with Sales and Marketing colleagues to set sales targets and play a strong part in delivering those targets.

Editorial

• Working closely with your own list of authors, overseeing titles from acquisition to publication.
• Publishing your authors creatively and profitably, while advising editors on how to maximise their own ebook publishing.
• Promoting excellent author care within the team, building a supportive and inclusive author community, and building good relationships with agents to ensure HQD is a destination publisher.
• Identifying opportunities for HQD titles in physical retailers, including supermarkets and The Works.
• Briefing covers and liaising with designers on covers and copy.
• Checking sales and marketing material, e.g. catalogues, sales presenters.
• Reading, circulating and rejecting submissions as required.
• With an assistant, managing HQD’s submissions inbox.
• Presenting titles and imprint at key meetings in-house and externally.
• Ensuring best-in-class metadata at all times.
• Building HQD’s brand at trade events, such as as Book Fairs and Festivals, and to author communities.

Sales & Marketing

• Leading our international digital publishing; helping our fiction editors find the best routes to market and developing long-term plans for author growth in the US and Canada; building strong relationships with our international partners – 360, Australia, India and Canada.
• Working closely with our senior team to maximise all opportunities afforded by world rights, including Rights, Audio and Harper 360.
• Liaising with Digital Sales to plan key promotions and pricing strategies throughout the year.
• Ensuring other teams (Digital Sales, Pricing, International Sales, Audio and Rights) have all the advance information that they require to deliver on all opportunities.
• Work with the Marketing team to maintain and share advice and best practise to authors and colleagues.
• Responsible for delivering our digital sales budgets, developing both title-level strategy and an over-arching acquisition strategy to help drive growth.

Line-management

• Line management of an editorial assistant.

Skills Required:

• Robust experience of trade publishing experience at Editorial Director or Depurty Publishing Director Level
• Creative thinker
• Commercial risk taker
• Quick reader
• In tune with digital innovations within the industry
• Strong awareness of market trends
• Excellent communicator

Proven leadership skills

• Strategic vision
• Strong organisation skills
• Strong analytical skills
• Proven track of entrepreneurial commissioning
• Experience of establishing and developing effective agent relationships
• Passionate about commercial fiction
• Flexible – able to work evenings and weekends as required to attend launches/events

Benefits

• Hybrid working model (3 days in the office)
• 28 days holiday plus bank holidays (option to buy and sell holiday days)
• Enhanced pay for maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave
• Private healthcare cover and life assurance
• Summer Hours
• Free access to HeadSpace, employee assistance programme (24 hour helpline), mental health first aiders, and a wellbeing portal
• Season ticket loans (from day 1 for entry level) and cycle to work scheme
• Relocation Rent Support Loan
• Employee networks: HC All In (open forum), Elevate (for ethnic minority colleagues), HarperParents, Menopause at Work, Pride at HC, Social Mobility Network and Neurodiversity at Work
• Unlimited training on our Learning and Development portal, management courses (up to MA level) and mentoring programmes
• Virtual GP and eyecare vouchers
• Gym membership discount
• Onsite physiotherapy (London only)
• Charitable donation matching and 2 volunteering days
• We’re a certified Carbon Neutral company
• Green Electric/Hybrid Car Benefit Scheme (salary sacrifice)
• With Trees for Life we plant a tree in the Highlands of Scotland for every permanent hire
• Free e-books and audiobooks, digital newspaper subscriptions and discounts on books
• Subsidised canteen and retail discounts
• Onsite prayer room

At HarperCollins, we value authenticity and integrity in our recruitment process. To ensure a fair and accurate evaluation of all applications, we ask that all responses to assessment questions reflect your own thoughts, experiences, and capabilities. This allows us to fairly assess your knowledge, skills, and experience to determine how they align with the role. We value diverse perspectives and genuine contributions, even if answers are not perfect. The use of AI tools or external assistance to generate responses is discouraged unless explicitly permitted for specific tasks.

If you wish to discuss anything regarding this position and/or your application to this role, please reach out directly to with subject heading ‘Vacancy Query’ plus the job title and we will aim to get back to you within 5 working days.

Please note, if you are interested in the role you would need to submit your application via Applied. We do not accept email applications.

Seniority level

• Seniority level Director

Employment type

• Employment type Contract

Job function

• Job function Marketing, Public Relations, and Writing/Editing
• Industries Book and Periodical Publishing

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