Contracts Executive – HarperCollins Publishers
Full‑time, Hybrid (3+ days in office), London, UK. Salary: £30,500 – £34,500. Mid‑level seniority.
Closing date: 11:55 pm, 12th May 2026 BST.
Job Description
This is an exciting opportunity to join HarperCollins Publishers as a Contracts Executive within the Legal & Contracts team. The key responsibilities involve the full lifecycle of publishing contracts, from advising commissioning editors at the earliest stages of acquisition through to drafting and negotiating agreements with authors, agents, and publishers. You will also support an entire editorial department as their primary contracts contact.
Key Tasks and Accountabilities
- Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts with authors, agents, and publishers
- Advising commissioning editors on commercial and contractual terms at the pre‑acquisition stage
- Reviewing and providing guidance on rights agreements for the Rights department
- Acting as first point of contact for an editorial department on contract and deal‑related queries
- Liaising with colleagues at all levels, from editorial assistants to Publishing Directors
- Anticipating contractual issues and proactively offering solutions
- Processing reversion requests, permissions, and issuing ISBNs
- Supporting the senior team with management information and ad‑hoc requests
Skills Required
- Working knowledge of copyright and contract law, confident in a fast‑paced commercial environment
- Strong drafting and negotiation skills, able to handle complex agreements independently
- Clear and effective communicator, able to translate legal and contractual concepts for non‑legal colleagues at all levels
- Proactive and solutions‑focused, anticipating problems before they arise
- Capable of managing multiple priorities and deadlines while maintaining attention to detail
- Collaborative, building trusted working relationships within and outside a team
- Resilient and adaptable, remaining calm under pressure or pushback
- Curious and commercially minded, interested in staying ahead of legal and industry developments
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, Elevate, HarperParents, Menopause at Work, Pride at HC, Social Mobility Network, Neurodiversity at Work
- Unlimited training on our Learning and Development portal, management courses (up to MA level) and mentoring programmes
- Virtual GP and eye care vouchers
- Gym membership discount
- Onsite physiotherapy (London only)
- Charitable donation matching and 2 volunteering days
- Certified Carbon Neutral company
- Free e‑books and audiobooks, digital newspaper subscriptions and discounts on books
- Subsidised canteen and retail discounts
- Onsite prayer room
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