Senior Editor (Crime & Thriller) | Independent Publisher
Senior Editor (Crime & Thriller) | Independent Publisher | London | Permanent | Hybrid (3 days in office) | Full time or part time considered
Are you an experienced Senior Editor who enjoys shaping commercial fiction, building strong author relationships and helping great books find even bigger audiences? Read on if you’re looking for a role where editorial expertise and commercial thinking go hand in hand.
Our partner: Our partner is an award-winning independent publisher with a strong reputation for commercial fiction and a growing international readership. Known for publishing bestselling genre fiction and investing in both established and emerging talent, they combine editorial expertise with an entrepreneurial approach to bringing books to market. The organisation continues to grow through innovation, catalogue development and a commitment to readers and authors alike.
Responsibilities:
- Managing a portfolio of backlist authors and titles from editorial review through to publication, ensuring projects remain on schedule and commercially focused.
- Working closely with authors to develop manuscripts, provide editorial guidance and maintain positive, productive relationships.
- Leading structural editing projects and coordinating freelance editorial support where required.
- Repositioning and refreshing existing titles through improved packaging, metadata, cover briefs and compelling reader-facing copy.
- Collaborating with publishing, marketing and production colleagues to support successful launches, relaunches and wider publishing initiatives.
Experience and skills that will deliver success in this role: The right candidate will be a commercially aware publishing professional with substantial editorial experience and a strong understanding of what makes genre fiction resonate with readers. You will be equally comfortable refining manuscripts, developing publishing strategies and managing multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
Essential:
- Solid editorial, project editing or desk editing experience within trade publishing.
- Strong understanding of commercial fiction markets, particularly reader expectations and market positioning.
- Experience working directly with authors and managing long-term author relationships.
- Excellent structural editing, copywriting and proofreading skills.
- Ability to create compelling blurbs, promotional copy, cover briefs and metadata.
- Strong organisational skills with experience managing multiple deadlines and priorities.
- Confidence using Microsoft Word and common digital collaboration and file management tools.
- Excellent communication skills and a collaborative approach to working across teams.
Desirable:
- Experience working with crime, mystery or thriller fiction.
- Experience relaunching, repackaging or repositioning backlist titles.
- Familiarity with digital publishing platforms and online book retail environments.
- Interest in cover design, metadata optimisation and reader acquisition strategies.
- Experience supporting box sets, series relaunches or promotional publishing projects.
The opportunity: This is an opportunity to join a growing publisher where editorial influence extends far beyond manuscript development. You’ll have the chance to shape how books are positioned, packaged and discovered by readers, while working with a diverse catalogue of commercial fiction. It would suit someone who enjoys balancing editorial craftsmanship with commercial decision-making and who wants to see the direct impact of their work on publishing success.
What’s on offer:
- Salary: £35-40k DOE
- Working pattern: Hybrid (3 days in London office)
- Full time or part time (3 days a week)
Applications: (Click the button below. / Via our website here.)
Alternatively, send your CV to Helen at helen@wonderfulideasproject.com
If applying via email, please use the following as the subject line: Senior Editor | JobID: ZR_365_JOB
Don’t delay in applying if this is the job for you! We’re not working to a fixed closing date, so we’re keen to hear from you as soon as possible.
We understand what it’s like when you don’t get a response to your application. Although we work hard to acknowledge everybody, many of our roles have a large number of applicants and we can’t always respond to all of you.
At Wonderful, we are dedicated to promoting diversity in all its forms. We are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable environment that promotes equal opportunities for wonderful people. We actively encourage candidates from under-represented groups to apply and warmly welcome all individuals with exceptional abilities, irrespective of their background.
Find out more about Wonderful:
www.linkedin.com/company/wonderful-recruitment-and-development/
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