Do you like to recommend the best new books to everyone you know? Would you like to work with the team which publishes Zadie Smith, Richard Osman, Dolly Alderton, Ben Macintyre, Dr Rangan Chatterjee and Barack and Michelle Obama?


We are looking to hire a new Communications Assistant, with a marketing focus, on a permanent basis.



The opportunity: Penguin General is one of our publishing divisions that make up Penguin Random House UK. There are five imprints at Penguin General: Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Penguin Life, Viking and Sandycove. The latter is based in Dublin.


General is made up of extremely talented colleagues, who set a high bar in terms of quality of output, who take pride in their work and strive for both individual and collective success. We publish a diverse range of books from prize-winning novelists and bestselling authors like Bernardine Evaristo, Ali Smith, Richard Osman, Zadie Smith, Meera Sodha, Elif Shafak, Barack Obama, and in genres that span literary fiction, politics, lifestyle, business, history, crime, and popular fiction.


As Communications Assistant, you will provide administrative support to the marketing team to facilitate the smooth running of the department. You will also be flexibly involved in supporting campaign handlers by creating proofs and assets, and working with bloggers to generate reader buzz.


Responsibilities will include:

• Administration and budget support: managing Net Galley title uploads, approvals, and data analysis, researching and coordinating influencer campaigns, and compiling and submitting early materials for The Bookseller monthly submissions.
• Presentation and meeting coordination: creating slides, preparing materials, booking rooms, and managing agenda items.
• Content and asset creation: overseeing the bi-annual catalogue creation, developing proofs for books and creating social media and A+ assets.

Plus, much more!


What you’ll bring: You do not need to have previous publishing experience to excel in this role. However, you’ll be working directly with colleagues right across the business - including in sales, editorial, and design, as well as media agencies, authors, and freelancers - so you’ll need to have excellent communication skills to effectively support the team. You will also need:

• Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills
• The ability to multitask and handle competing priorities
• The ability to work on your own and motivate yourself, be proactive, and think creatively

We’re looking for someone with an interest in the books published by Penguin General. Someone with an understanding of different audiences and how to reach them, and a knowledge of social media, is also desirable.



Disability Confident: If you have opted into our disability confident scheme below is the minimum criteria you must meet to be considered for our interview scheme. Please note, there may be occasions where the volume of applicants means we can’t take all eligible candidates to interview.


Minimum criteria

• Demonstratable interest in communications and in Penguin General
• Proven written ability showcased through your application
• Experience/ Knowledge of MS Office Excel/Word/ Outlook
• Demonstrable understanding of managing multiple stakeholders at varying seniorities
• Demonstrable communication skills

About Penguin: We’re the UK’s largest publisher; made up of some 2,000 people and publishing over 1,500 books each year. Our doors are open to all kinds of talent. In a constantly evolving industry, we work hard to stretch the definition of the word publisher. Here, you’ll work with a breadth of talent who all play their part to make each of our books a success. Together, we make books for everyone because a book can change anyone.


How to apply: Please apply with your CV and Cover Letter by 23:59 on Thursday 26th September. As part of your cover letter, please tell us about a campaign you've seen recently and why it caught your attention (within 200 words). This does not need to be book related. Also, don’t forget to let us know what interests you about this role in communications.


Please note untailored cover letters will not be considered.


Salary: £27,500 plus bonus and benefits.


Competitive benefits package: Our people are the heart of our business, and we work hard to support a culture of responsibility and recognition.


Our benefits include:

• Financial – discounted shopping, season ticket loan, rental deposit loan
• Wellbeing - healthcare cash plan, employee assistance, gym loan
• Lifestyle – taste card, tech scheme, free and discounted books

For our full benefits list please visit: https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/what-we-offer/


Hybrid working: We’re experimenting with a hybrid way of working that suits the needs of each team. While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. The exact balance of office to remote working will depend on the nature of your role and team needs, and we expect that for this role you will need to be in the London office 2-3 days a week.


The recruitment process: You can read about our recruitment process at https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/how-we-hire/


As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we offer interviews to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role, and opt-in on their application form. There may be times when the volume of applications means we cannot take all eligible candidates to interview.


We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing PRHCareers UK@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable to for us to support your request.


Please note, we are not able to accept agency CVs for this role. Any CVs sent speculatively will not be eligible for a fee.


Company: The Random House Group Limited
Country: United Kingdom
State/Region: London
City: london
Postal Code: SW11 7BW
Job ID: 273636