Publisher for Trade Non-fiction

Job reference: CIX-026202
Salary: Grade 7 £45,585 to £56,021 per annum, depending on relevant experience
Faculty/organisational unit: Cultural Institutions
Location: Manchester
Employment type: Permanent
Division/team: Manchester University Press
Hours per week: 1 FTE
Closing date (DD/MM/YYYY): 02/08/2024
Contract duration: n/a
School/directorate: Manchester University Press

Manchester University Press (MUP) is looking for a Publisher (Trade Non-Fiction) to join their Editorial (acquisitions) team. MUP has been growing a trade presence for the past several years, with notable successes in international relations, pop music, local interest and social topics.  Based in Manchester, MUP publishes intellectually rigorous and thought-provoking books that engage with contemporary social, cultural, environmental and political issues. As a university press, we are uniquely positioned to build a list with a reputation for robust thought and writing, finding our authors in academia, the media and beyond.   Our books have gained recognition as Guardian books of the week and year and Financial Times books of the year, and won many prizes.  This role will be central in taking the MUP trade programme to the next level, working with Heads of Department on brand identity and direction. It will involve identifying and bringing in book projects that are in tune with current affairs, based on meticulous research and framed to attract the bookshop browser, to drive growth and profitability by balancing commerciality and creativity, big ideas and accessible narratives. This will be an unrivalled opportunity for an experienced manager and editor to join a growing press based in one of the UK’s most vibrant cities.

The successful candidate will have experience in creating and managing a thriving list of high-quality content that shapes and drives trends, achieving review coverage at a national and international level. They will demonstrate sound commercial judgement and strategic sensibility, with a track record of hitting targets and dynamically growing a list, reporting clearly against KPIs. They will bring a network of useful agent and author contacts and their knowledge of the trade non-fiction market will be fully up-to-date, with a clear understanding of what bookshop buyers want from a book. They will be both creative and collaborative, able to work within a close-knit team to generate and develop new ideas and leads, and happy to pursue them. An experienced people manager, they will combine the ability to meet deadlines and keep a busy list organised with a talent for problem solving and making things happen. 

As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status.  All appointments are made on merit.

Our University is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.

Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.

Any recruitment enquiries from recruitment agencies should be directed to People.Recruitment@manchester.ac.uk.

Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.

Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews:

Name: Emma Brennan

Email: emma.brennan@manchester.ac.uk

General enquiries:

Email: People.recruitment@manchester.ac.uk

Technical support: jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.

Further particulars including job description and person specification are available on the University of Manchester website - click on the 'Apply' button above to find out more.

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