Work with us
The Booker Prizes occupy a unique place in the literary sphere, enjoying an enviable reputation as a cultural institution that is highly respected, much loved and hotly debated throughout the world
Over the past 50 years, more than 600 extraordinary books have been brought to the attention of the public, influencing reading tastes and transforming culture in Britain and beyond, along with the careers of hundreds of authors from around the globe.
The Booker Prize Foundation is a registered charity, established in 2002, which is responsible for awarding the Booker Prize and the International Booker Prize. It exists to inspire more people to read – and write – the world’s best fiction. In adding a year-round, far-reaching digital portfolio, the Booker Prizes are now the globally recognised home of great writing.
Other aspects of the Foundation’s work include the funding of Braille and audio editions of Booker Prizes books through the RNIB, Books Unlocked, a long-standing reading initiative in prisons, and the UEA Booker Prize Foundation Scholarship, awarded annually to a candidate for the Creative Writing MA at the University of East Anglia. Many past scholars have since met with acclaim as published authors.
We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are under-represented in the creative industries.
Our current vacancies are listed below.
Communications Manager
Contract and location: Employee, preferably full-time employment and London-based
Salary: £45,000+ pa, depending on experience
Application details: Email CV and covering letter (two pages maximum) to [email protected]
Deadline for applications: 10 May 2024
Reporting to: Director of Prize Management and Special Projects
The role
We are looking for a Communications Manager to join the small in-house Booker Prize Foundation team. This is a new role and presents a rare opportunity for a talented professional to effectively communicate the organisation’s ambitions and achievements to build its reputation, profile and reach, and inspire more people to read great fiction.
Key responsibilities
Developing and delivering – in collaboration with and support from the wider team – the overarching external PR strategy, messaging and timeline for the Booker Prize Foundation to encompass:
– The Booker Prize
– The International Booker Prize
– Year-round editorial output including video interviews and online features
– Initiatives run in partnership with external organisations such as the Books Unlocked prisons programme with the National Literacy Trust and our work with the RNIB
– Announcing new partnerships and projects
– Corporate developments e.g. new hires and funding arrangements
– Crisis communicationsDay-to-day management of our PR agency, who sell in prize announcements, secure coverage for our judging panels and nominees, and oversee media activity around the ceremonies
Drafting press releases for all announcements including judges, longlist, shortlist, winner, as well as additional news outlined above
Pitching coverage for any news or features beyond the prizes
Supporting the Director of Prize Management on programming the Booker Prizes’ series of public events, including building relationships with literary festivals and arts venues, planning logistics and overseeing media/marketing promotions
Working closely with existing partners such as the BBC and Southbank Centre, and contributing to the wider partnership strategy with both ideas and delivery support
Creating bespoke schedules for authors and judges around the prize activity
Maintaining and building a network of media and cultural contacts to elevate campaigns, bring new opportunities and feed into invitation lists
Keeping abreast of key media, publishing, literary prize and cultural news and trends to feed into PR strategy
Skills and experience
The successful candidate will have at least five years of experience working in communications, PR or marketing roles. They should be able to evidence their experience in devising and leading effective PR and/or marketing campaigns.
It is not essential for applicants to have a publishing background, but they will take a keen interest in reading and promoting books, and their place in the wider cultural scene.
They will have the ability and confidence to strategise about the larger brand image and will understand the organisation’s values.
They will enjoy working as part of a small, friendly, dynamic team and will be organised, industrious, creative and detail-focused in their thinking and working. They should be be flexible in their approach to tackling a diverse range of tasks.
They will be articulate and tactful in dealings with others within the team, the board of trustees and the advisory committee, and externally with key stakeholders including authors, translators, publishers, agents, librarians, retailers, suppliers and partners.
Excellent writing skills are a must: press releases must conform to the standards of the world’s most prestigious literary prizes.
They will understand how to cultivate relationships with journalists and influencers and will ideally have a wide range of contacts across news and arts media.
- They will be a highly-motivated person, who is able to work independently, and who inspires confidence and trust from those around them.
How to apply
Please send a covering letter of no more than two pages outlining your suitability for the role and a CV by end of 10 May 2024 to [email protected]
In your covering letter, please explain why you are interested in the Communications Manager job and how your experience and skills match what we are looking for.
Successful candidates will be invited to interview in the week commencing 3 June 2024.
Booker Prize 2023 winner Paul Lynch, author of Prophet Song, with the judges
© David Parry/Booker Prize FoundationDigital Product Manager
Location: Hybrid, preferably at least 1 day per week in central London office, but flexible
Contract: Fixed Term to 31 March 2025, 3 days per week
Salary: c £60,000 - £70,000 pa. pro rata
Application details: Email CV and covering letter (two pages maximum) to [email protected]
Deadline for applications: 10 May 2024
Reporting to Head of Editorial
Job description
• Agree the vision and outcomes for Booker’s digital presence in collaboration with the team, developing a roadmap of digital development across channels with clear priorities and measurable outcomes.
• Accelerate our community engagement by evolving current strategies, embracing new tactics and further developing our audio, video and newsletter strategies.
• Lead design and functional changes to our website through a strong technical understanding of what it takes to develop content features, enabling us to get the best value from our suppliers.
• Manage, brief and on board external partners including the external development team for The Booker Prizes website.
• Research and identify user needs through use of digital analytics and user research tools as well as devising and conducting additional research, sometimes with the help of external agencies.
• Understand wider trends and technological developments affecting our users and the platforms they use, and our users’ emerging needs and interests that Booker can support.
• Adept and organised, you will synthesize insight gained across analytics, channels and wider research into regular, insightful reports that will drive innovative and impactful product development and other digital initiatives.
• Agile and adaptable, you will understand when and how to pivot activities quickly whilst also appreciating that the pace of change may sometimes need to be slower.
Skills and experience
• 3+ years experience working in digital product and channel development.
• Experienced in balancing editorial and creative direction with evidence-based decision-making, guiding product development, channel management and prioritisation of digital initiatives.
• Proficient in the use of Google Analytics and other online analytics tools, such as for email newsletters and social channels.
• Strong understanding of SEO, paid search and social ensuring we get best value for money for all paid media strategies.
• Knowledge and experience of techniques for gaining insight into users and communities using interviews, questionnaires, workshops and other tools.
• A good understanding of digital design and UX, and how principles are applied.
• Experience in using content management systems, preferably for a content-generating organisation.
• Experience of working with subject matter experts and content creators.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to negotiate complex stakeholder environments skilfully and tactfully.
• Excellent attention to detail, able to quality assure new developments.
• Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritise your time.
• A passion for literature and digital content.
How to apply
- Please send a covering letter of no more than two pages outlining your suitability for the role and a CV by end of 10 May 2024 to [email protected]
- In your covering letter, please explain why you are interested in the Digital Product Manager job and how your experience and skills match what we are looking for.
Successful candidates will be invited to interview in the week commencing 3 June 2024.
Chair of judges Leïla Slimani with author Georgi Gospodinov and translator Angela Rodel, after winning the International Booker Prize 2023 for the novel Time Shelter
© David Parry