Position: Editor: LUCA
Report to: Publisher: LUCA
Division: Faith & Inspirational
Location: Midrand │ Cape Town

Are you passionate about inspirational literature and have a knack for refining raw manuscripts into captivating books? Do you have a deep appreciation for language nuances and an unquenchable thirst for stories and non-fiction that resonate across cultures? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you!

Penguin Random House South Africa is a renowned publishing house known for its commitment to fostering literary excellence and promoting diverse voices. With a rich history of bringing compelling narratives to readers worldwide, we are seeking an enthusiastic Editor to join our Faith & Inspirational Department

Position Overview
As an Editor in our Faith & Inspirational Department, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the literary landscape by working closely with authors, manuscripts, and book proposals in both Afrikaans and English. Your impeccable language skills and creative insights will contribute to bringing extraordinary stories to life.

Key responsibilities
• Collaborate with authors to refine and enhance their manuscripts, offering constructive feedback on plot or structure, character development, pacing, and overall storytelling.
• Review and evaluate book proposals, identifying market trends and potential for commercial success.
• Edit manuscripts for grammar, syntax, punctuation, and consistency, ensuring the final product is polished and captivating.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the nuances of both Afrikaans and English languages, preserving the authenticity and flow of narratives during translation and editing.
• Liaise with copy editors and proofreaders to ensure the integrity of the original text is preserved while getting it print-ready.
• Establish good working relationships with members of the Fiction team and other departments.
• Collaborate with design and marketing teams to contribute to cover designs, blurbs, and promotional materials.
• Stay abreast of industry trends and reader preferences to contribute to the editorial direction of the department.
• Work methodically to manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, and ensure the editorial process runs smoothly.
• Utilise excellent organisational skills to keep track of manuscripts, revisions, and author communications.
• Prepare and deliver PowerPoint presentations about book proposals and ideas at concept meetings.

The ideal candidate has
• A bachelor’s degree in Languages (English or Afrikaans), Literature, Creative Writing, Publishing, or a related field. An honours or master’s degree is a plus.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience as an editor, preferably within the inspirational genre.

Prospective Penguins must have the following skills
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Passion for language, literature, and the art of storytelling.
• Familiarity with contemporary market trends and a keen eye for identifying new, financially viable concepts.
• has excellent people skills, an exceptional knowledge of Afrikaans and at least a relevant BA degree; and
• is computer literate.

Skills and knowledge required
• Native or fully bilingual proficiency in both Afrikaans and English, with exceptional language competencies in both languages.
• Strong editorial skills, including the ability to provide constructive feedback and edit for grammar, style, and content.
• A deep understanding of literary techniques, storytelling principles, and narrative structure.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with authors, colleagues, and other departments.
• Excellent organisational skills to ensure a structured and efficient workflow.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. Proficiency in Excel will be a plus.

Company culture & environment
• Our employees are all intelligent, dynamic, fun-loving, customer-focused problem-solvers, with the shared aim to be the best in the industry
• We are book lovers and love sharing this passion with others
• We offer an open and all-inclusive culture championing equity and diversity
• Our company is a supportive environment, particularly with a focus on the development of Psychological Safety within a post-pandemic context
• We believe in leadership through transparency and the recognition of performance excellence
• We focus on fostering employee development through the tenets of creativity, entrepreneurship and empowerment.

If you meet the above criteria and have what it takes to become the newest member of our team, please send your CV and a covering letter, clearly stating your salary expectations, to Jason Daniels – applications@penguinrandomhouse.co.za

Closing date: 21 November 2024

PASA bursaries available for publishing studies in 2025

The Publishing Association of South Africa is delighted to announce that it is awarding bursaries to students who are interested in pursuing publishing studies at the University of Pretoria and the University of the Witwatersrand.

PASA encourages students from diverse backgrounds to study publishing, with a view to building a career in the South African publishing industry. With the financial support of the FP&M SETA and PASA members, we are proud to support the growth of skills and diversity in our industry.

Bursaries are available for the following courses in the 2025 academic year:
• University of Pretoria | Bachelor of Information Science: Publishing Undergraduate students for their second and third years of study
• University of the Witwatersrand | Publishing Studies Honours Degree Postgraduate Honours students (full-time and part-time)

Only students who have been accepted into these designated programmes of study will be eligible for this bursary. The bursary is open to black South African students with financial need. Successful candidates will be awarded full coverage of tuition fees, as well as a living stipend.

Applicants should apply to the relevant institutions by 30 November 2024.

PASA will engage directly with institutions to screen applicants who meet the bursary criteria.

For more information about PASA visit www.publishsa.co.za.

Snapplify is looking for an experienced Educational Sales Account Manager who is passionate about sales and deals, makes an immediate impact and will grow our customer base.

To learn more and apply, click here: https://snapplify.bamboohr.com/careers/160