Senior Commissioning Editor, Penguin Life (Penguin General)

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Penguin Life at Penguin General is seeking a Senior Commissioning Editor to publish eight non-fiction titles a year in health, wellbeing, psychology and modern philosophy, with international potential. Reporting to the Editorial Director, you will manage the publishing cycle, generate ideas from trends, conduct market research across platforms and markets, and build author and agent relationships. The role rewards curiosity, collaboration, negotiation, and a balance of creative and analytical thinking, with focus on deadlines and contributing to Penguin Random House’s diversity goals. To apply by February 6, 2026, please submit your CV and a cover letter including a pitch for an author who would fit Penguin Life; highlight acquisitions, relationships, and a track record of selling enduring titles. Salary £45,000-£48,000; hybrid arrangement with in-person London meetings.

Senior Commissioning Editor, Penguin Life (Penguin General)

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Commissioning Editor to join the Penguin Life team at Penguin General, home of bestselling authors such as Dr Rangan Chatterjee, James Nestor, Ellie Middleton and Haemin Sunim. We're looking for an ambitious and proactive acquirer with an eye for the biggest books in health, wellbeing, popular psychology, modern philosophy and inspiration.

About Penguin Life

Penguin Life is a home for books that span all areas of our lives, from relationships to career, psychology to cookery, productivity to parenting, health to leadership, smart thinking to spirituality. What unites all of our books is that they offer new information, and practical steps, to embrace behavioural change. Our authors are experts and thought leaders, mission-driven pioneers who lead with integrity and purpose. Penguin Life’s books, and authors, can be relied on as trustworthy guides in the often-overwhelming world of personal development.

The role

In this role, you will work as part of a team that is collaborative and supportive, proactive and entrepreneurial. We work hard to nurture individual talent as part of our collective success. At Penguin General, we strive for working life to be progressive, energising, motivating and rewarding for all our colleagues at every level. We value curiosity and are looking for people who notice the world, ask questions, and bring fresh perspectives to what we do. If you’re endlessly curious and love discovering and sharing new ideas, you’ll feel at home here.

Reporting to the Editorial Director, and joining a team of seven, this role will be responsible for publishing around eight new non-fiction titles a year with a particular focus on enduring trends in health and lifestyle publishing, ideally with international potential, that will sell for years to come.

In the role, you can also expect to be:

• Generating books for publishing in part through being on top of trends and proactively seeking out new opportunities.
• Managing the complete publishing cycle of your books, liaising with key departments across the business, authors, agents and other external partners.
• Engaged in market research across multiple platforms and territories, sharing information and using it to inform acquisitions.
• Networking to create and maintain strong relationships with authors, agents and other partners in the UK and internationally.
• A strong team player and an advocate for your books and the Penguin Life list.

What you’ll bring

Essential criteria:

We are looking for a creative, highly motivated individual with talent and high potential. You will be knowledgeable about the market, full of ideas and confident in collaborating in-house and out from start to finish of each book.

The ability to work effectively under pressure while keeping to schedule is essential, as are strong organisational skills and attention to detail. You’ll be an excellent communicator, able to write persuasive cover copy and make convincing verbal pitches, as well as create and maintain matchless author relationships. You will also actively engage with Penguin Random House’s diversity and inclusion goals.

• Engaged with the outside world and brings a commercial mind-set.
• Interested in acquiring in areas of health, wellbeing, popular psychology, modern philosophy and inspiration.
• Strong internal and external relationship management skills, with the ability to communicate effectively to a wide range of people and to influence others. 
• Experience with authors, agents and international buy-ins.
• A good mix of strong creative and analytical skills.
• A confident negotiator.
• Scrupulous attention to detail and organisational skills.
• A strong team player with interpersonal sensitivity.

Application instructions

Please apply with your CV and cover letter outlining why you are the right candidate for the role by 6th of February 2026.

Please ensure you include a cover letter, as it is a crucial part of our assessment process. The cover letter offers an opportunity to show how your experience and interests align with the role requirements. Typically, we expect the cover letter to be no more than one or two pages in length.

Please include in your cover letter a pitch for an author (either an established author or someone who you think could write a great debut) who you think would sit well on the Penguin Life list. 

Salary

The salary range for this Senior Commissioning Editor role is £45,000 to £48,000. An offer will be made in line with how your skills and experience align to the role.

For our full benefits list please visit:  https://jobsearch.createyourowncareer.com/PRH_UK/content/what-we-offer/?locale=en_GB

Hybrid working

While our offices are places for you to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, having flexibility about where you work is just as important for doing your best work and for your wellbeing. So, we don’t have a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to how we work across Penguin Random House UK.

For this role, there are regular meetings and activities that you will need to attend in person at our offices in London. Outside of these moments, you can choose to work remotely. We are happy to discuss this arranging further with you during the recruitment process.

 Company: The Random House Group Limited | Job ID: 285764