Publishing Assistant

Location: Totnes, Office based

This role will report to the Editor

NHBS is looking for a Publishing Assistant to play a key role in running our two magazines,
British Wildlife and Conservation Land Management. Our ideal candidate will have exceptional
organisation and communication skills, strong attention to detail, and a proactive approach to
problem-solving. This varied role will include managing subscriptions and enquiries to ensure
outstanding customer service for our subscribers, working with printers to ensure timely
production and mailing of the magazines, assisting with editorial tasks, liaising with authors
around invoicing and deadlines, representing the magazines and NHBS at events to help build the
company’s profile, and researching ways to develop the magazines’ readership and advertising
revenue.

British Wildlife and Conservation Land Management are two of the UK’s longest-running and most
highly regarded publications on natural history and conservation. The Publishing Assistant will
play a crucial part in ensuring that the subscriber experience meets the high standards
expected from our customers and in helping to develop and streamline key administrative
processes. We would love to hear from you if you are interested in this opportunity to build
experience in the natural history publishing sector.

As a Publishing Assistant, some of your key roles will be:

• Processing subscription orders and dealing with enquiries from customers
• Managing printing and mailing of the magazines
• Providing support to the NHBS Customer Services team as required
• Handling enquiries from prospective authors and other potential contributors
• Tracking outcomes of editorial meetings
• Updating the magazine websites and seeking improvements in functionality and content
• Assisting with editorial tasks, including image research and deadline reminders
• Requesting and tracking invoices to ensure timely payment for authors
• Researching new systems and leads to help expand the magazines’ readerships and improve
  production processes

Essential qualities:

• Excellent communication and organisation
• Critical thinking and a willingness to learn new skills
• Proactive approach to solving problems
• Ability to work independently as well as in groups
• A demonstrated interest in wildlife and conservation

Desirable skills/traits:

• Experience in a customer-facing role
• Experience using Netsuite or a similar ERP system
• Writing and/or proofreading experience
• Ability to speak another European language

Our offer to you:

The successful candidate will join a diverse and friendly workforce of around 50 colleagues.
You will be part of the small team in publications, reporting to the editor of the magazines,
but cross-departmental work is central to day-to-day life at NHBS. As part of this role, you
can expect to work closely with colleagues in Customer Services, Accounts, Logistics, Marketing
and Product and Purchasing as and when certain tasks or projects require it. This permanent
position is available immediately. Salary: £26,672, based on a 37.5-hour week Monday – Friday,
with the position attracting 28 days holiday p.a including bank holidays. Benefits include your
birthday day off, Employee Assistance Program, enhanced maternity/paternity leave, a generous
company pension, free parking, and refreshments. NHBS also offers each colleague up to three
paid days for conservation volunteering each year.

How to apply:

To be considered for this position, please send a cover letter with your CV by the 27th of
August to [email protected] (Lynne Littlewood HRM).

About us:

Founded in 1985, NHBS Ltd (www.nhbs.com) is a world leader in supplying natural history,
ecology, and conservation books and ecological survey equipment to institutions, retailers,
companies, and private customers worldwide. In addition to the retail business, NHBS
manufactures equipment in an on-site workshop and publishes two magazines. NHBS is passionate
about making a positive environmental impact – our core purpose is to support those who work to
understand, protect, and conserve the natural environment.

Since its launch in 1989, British Wildlife has established its position as the leading natural
history magazine in the UK, providing essential reading for enthusiasts, professional
naturalists, and wildlife conservationists. No other publication offers such high-quality,
authoritative, well-researched, and accessible articles on such a wide range of wildlife
subjects. Published eight times per year, each issue has 84 information-packed pages. There are
several in-depth articles in each issue, covering such diverse subjects as the wildlife of
London’s churchyards, identifying and recording Britain’s smaller ladybirds, restoration of
mountain woodland in the Cairngorms, and the conservation of the Basking Shark. With
contributions from top experts, British Wildlife provides the best way for naturalists and
wildlife conservationists to keep abreast of discoveries and the latest trends.

Conservation Land Management (CLM) is a quarterly magazine aimed at anyone involved in land
management for nature conservation across Britain and Ireland. Articles focus on a wide range
of topics, using up-to-date case studies to support practical solutions. Additional
information, including costings, materials, and equipment, is presented in easy-to-follow boxes
and diagrams. Each issue of CLM contains a range of regular features, including events
listings, new products, conference and event reports, and topical comments, and is illustrated
throughout with top-quality colour illustrations.