Company: HarperCollins Canada

Job Title: Contract Publicist, 6 months

Department(s): Publicity

Reports to:  Director, Publicity

Status: 6 month contract (September 8, 2026- February 26, 2027)

Location:  22 Adelaide Street West, Toronto (hybrid model)

Job Vacancy Status:     Vacant and actively accepting applications

The Contract Publicist will oversee the publicity and promotion of titles published by HarperCollins publishing partners in the  Canadian market as assigned by the Director of Publicity.

HarperCollins Publishers has been entertaining, educating, and inspiring generations of readers for more than 200 years. From its humble beginnings as a family-run print shop, HarperCollins is today the second-largest consumer book publisher in the world. Headquartered in New York, it has more than 4,000 employees working across publishing operations in 15 countries and 120 branded imprints. The company publishes approximately 10,000 new books every year in 16 languages and has a print and digital catalog of more than 250,000 titles. We seek to deliver content that presents a diversity of voices and speaks to the global community.

HarperCollins in Canada:

HarperCollinsCanada is responsible for the sales, marketing, and publicity of HarperCollins titles from around the globe, and the proud home of many bestselling and award-winning authors such as Kate Quinn, Esi Edugyan, Barbara Kingsolver, Ann Patchett, Lawrence Hill, Rachel Reid, Tanya Talaga, R.F. Kuang, Matt Haig, Laurie Gilmore, and Jeffery Archer, as well as international brands such as J. R. R. Tolkien, Agatha Christie, C. S. Lewis, and Veronica Roth.

• Plan and execute author appearances including multi-city book tours, local appearances, school visits, and special events.
• Pitch and secure interviews and book coverage with national and regional media outlets, including broadcast, print, podcasts, and online outlets.
• Arranges all travel for assigned authors and creates tour schedules.
• Writes compelling press releases, pitch letters, and other promotional materials in service of the publicity campaign.
• Briefs authors on how to communicate key messages in media interviews/appearances.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with media including TV/radio producers, book reviewers, as well as booksellers/event coordinators.
• Escort authors as needed to various events and media interviews on tour.
• Attend festivals/conventions as needed.
• Works closely with the sales, marketing, and publicity team as well as authors, agents, editors.

• 1+ years of experience in publicity, preferably in the publishing industry. Proven ability to generate creative angles and pitches.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment under deadlines.
• Ability to work in a collaborative team environment.
• Excellent communication skills, including exceptional writing skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong presentation skills and the ability to represent campaigns to various stakeholders such as agents, authors, media, event organizers, etc.
• Ability to travel to conferences/festivals/events as needed.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.

Education/Formal Training:

• Book publishing courses or certificate an asset
• Drivers License an asset

Working conditions

This position is operated in a hybrid office environment with some need to travel within North America.

Physical requirements

This position often requires periods of sitting and keyboarding.

Direct reports

This position has no direct reports.

About HarperCollins Canada and Harlequin

Harlequin is a leading publisher of commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction. We publish more than 100 titles a month that reach audiences globally. Encompassing highly recognizable imprints that span a broad number of genres, we are home to many award-winning New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling authors. Harlequin is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, the second-largest consumer book publisher in the world. Through HarperCollins’s global publishing program, Harlequin titles are published in 17 countries and 16 languages.

The salary range for this contract is $50,000-$55,000. We recognize that attracting the best talent is key to our strategy and success as a company. As a result, we aim for flexibility in structuring competitive compensation offers to ensure we are able to attract the best candidates. The quoted salary range represents our good faith estimate as to what our ideal candidates are likely to expect, and we tailor our offers within the range based on the selected candidate's experience, industry knowledge, technical and communication skills, and other factors that may prove relevant during the interview process.

Known worldwide for the quality of its list, HarperCollins Canada is the proud home of many bestselling and award-winning authors, including Esi Edugyan, Heather O’Neill, and Lawrence Hill. It is our vision to publish the best books of our generation and to work with authors over the length and breadth of their careers. Our authors are at the centre of everything we do. In addition to the Canadian publishing program, HarperCollins Canada is responsible for the sales, marketing, and publicity of HarperCollins titles from around the globe.

HarperCollins Canada and Harlequin are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to equal employment opportunities. Employment decisions are based on job requirements and the skills, knowledge, and experience of the candidate, regardless of any other factors unrelated to job performance.

HarperCollins Publishers is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities, in our job application and/or interview process. If you need assistance or accommodation in completing your application, due to a disability, email us at [email protected]. Note: we will only respond to accommodation requests.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.