Marketing, data and events trainee: ethnically diverse

Marketing, data and events trainee: opportunity for ethnically diverse candidates

Posted on: 17th December, 2025.
Closing date: 15th January, 2026

Apply by 5pm on Thursday 15 January for this full-time, fixed-term traineeship based in Edinburgh.

Launch your publishing career at the heart of Scotland’s book industry! From digital marketing and content creation to supporting events and data projects, this traineeship offers hands-on experience and valuable insights into the industry.

Publishing Scotland is the network, trade and development body for the book publishing sector in Scotland. Established in Edinburgh in 1974, it is a membership body and a charity. Publishing Scotland acts as the voice and network for the publishing sector in Scotland, developing and promoting the work of companies, organisations and individuals in the industry. Its flagship programmes are all in support of its strategic pillars:

• Work towards a more diverse and sustainable sector
• Professionalising the sector – helping individuals and companies with a targeted audience
• Internationalising – creating international opportunities for the book sector
• Showcasing the sector

The marketing, data and events assistant trainee will have two main areas of focus. The first is providing assistance to the marketing and trade development manager at Publishing Scotland. The trainee will provide support to some of our key promotional activities in support of Scottish book publishers as well as contributing to the work that helps Scottish publishers improve their marketing and sales activities.

The second focus is supporting metadata and data management projects. This will provide the trainee with insight into how these projects are managed, and experience being involved in the early stages of a major data project and in its transformational effects on the efficiency of an organisation.

Key activities

Assisting with content management for Books From Scotland

• Initially, uploading information about new books and authors to the Books From Scotland  website, using Word Press
• As the role progresses, making decisions about the content we put together for the quarterly e-issues
• Liaising directly with publishers to acquire information about their new and upcoming titles and feature content

Assisting with digital marketing for Books From Scotland

• Compiling the issues to be circulated via our newsletter
• Digital marketing in support of Books From Scotland  on social media (X, Blue Sky and Instagram)
• Growing the Books From Scotland  mailing list with competitions and extra content
• Engaging with publishers and authors on social media

Support for Book Trade events

• Liaising to confirm slots for pitching events where publishers pitch their books to the major book festivals in Scotland
• Hosting publishers and representatives of the relevant festival and ensuring the smooth running of pitching events
• Liaising to confirm slots for Meet the Buyers days
• Liaising with publishers on attendance for online Open Book sessions

Administrative support for the annual Publishing Scotland Trade Day

• Assisting with compiling PowerPoint presentations for Fever Pitch and Opening Quiz
• Liaising with publishers on book samples, food allergies and author attendance
• Compiling seating plans and attendee lists
• Assisting with signage and attendee lanyards
• Assisting with setup on the day, making sure tables are ready for publishers

Involvement with PS Data and Metadata projects

What you will learn

• How to work in a small, collaborative team and be supported to develop essential professional skills, including communication, time management and planning
• The routes that books take to market including:
  • How publishers pitch books to booksellers and festivals
  • How publishers market their books to different types of customers
  • How publishers market their books directly to readers
• The publishing sector in Scotland including:
  • Different types of publishing companies
  • Different genres of publishing
  • The key authors, agents, and publishing companies to be aware of

What you will gain

• Experience of content management for a website and digital marketing via social media
• Insights into how efficient systems sit at the heart of successful…