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Editorial Assistant
(Editorial Aide, Digital Editorial Assistant, Magazine Editorial Assistant, Editorial Coordinator)
Creative & Media
Salary
€26,000 - €42,000/yr
Level
Operational
Outlook
Stable
Sector
Creative & Media
What does an Editorial Assistant do?
As an Editorial Assistant you support editors and journalists throughout the full publication process, whether in a book publishing house, newspaper, magazine, or online media organisation. Your day-to-day tasks include proofreading copy, fact-checking information, organising interviews and scheduling, and liaising with writers, designers, and rights holders. You help manage editorial databases and submission systems, obtain reproduction rights and permissions, and ensure that content meets the publication's editorial standards. You often work across both print and digital formats, contributing to websites, social media feeds, and newsletters alongside traditional print products.
A Day in the Life
Listen: a day as an Editorial Assistant
You arrive at the office just before nine o'clock, hang up your coat, and open your email to find seventeen new messages since yesterday evening. Two are from freelance writers chasing payment queries — you forward those to accounts — and one is from a photographer asking whether you have received the signed model release form for an upcoming feature. You log into the editorial management system, check the submissions tracker, and confirm the form arrived yesterday. You reply promptly and tick the item off your permissions checklist. By half nine you are at your desk with a marked-up proof of next month's long-read article. Using the house style guide, you work through the text sentence by sentence, correcting punctuation, flagging inconsistencies in the writer's spelling of a public figure's name, and querying a statistic that does not match the source cited. You add a comment in the shared document rather than changing the figure yourself — it is always the editor's call on matters of fact.
Videos about Editorial Assistant
Ian Mander - Assistant Editor
icould career stories
Some videos were filmed in the UK. The work itself is the same, but the exams, qualifications and pay they mention are British — we include them so you get a feel for the job.
Required Education
Most Editorial Assistants in Ireland hold a degree in English, Journalism, Media Studies, or Communications at NFQ Level 7 or Level 8; relevant programmes include the BA in Journalism at DCU, BA in Media Studies at MIC Limerick, and similar courses at UCD, University of Galway, or TU Dublin. Leaving Certificate subjects such as English, a modern language, and Media Studies provide a strong foundation. Some entrants come through QQI Level 5 or 6 PLC courses in Journalism or Media Production offered at Colleges of Further Education, followed by industry experience. A postgraduate qualification such as an MA in Publishing or Journalism (NFQ Level 9) can strengthen prospects, particularly for roles in book publishing. There is no statutory regulatory body for editorial work in Ireland, but membership of organisations such as the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) is common. Work experience and internships with Irish media organisations are highly valued by employers.
Required Skills
Career Perspective
Most Editorial Assistants begin in a junior support role within a publishing house, newspaper group, or digital media organisation, often following an internship or work placement. With experience, you can progress to Editorial Coordinator or Junior Editor, taking on greater responsibility for commissioning, managing contributors, and shaping content. Further advancement leads to roles such as Editor, Senior Editor, or Content Manager, where you have full responsibility for a publication, section, or content strategy. Some experienced editors move into freelance editorial work, commissioning consultancy, or transition into roles in communications, public relations, or content marketing.
AI Impact on the job
AI writing and editing tools are increasingly used in Irish newsrooms and publishing houses to assist with tasks such as grammar checking, automated summarisation, and basic copy generation, which changes the nature of an editorial assistant's day-to-day workload. Routine proofreading and simple fact-checking tasks may be partially automated, freeing editorial assistants to focus on higher-level tasks such as commissioning, relationship management, and editorial judgement. However, human oversight remains essential for ensuring accuracy, tone, legal compliance, and editorial integrity, areas where AI tools frequently fall short. Editorial assistants who develop competency in working alongside AI tools, including prompt writing and output evaluation, are likely to be most competitive in the evolving media landscape.
Career Ladder
→ Editorial Assistant (Current role)
Related Studies
Employers in Ireland
Organisations in Ireland that employ people in this occupation.
Dublin 2
Supports editors across fiction and non-fiction book publishing pipeline.
Dublin 2
Assists journalists with copy editing, fact-checking and scheduling across print and digital.
Dublin 8
Supports editorial team in Irish trade and educational book publishing.
Donnybrook, Dublin 4
Assists with editorial content scheduling, scripts and online media publication.
Dublin 1
Proofreads and coordinates content across national newspaper and digital titles.
Dublin 1
Manages submissions, permissions and proofing for religious and educational publications.
Dublin 12
Assists editors managing children's, fiction and non-fiction Irish book titles.
Dublin 2
Supports business journalists with fact-checking, scheduling and editorial coordination.
Dublin 8
Assists editorial teams across Irish consumer lifestyle and food magazine titles.
Cork
Coordinates peer-review, permissions and proofing for academic publications.
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