Senior Editor

Our client, a well-established nonprofit educational development and publishing house, is seeking a Senior Editor. With a rich history spanning over four decades, this organization has earned a reputation for developing research-backed and evidence-based resources that are widely utilized by educators and students worldwide in the K12 market. 

Working under the supervision of the Chief Publications Officer (CPO), the Senior Editor is responsible for ensuring my client’s publishing house acquires and develops content for maintaining a robust publications pipeline. This position collaborates with the CPO to ensure that the publishing house products match my client’s overall direction, program and service needs, as well as customer interest. They are responsible for ensuring that the print and digital products are high-quality and are profitable.

This position works closely with the CPO on managing multiple projects simultaneously for the lifetime of projects. Projects may be multi-year and multi-component, or small in scale (for example, new books, reprints, workshop products, articles, new or replacement lessons, lesson components and products, small guides, research reports, and marketing collateral). Finished products will publish in both print and digital formats. It also ensures that the publishing house is able to meet our client’s general internal publishing needs.

This person would need to be a team player, a self-starter, and a lifelong learner. They will have developmental-level editing skills, excellent command of editorial processes and styles, and show evidence of ability to project manage in multiphase projects with multiple components.

Location: Candidates must be able to commute daily into the Turner Falls, MA office.

Compensation: $77,000-$81,000

Primary responsibilities: 

Content and Author Acquisition

• Works closely with the Chief Publications Officer on planning for publishing pipeline of 5-8 books for educators and 4-8 children’s books each year and managing the slush pile.
• Collaborates with CPO, in conjunction with relevant program and research stakeholders to identify potential topics and authors for the publishing pipeline.
• Ensures that the content acquired for print and digital projects is appropriate for my client’s audience, programmatically accurate, written to high standards of quality, and completed within a specified time frame and budget.
• Cultivates relationships with potential authors and solicits proposals designed to meet member and customer needs.
• Works closely with the CPO to negotiate contracts with authors.
• Identify, source and build a pool of freelancers with relevant skills for the diverse titles produced (including translators, copy-editors, designers, illustrators, proofreaders).
• Works closely with the CPO to research trends in the educational marketplace.
• Establishes and maintains professional relationships with program experts and practitioners who contribute content to our client. 
• Collaborates with colleagues in other departments.
• Contributes to the concept development and content review for other programs, products, and services as required.

Proposal Development, Solicitations and Review

• Works closely with the CPO on proposal development and author (and illustrator) acquisition for publishing pipeline of book titles and retail products that our client identifies as important for the publishing pipeline.
• Prepares for quarterly meetings to review proposals, ensures there is a well-designed review process that engages team discussions and provides clear feedback to prospective authors.
• Responsible for implementing a well-designed proposal review process.
• Implements and manages a peer review process that ensures manuscripts are original, research-based, practical, specific, and conversational in tone.
• Evaluates completed manuscripts for quality, reviews permissions, and makes recommendations for copyediting and production.
• Works closely with the CPO to plan and/or attend client-sponsored events to identify potential authors, to seek potential authors, and raise awareness of author opportunities among diverse
• Makes presentations, organizes conference exhibits, and shares information gathered on-site.

Project and Production Management

• Works closely with project editors and authors whose projects are under contract, and provides guidance and support during the writing phase.
• Provides guidance that ensures content is shaped and organized in line with the expectations of the proposal.
• Chases work prior to agreed delivery dates, assessing work when it is delivered to ensure that it is complete and in accordance with the proposal and review feedback before passing to production.
• In collaboration with the CPO and project editors, monitors and draws up schedules for projects, ensuring that all deadlines are met; keeps the CPO informed of any changes to deliverables schedules.
• Collaborates with the CPO to develop proposal project budgets for all parts of a project; monitors costs during the duration of the project and keeps the CPO informed of any budgetary problems.
• Demonstrates and uses understanding of the significance of the relationship between the reasonableness of the project budget and a profitable, viable product; adheres to project budgets and timelines.
• Records all details relevant to the accurate costing and invoicing of a project.

General Administration and Internal Publishing Needs

• Supports CPO in managing and monitoring product titles in line with our client’s guidelines for (front list, back list, sunset, and revision).
• Prepare text of completed projects for website, marketing sales or other as required.
• Supports all work units in achieving their editorial, print, videography, photography, graphic design, illustration and production goals.
• Assists with general publications tasks as needed.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in communication, English or journalism or closely related field, background in education a plus.
• At least 4 years of experience in writing and editing, preferably in book publishing and preferably in an office setting.
• Experience with a publisher specializing in K–12 education and multimedia projects is highly desirable.
• K–12 education experience in professional development or as a teacher, administrator, or leader is a plus.
• A high level of professional judgment to organize, plan, and manage multiple priorities.
• Deadline-oriented with the ability to juggle myriad details while maintaining a big-picture strategic view, calm and perspective
• Ability to make sound editorial decisions.
• General knowledge of copyright law and publishing processes and procedures including project planning and production scheduling.
• General knowledge of book conceptualization and development practices, editing standards, and publishing contract terms and negotiation strategies.
• Ability to set and meet project milestones and work under aggressive deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills to negotiate complex editorial issues with authors, illustrators and other roles related to publishing.
• Highly organized, excellent attention to detail, strong oral and written communication.
• High accountability for performance, able to receive and apply feedback.
• Disposition is consistently professional, cooperative, and collegial as evidenced by workplace maturity, composure, perspective, transparency, reliability, integrity, and trustworthiness.
• Caring for and, committed to the vision, mission, and welfare of our client. 
• Respects and values diversity; represents our client positively and professionally in interactions with other clients, vendors, and the community at large in both real and virtual interactions.
• Able to work and thrive in an open-suite, highly collaborative environment.
• Prompt, regular and reliable attendance.

Physical requirements: 

• Ability to use a computer or talk on phone for up to 8 hours per day, with breaks and lunch.
• Ability to lift 30 pounds on occasion.
• Must be able to show proof of COVID-19 primary vaccinations or submit a medical or religious exemption

More about our client: Our client believes that educating all children is the most important work in the world. Their vision is to influence and inspire a world-class education for every student in every school, every day, and to bring hope and joy to educators and students alike. 

Benefits include: Medical, Dental and Vision; Paid vacation, sick and personal time; 403B retirement and employer match; cafeteria cash and more. 

If this job is of interest to you: please reach to us with a current resume and times you are available to discuss this exciting opportunity. Please send all correspondence to jhines@uspublishingjobs.com.

If this job is not of interest to you: please feel free to forward it along/share it on social media to help others find out about this great opportunity.