• Job Type: Support Staff - Non-Union
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 9-5
• Building:
• Salary Range: $48,500.00 - $49,958

Position Summary

Columbia University Press, a premier academic publisher that supports the mission of Columbia University by publishing important scholarly works, seeks an Assistant Editor to provide general editorial, acquisition, development, and transmittal support to the Senior Editor for Science and the Editor for Business and Finance. Reporting to both the Senior Editor for Science and the Editor for Business and Finance, the Assistant Editor is responsible for providing general administrative support in acquisition, development, transmittal, and publication.

Responsibilities

• Read and evaluate book proposals.
• Draft and edit new idea memos.
• Work with CU's Marketing team to prepare for a book's launch.
• Solicit endorsements for the book jacket, draft jacket descriptions and author bios.
• Distribute published books to authors, agents, peer reviewers, and blurbers.
• Track initial peer review of selected proposals and manuscripts and manage payment of honoraria.
• Manage secondary review of manuscripts under contract.
• Assist in the final preparation of manuscripts and their release; oversee copyediting.
• Secure endorsement quotes and follow up with authors throughout the publication process.
• Serve as the liaison between the author and the production editor, and as the principal contact person for questions from marketing, production, and finance departments.
• Manage permissions, author contracts, and author payments in a timely manner.
• Draft and/or edit book descriptions and other book and author information for internal and external memos in consultation with the editor.
• When appropriate, initiate correspondence with authors, reviewers, and advisors. Maintain and update book data in Biblio, the Press's title management system.
• Prepare profit-and-loss statements for memos and contracts.
• Liaise with marketing, production, rights, and accounting departments.
• Conduct regular meetings with editors to discuss projects under review and in production, and to report on progress and possible problems with particular titles.
• Hire, train, and supervise interns each semester.
• Apply for and manage publication and translation grants for individual books, where necessary.
• Secure permissions for previously published text and art, where necessary.
• Attend conferences in subject areas from time to time as a representative of the Press.
• Take incoming book orders and answer questions at the Press exhibit booth.

Minimum Qualifications

• Two years related experience High school diploma or equivalent
• Experience working in an office setting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelors or equivalent.
• Highly organized and detail oriented, and can work independently and proactively.
• Knowledge of MS Office, G Suite, Filemaker Pro, and a basic understanding of relational databases.
• Some publishing experience and/or a demonstrated knowledge of publishing process and financials.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.