Editorial Assistant (NYC Hybrid) – Children’s Books

Overview

HarperCollins Children’s Books is seeking an Editorial Assistant to provide administrative and editorial support to Harper’s Picture Books and Programs, Versify, and Curiosity Studio imprints, reporting to two editorial directors and an executive editor.

The Harper Picture Books and Programs imprint is a collaborative, creative team with a focus on classic brands and beloved characters. This group is dedicated to creating books around esteemed house brands such as Pete the Cat and Fancy Nancy, including backlist care, and developing captivating and bestselling new picture books such as I’ll Love You Till the Cows Come Home, I Promise, The Café at the Edge of the Woods, The Skeleton and the Cat, and The Food Group series.

 

Versify, a boutique award-winning imprint under the Harper group, publishes books that explore the beauty, hurdles, and hopefulness of life with a focus on underrepresented communities; they publish books that will engage, entertain, and empower young people to imagine and create a better world. Publishing everything from board book to picture book, to graphic novel, middle grade, and YA, Versify’s innovative list includes the Printz Medal winner, Brownstone, National Book Award nominee, (S)kin, Caldecott Medal winner, The Undefeated, and World of ¡Vamos! series.

 

Curiosity Studio is a collaborative, fun, mission-driven team within the Clarion Books imprint. This group is dedicated to creating books around house brands and licenses, backlist care, and developing original IP for babies through young adult readers, including inventive novelty formats. Some of their exciting and beloved properties include Little Blue Truck, Curious George, The Polar Express, Mary Poppins, Kayla Miller’s Click graphic novel series, and more!

 

We publish classic, literary and commercial works, with clever enduring characters that invite readers of all backgrounds to laugh and think. Work alongside a team of passionate editors who are committed to bringing many different stories and voices to life.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and editorial support, including coordinating prep for seasonal launch meetings, title data set-up and maintenance, reprint corrections, scheduling meetings, and processing expense reports.
• Manage deadlines and schedules for the team, completing assigned tasks on time and anticipating routine needs.
• Under close supervision, offer editorial feedback on projects in development and assist with preparation of acquisitions materials, including conducting sales research, creating P&Ls, Acquisitions Memos, and drafting contract paperwork.
• Maintain and update author files, review quotes, and records, and assist with contractual payments. 
• Under close supervision drafts copy for individual titles, including title sheets, flap copy, and selling copy; update backlist copy; generate and maintain metadata; conduct positioning research.
• Review production stages of books, maintaining intra-departmental communication and deadlines.
• Attend meetings, including departmental and small-group meetings. Contribute ideas and research to development efforts. Take notes and maintain records of projects and status.
• Maintain Versify’s Instagram account with engaging posts, reels, and stories.

Qualifications

• College degree or 1+ year equivalent work experience
• Prior relevant work experience (including but not limited to bookselling, internships, and/or coursework)
• Must have a passion for children’s books, knowledge of the marketplace, and keen interest in learning about the business of publishing
• Must enjoy working collaboratively, both in a small editorial team and across departments
• Proven ability to set priorities under pressure and multi-task; must be highly organized, resilient, flexible, patient, and detail-oriented
• Must be an efficient, self-motivated problem-solver with excellent oral and written communication skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Excel, and Power Point
• Basic knowledge of social media (Instagram)

HarperCollins Publishers is a company full of people who are passionate about books.  When you apply for a position, we want to know why you want to work here, and why you are interested in the job. That’s why cover letters are strongly preferred.

   

The salary for this position is $52,500. 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.  

 

In addition to cash compensation, the company provides a comprehensive and highly competitive benefits package, with a variety of physical health, retirement and savings, caregiving, emotional wellbeing, transportation, and other benefits, including "elective" benefits employees may select to best fit the needs and personal situations of our diverse workforce.     

  

HarperCollins Publishers is an equal opportunity employer.

 

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.