Contracts Assistant - (Hybrid)

The contracts department at Penguin Random House seeks a Contracts Assistant to join the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group contracts team. The Contracts Assistant is an integral part of the drafting, negotiating, and complete execution of contracts while partnering with many different areas of the company. The Assistant will work closely with the Contracts Director while liaising with editorial, legal, royalties & accounting, and the various contracts teams and partnering closely with agents, authors, and publishing entities to finalize the acquisition of rights for Knopf Doubleday.  

 

The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented, meticulous self-starter who can manage a diverse set of responsibilities efficiently and effectively and is comfortable asking for help when needed. Once you’ve proven an independent ability to draft and negotiate, while also remembering to step back, consider the big picture, and adjust your strategy when needed, you'll assume greater responsibilities over time.  

 

The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group is a storied leader in commercial and literary publishing and home to some of the most iconic authors in the world, including Nobel Laureates Toni Morrison, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Alice Munro; Prize-winners Robert Caro, Joan Didion, Yaa Gyasi, Jhumpa Lahiri, Cormac McCarthy, Michael Ondaatje, Tommy Orange, Patti Smith, Anne Tyler, and Colson Whitehead; and global bestsellers Dan Brown, John Grisham, Erin Morgenstern, and Jo Nesbo. 

 

The Contracts Department represents an unrivaled roster of award-winning and celebrated titles across an editorial breadth that includes notable children’s board books, picture books, chapter books, and middle-grade books, break-out young adult fiction and non-fiction, adult fiction, narrative history, science, memoirs, study aids, self-help, personal development and topics of particular interest to women, as well as practical and prescriptive books and impactful titles on themes like teamwork, success, and leadership. We support the acquisition of rights process for all titles at Penguin Random House.  

 

This is a hybrid position with in-office responsibilities two -  three days a week, which will include but not be limited to executing mailings, file management and research, and participating in and contributing to in-person meetings. We will consider candidates who can work from a commutable distance to our offices at 1745 Broadway, which includes the tri-state area (NJ, CT, & PA). 

 

The Role:

 

• Will work with the Alfred A. Knopf, Vintage, Everyman’s Library, Pantheon, Schocken, and Doubleday imprints and draft and negotiate author and writer-for-hire contracts, contract amendments, and handle rights reversions   

• Manage contracts inquiries from other departments such as Editorial, Subsidiary Rights (a team that sells translation and other rights), and Royalties 

• Route contracts and amendments to appropriate parties for signature 

• Conduct contract research 

• Scan files and perform database maintenance 

• Liaise with Royalties to ensure data for payments or changes to payment due dates is accurate  

• Coordinate with team and internal resources to optimize the efficiency of processes and workflow 

• Support additional project work for the group as needed 

The Essentials: 

 

• A self-starter with impeccable attention to detail when drafting and reviewing contracts 

• It is essential that the candidate possesses a proactive and independent approach to work, including a strong ability to problem-solve autonomously  

• Able to apply organizational methods and strategies to meet deadlines and manage a busy inbox on Outlook. 

• Timely follow-up skills with the contracts team, authors, agents, and other departments and the ability to prioritize and complete multiple projects in a rapidly changing, details-focused environment