Permissions Assistant, Penguin Random House (Hybrid)

The Permissions & Contracts department at Penguin Random House seeks a Permissions Assistant to join their team. The Permissions Assistant is an integral part of the rights management process for the entire company. The Assistant will work closely with the Deputy Director of Permissions while fielding requests from independent authors, academic institutions, textbook publishers, and many more to license content from the entire Penguin Random House backlist.

Recognized as the home to best-in-class storytellers, Penguin Random House’s publishing lists include more than 80 Nobel Prize laureates and hundreds of the world’s most widely read authors, including Barack and Michelle Obama, John Grisham, Margaret Atwood, Ibram Kendi, and George R.R. Martin, among many others.

The Permissions & 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.

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. A strong organizer who can prioritize assignments while managing a high volume of requests and queries, which must be responded to in a courteous, efficient, and timely manner. Once you’ve proven an independent ability to review and interpret contracts for licensing opportunities and communicate effectively with all important stakeholders while also remembering to step back, consider the big picture, and adjust your strategy when needed, you'll assume greater responsibilities over time.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Read and correctly interpret author/publisher contracts and enter contract terms, along with copyright and rights info, into corporate data systems
• Process permission requests for the use of Penguin Random House material and generate permission licenses (contracts) to third parties
• Communicate with authors, agents, and estates to secure approval as necessary
• Conduct contract research from digital and physical files
• Data entry and maintenance in corporate rights management systems
• General office duties, including distributing department mail, filing and general correspondence

Please apply if you meet the following qualifications:

• A self-starter with an analytical reading comprehension and impeccable attention to detail when reviewing and interpreting permission requests and contracts
• Feels comfortable asking questions when needed
• Possess a proactive and independent approach to work, including a strong ability to problem-solve autonomously
• A basic grasp of US copyright law, public domain, fair use, and intellectual property is a plus
• Able to manage time and apply organizational methods and strategies to meet deadlines and manage a busy inbox on Outlook
• Timely follow-up skills with authors, agents, and other departments and the ability to prioritize and complete multiple projects in a rapidly changing, details-focused environment
• A curious mind that enjoys research projects
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Word, Adobe (PDF), and Excel and an avid int