Editorial Assistant, Penguin Classics (Hybrid)

The Viking Penguin imprint of Penguin Random House has an exciting opportunity for an Editorial Assistant to join their team! The Assistant will provide administrative and editorial support to the Publisher of Penguin Classics. This position provides the opportunity to learn about the overall editorial process and the inner workings of a large publishing house.

 

For more than seventy-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. Penguin Classics is proud to count among its authors John Steinbeck, Arthur Miller, Shirley Jackson, William Golding, Jorge Luis Borges, and among its translators Robert Fagles, Lydia Davis, and Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky.

 

Please apply by December 15, 2024 and include your resume, cover letter, and salary requirements for consideration. Before applying for any role at Penguin Random House, we recommend you review our applicant resources page and our FAQs page.

 

This is a hybrid position with in-office responsibilities, 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).

 

Responsibilities:

• Provides administrative support to Publisher.
• Oversees the development of book projects from acquisition to publication.
• Assists in the acquisitions process by logging, reading and evaluating submissions, and writing rejection letters.
• Coordinates schedules with the Editorial, Managing Editorial, and Production teams.
• Prepares manuscripts for production, routing and tracking contracts, and processing expense reports.
• Communicates between authors, agents, estates, and a variety of internal departments, including Marketing, Publicity, Sales, Production, and Art.
• Prepares paperwork, including contract requests, profit and loss statements, and production memos.
• Writes title information sheets, online copy, and cover copy.
• Participates in editorial meetings.

 

Requirements:

• Ability to prioritize multiple assignments in a deadline-driven environment
• Ability to work independently as well as within a team
• Excellent organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail
• Prior office experience within publishing a plus
• Familiarity and/or interest in the current marketplace, an appetite for classics and how it relates to today’s audience, and an ability to creatively brainstorm
• Excellent and agile written and verbal communication skills
• Proven ability to use available resources to problem solve
• Familiarity with social media platforms
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook