Junior Editor

The University of British Columbia; Vancouver; Hybrid; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent Canadian university is seeking a Junior Editor to join the Acquisitions team. This entry-level role is designed for growth with mentorship and training opportunities. Responsibilities include acquiring manuscripts, maintaining relationships with authors, and supporting editorial tasks. Ideal candidates are committed to diversity and possess strong communication skills. Compensation is competitive and the position requires in-office work at least two days a week, contributing to a dynamic publishing environment.

Qualifications

• Ability to anticipate problems and plan ahead.
• Extremely strong oral and written communication skills.
• Commitment to enhancing awareness of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Responsibilities

• Acquire manuscripts in selected subject areas.
• Develop strong relationships with authors.
• Ensure optimal quality of manuscripts for peer review.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Negotiation skills

Time management

Relationship building

Understanding of scholarly publishing

Education

Undergraduate degree in relevant discipline

Post-graduate degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Adobe Professional

Social Media

Job description

Staff - Non Union

Job Category

M&P - AAPS

Job Profile

AAPS Salaried - Editorial and Production Services , Level A

Job Title

Junior Editor

Department

Acquisitions | UBC Press

Compensation Range

$5,791.00 - $8,323.42 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date

February 1, 2026

Note

Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

Ongoing

This position requires to work in office minimum two days per week.

EEO Statement

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

The role is intended to be a growth position for a junior editor to learn and develop with guidance, mentorship, and hands on training. The expectation is that, as opportunities arise, they will transition to a full editor and ultimately a senior editor. There are two main components:

Acquisition of manuscripts (80%)

The Junior Editor will also, under the instruction of the Assistant Director, Acquisitions, contribute to the acquisition, development, and funding requirements of an intellectually rich and consequential program of books to be published by UBC Press in defined subject areas. Major responsibilities include: assisting in the planning and developing of a focused editorial plan, obtaining peer evaluation of books, presenting publications to the UBC Press Publications Board, and developing financial support for publications through government programs and other sources of funding.

Acquisitions support (20%)

The Junior Editor undertakes a limited amount of general editorial tasks as part of the Acquisitions team. These tasks include: strategizing with other departments about the desired shape of future seasonal lists with respect to scholarly and non-scholarly imprints; initiating and fostering collegial author relations; taking on occasional tasks as requested by the Assistant Director, Acquisitions in furtherance of broader departmental or press goals; and working with colleagues to meet established press-wide goals and priorities. In the main, this support role is intended to help the junior editor learn about the overall function of the department and the roles and responsibilities of a more senior editor.

Organizational Status

Reports to the Assistant Director, Acquisitions and, ultimately, the Director. Additionally, works closely with 2.0 in-house Acquisitions Editors (AEs).

Work Performed

Acquisition of manuscripts

• actively seeks and acquires books in selected subject areas that will continue to enhance UBC Press's publishing reputation and lead to the strategic growth of the list: 3-5 in first year; 5-7 in second year; 7-10 in third year; 12+ in subsequent years;
• develops and sustains a strong and supportive working relationship with authors;
• maintains conversancy with advanced research, writing, and relevant adjunct literature within specific acquisitions areas;
• attends professional conferences, visits campuses, and establishes ongoing professional relationships and communication with leading scholars;
• evaluates proposals for scholarly monographs and book series, in addition to queries and proposals pertaining to UBC Press's non-scholarly imprints;
• works to ensure that the textual and visual content of a manuscript submitted is of optimal quality in preparation for peer review;
• identifies appropriate experts in the field(s) in order to coordinate and oversee a rigorous, fair, and timely peer review process for each new manuscript;
• discusses with the authors changes to the manuscript to ensure proper revisions are made in response to reviewer recommendations;
• negotiates publishing contracts with authors (in conjunction with the Director, when appropriate) and helps them to meet their obligations with respect to the timing, permissions, and illustrative and other materials to be submitted;
• prepares and presents manuscript dossiers to the UBC Press Publications Board; follows up on questions and suggestions by the Board;
• ensures that the necessary funding is secured to support a manuscript's publication in its ideal format;
• confers with colleagues as far in advance as possible to discuss a manuscript project's unusual or complex editorial, production, or marketing requirements;
• prepares a full and informative transmittal document;
• presents new book projects to the Press's staff during marketing and sales meetings, including information and materials to help market and promote the list;
• sets standards of professionalism and collegiality in interactions with all internal staff.

Acquisitions support

• coordinates UBC Press’s overall list development on a seasonal basis, tracking titles and metadata, and liaising with other departments to identify priority books, subject areas, etc.;
• takes on occasional tasks as requested by the Assistant Director, Acquisitions in furtherance of broader departmental or press goals;
• in urgent, time-sensitive situations, assists other editors in the department;
• and works collegially with colleagues to meet established press-wide goals and priorities.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so classified.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Responsible for contributing to the growth, focus, and reputation of the editorial department and, by extension, UBC Press more generally. Lack of organization, inattention to detail, unprofessionalism, or delayed communication and follow-up with authors could result in besmirching UBC Press's excellent editorial reputation, and therefore impeding its ability to attract key authors and manuscripts. Poor management of time and resources could seriously impact the overall success of the editorial department. The incumbent has the responsibility for helping facilitate the smooth running of the editorial department as a whole, as well as maintaining a consistent stream of new publications in areas in which they are tasked, and for liaising effectively and in a timely manner with colleagues, funding bodies, and other participants central to the Press' publishing success. Since a substantial portion of the Press's income is derived from sales revenue, failure to perform the work outlined may lead to a decrease in the number and quality of books produced and thus jeopardize the Press's ability to meet its financial goals and commitments.

Supervision Received

Reports to the Assistant Director, Acquisitions.

Supervision Given

Occasionally may supervise editorial interns and student support staff.

Minimum Qualifications

• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own
• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline but post-graduate degree(s) preferred; minimum of two years experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• demonstrably sound understanding of the markets for scholarly, trade, and post-secondary books;
• represent the interests of the Press by initiating contact with new authors, discussing ideas, and inviting submissions of their actual or potential manuscripts to the Press;
• entrepreneurial orientation with demonstrated ability to build relationships
• knowledge and experience in some of the following areas preferred: manuscript editing, production, book design, sales, preparation of promotional copy and press releases, publicity, budgeting, contract preparation, rights and order fulfilment;
• ability to establish and maintain strong and respectful relationships with authors;
• knowledge of the grant support systems for Canadian scholarly books preferred;
• experience with fundraising and budget-tracking for book projects;
• ability to work autonomously; consistent record of attendance
• extremely strong oral and written communication, time management, and negotiation skills;
• ability to anticipate problems and issues and plan ahead;
• understanding of database and other information systems, along with experience with Microsoft Suite of products (Word, Excel, Outlook, & PowerPoint), Adobe Professional, Social Media (i.e. Facebook, X, LinkedIn);
• familiarity with a university setting, preferable UBC’s, and an understanding of its mandates and its intellectual as well as operational focus; and
• commitment and ability to develop and implement policies through a consultative process in an environment of conflicting needs and views.