Associate Editor, Delacorte Press – Licensed Publishing

Publishers Marketplace; New York (NY); Remote; USD 60,000 - 81,000; Full time

Job summary

Penguin Random House’s Delacorte Press seeks an Associate Editor to lead licensed publishing projects for MG/YA, partnering with authors, agents, licensors, and internal teams. You will evaluate proposals, acquire select titles, and develop new opportunities while managing schedules, approvals, and multiple projects in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

This role combines hands-on editorial work with acquisitions and creative development, with a strong commercial instinct and a passion for

Qualifications

• 3+ years editorial experience in trade publishing, with independent management of books through editorial and production processes.
• Strong editorial judgment with the ability to provide substantive, line-level feedback.
• Excellent organizational and project-management skills with the ability to manage a large, shifting workload and multiple deadlines.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with creative teams, internal stakeholders, and external partners.
• Interest in children’s and young adult publishing, popular culture, and franchise storytelling.
• Experience with licensed publishing and/or working with licensors is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Manage assigned licensed publishing projects from manuscript development through publication, providing editorial feedback and direction while ensuring standards and licensor requirements are met.
• Identify, develop, and acquire select new projects with commercial potential, focusing on MG and YA markets.
• Develop original publishing concepts within licensed worlds, including formats and opportunities and potential authors.
• Evaluate proposals and manuscripts and participate in acquisitions discussions.
• Build relationships with authors, agents, licensors, creators, and other partners across departments.
• Manage licensor submissions, feedback, and approvals while maintaining detailed project schedules and evolving deadlines.
• Partner with Design, Production, Marketing, Publicity, and Sales on positioning and publication plans.
• Identify opportunities within backlists for refreshed editions tied to cultural moments or franchise activity.

Skills

Editorial experience

Trade publishing

Editorial judgment

Project management

Written & verbal communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Licensed publishing

Job description

Company Description

Penguin Random House is the leading adult and children's publishing house in North America, the United Kingdom and many other regions around the world. In publishing the best books in every genre and subject for all ages, we are committed to quality, excellence in execution, and innovation throughout the entire publishing process: editorial, design, marketing, publicity, sales, production, and distribution. Our vibrant and diverse international community of nearly 300 publishing brands and imprints include Ballantine Bantam Dell, Berkley, Clarkson Potter, Crown, DK, Doubleday, Dutton, Grosset & Dunlap, Little Golden Books, Knopf, Modern Library, Pantheon, Penguin Books, Penguin Press, Penguin Random House Audio, Penguin Young Readers, Portfolio, Puffin, Putnam, Random House, Random House Children's Books, Riverhead, Ten Speed Press, Viking, and Vintage, among others. More information can be found at http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/.

Job Description

Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, is seeking an Associate Editor to join its editorial team and support our growing licensed publishing program.

Home to a long history of bestselling and award-winning books, Delacorte is a close-knit, highly collaborative team that believes the best publishing comes from working together. We are passionate about our books and authors, generous with ideas, and invested in one another’s success and we’re looking for a colleague who is excited to contribute to that team culture.

Delacorte’s young adult licensed publishing list includes an exciting and expanding range of properties and publishing partnerships, including Disney, Marvel, Lucas, 20th Century Studios, and Warner Brothers. The program encompasses both licensor-driven publishing and original, in-house developed projects, such as Once Upon a Snowfall by Lydia Gregovic and MJ Loves Spider-Man by Emma Lord.

The Associate Editor will manage a selection of licensed publishing projects, identifying viable licensor-developed titles and working with our team and the licensor to tailor them for our list. They will also identify and develop new publishing opportunities and acquire select projects. Working closely with authors, agents, licensors, and colleagues across Design, Production, Marketing, Publicity, and Sales, this role combines hands‑on editorial work, acquisitions, creative development, and project management.

The ideal candidate is a creative and highly organized editor with strong commercial instincts who thrives in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment. They should be excited by the challenge of finding fresh ways to translate established characters, worlds, and franchises into compelling books for young readers while managing multiple projects, stakeholders, approvals, and evolving schedules.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage assigned licensed publishing projects from manuscript development through publication, providing thoughtful editorial feedback and creative direction while ensuring projects meet both Delacorte’s editorial standards and licensor requirements.
• Identify, develop, and acquire select new projects with an eye toward commercial opportunities, emerging trends, and properties with strong potential in the MG and YA marketplace.
• Develop original publishing concepts within licensed worlds, including identifying formats, story opportunities, and potential authors and creators.
• Evaluate proposals and manuscripts and participate in acquisitions discussions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with authors, agents, licensors, creators, and other external partners, serving as a key liaison throughout the publishing process.
• Manage licensor submissions, feedback, and approvals while maintaining detailed project schedules and navigating evolving deadlines.
• Partner closely with Design, Production, Marketing, Publicity, and Sales on positioning and publication plans.
• Manage retail‑exclusive editions and paperback conversions, including the development and approval of new editorial content and design elements.
• Identify opportunities within the backlist for refreshed, repackaged, or updated editions tied to cultural moments, franchise activity, or renewed consumer interest.
• Contribute to the strategic growth of Delacorte’s licensed publishing program, identifying opportunities to expand and strengthen the list.

Qualifications

• 3+ years editorial experience in trade publishing, with experience independently managing books or comparable publishing projects through the editorial and production process.
• Strong editorial judgment and the ability to provide substantive and line‑level editorial feedback.
• Excellent organizational and project‑management skills, with demonstrated ability to manage a large and shifting workload and multiple simultaneous deadlines.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and follow‑through.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with creative teams, internal stakeholders, and external partners.
• A strong interest in children’s and young adult publishing, popular culture, entertainment properties, and franchise storytelling.
• Experience with licensed publishing and/or working with licensors and approval processes is a plus.

This is an exciting opportunity for an editor who enjoys both the creative and operational sides of publishing and wants to help shape a dynamic and growing program that brings beloved characters and worlds to readers in new ways.

Additional Information

The salary for this position is $70,500.All positions are currently eligible for an annual profit award or bonus, subject to company results.The position is open to remote candidates based in the United States who can work primarily on Eastern Time.

Penguin Random House job postings include a good faith compensation range for each open position. The salary range listed is specific to each particular open position and takes into account various factors including the specifics of the individual role, and candidate's relevant experience and qualifications.

Full-time employees are eligible for our comprehensive benefits program. Our range of benefits include, but are not limited to, Medical/Prescription drug insurance, Dental, Vision, Health Care/Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, Health Savings Account, Pre-Tax and Roth 401(k), Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance, Life/AD&D Insurance, Commuter Benefits, Student Loan Repayment Program, Educational Assistance & generous paid time off.

Penguin Random House values the array of talents and perspectives that a diverse workforce brings. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or pregnancy.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Disclosure requirements pertaining to the collection of your personal data:

Responsible for processing the information provided in your application is the company specified in the job advertisement, with its registered office as indicated. The company processes your data for the purpose of establishing an employment relationship on the basis of Art. 6 (1) b GDPR / Section 26 (1) sentence 1 BDSG.

The retention period for your data is determined by the statutory time limits applicable in the respective country, beginning upon completion of the recruitment process. You can find these here.

You can contact the company’s Data Protection Officer at the above-mentioned postal address.

Further information on data protection and your rights can be found here.

Wevalue the array of talents and perspectives that a diverse workforce brings. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or pregnancy.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.