Author Stewardship Manager

Harold Grinspoon Foundation; Agawam (MA); Remote; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

An established philanthropic organization is seeking an Author Stewardship Manager to enhance relationships with authors and illustrators in the Jewish children's literature community. This role involves developing strategic outreach initiatives, managing events, and fostering collaboration within a creative environment. With a focus on communication and networking, the successful candidate will create opportunities for engagement and learning. This position offers the flexibility of remote work, with occasional travel, and is perfect for someone passionate about children's literature and Jewish culture. Join a dynamic team dedicated to making a positive impact!

Benefits

Health Insurance

Flexible Spending Plan

Short Disability Insurance

Long Term Disability Insurance

401(k) Plan with Employer Match

Paid Sick, Holiday, Vacation, and Personal Time

Qualifications

• 3-5 years in publishing, events management, or marketing.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Attention to detail for managing multiple events.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage communications with authors and illustrators.
• Oversee logistics for cohort experiences and retreats.
• Coordinate in-person and virtual author events.

Skills

Event Management

Communication Skills

Networking

Social Media Management

Project Management

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft Suite

Wrike

Airtable

Submittable

Job description

PJ Library thrives on the creativity and dedication of the authors and illustrators who bring its core mission to life—sharing high-quality Jewish children’s books with families around the world. The Author Stewardship Manager is instrumental in fostering meaningful relationships with authors and illustrators, and inspiring and promoting the creation of Jewish children’s books. This role focuses on engaging with the Jewish "kid lit" community through social media, conferences, professional development workshops, learning experiences, immersive writing retreats, virtual meet-ups, and more. This role will also help craft a long-term strategy and vision to expand and support diverse voices within the PJ Library line-up; this will include launching new cohort experiences, building itineraries and programs from the ground up, partnering with external experts and organizations, and building bridges with our global partners including Sifriyat Pajama.

With a strong emphasis on event management, communication, and networking, the Author Stewardship Manager will create opportunities for creatives to connect and learn. This role is integral to the success of our author outreach and engagement efforts. This role will report to the Director of Books and collaborate across departments, including marketing, events, and the broader PJ Library team. This is a remote position, with travel required at least 3-5 times per year.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage stewardship communications with authors and illustrators, utilizing social media and email for outreach, as well as Salesforce for tracking.
• Oversee the stewardship calendar to ensure alignment with the PJ Library and HGF events calendar, ensuring seamless scheduling and planning.
• Create, edit, and distribute a monthly author newsletter to keep authors informed and engaged with PJ Library initiatives.
• Coordinate all logistics and build itineraries for cohort experiences and in-person retreats, including the Sephardic Stories Initiative, Picture Book Summer Camp, and other newly launched initiatives. This includes managing applications, participant lists, vendor relationships, event materials, and communication with internal and external partners.
• Coordinate all logistics for both in-person and virtual author events, such as the PJ Library Info Session for authors.
• Attend in-person retreats and events to provide on-the-ground support and lead sessions as needed.
• Support PJ Library’s participation in industry conferences, book fairs, and other events, attending as necessary to represent PJ Library and expand its reach.
• With support from the marketing team, promote individual author achievements, awards, and PJ Library author events across social media platforms to increase visibility and engagement.
• Contribute to internal and external communications by pitching compelling author stories for marketing, advancement, and publications like Proof Magazine.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3-5 years of professional experience in publishing, events management, marketing, or related field working closely with creatives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; a natural ability to build relationships and engage with creatives.
• Exceptional attention to detail is crucial to this role, as managing logistics for multiple events requires meticulous planning and organization. The ability to anticipate needs, stay on top of deadlines, and ensure all aspects of an event run smoothly is essential.
• Passion for children’s literature and Jewish cultural content, with a commitment to advancing PJ Library’s mission.
• High proficiency with technology, including Microsoft Suite (Excel and Outlook), project management tools, and database management. Proficiency with Salesforce, Submittable, Wrike and/or Airtable is a plus.
• A Bachelor's degree is required.

If you are someone who thrives in a collaborative, creative environment and is passionate about supporting writers and artists, we encourage you to apply to join our dynamic team!

Location

This role is available fully remote within the U.S. or hybrid from our offices in New York City or Agawam, MA. Hybrid employees are expected onsite 60% of the time. All team members must be available during standard Eastern Time (ET) business hours for meetings and collaboration. Travel is required at least 3–5 times per year.

Compensation

A competitive salary ranging from $75,000–$85,000 annually commensurate with experience.

• Health Insurance
• Flexible Spending Plan
• Short Disability Insurance
• Long Term Disability Insurance
• 401(k) Plan with Employer Match
• Paid Sick, Holiday, Vacation, and Personal Time

The Harold Grinspoon Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are invited to apply. For more information about the foundation and its programs, visit www.hgf.org .

About the Organization

Founded in 1991 by successful businessman and philanthropist, Harold Grinspoon, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF) has invested more than $200 million in programs that make Jewish life and Jewish community more vibrant and more connected. Based in Agawam, Massachusetts, HGF and its sister foundation the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation (HGCF), employ over 150 employees and offer national and international philanthropic programs that range from enhancing Jewish life throughout the US and the globe, to providing support and resources for local farmers, to honoring local public school teachers, to supplying over 680,000 free books monthly to children throughout the world.

The Foundation offers the stability of a nearly thirty-year organization, while also exhibiting the creative, exciting, and fast-paced spirit of a start-up. As an endowed foundation committed to serving its target markets, it offers long-term growth opportunities while also driving positive impact for all those served.

Established in 1991, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation is a philanthropic organization deeply committed to charitable giving, primarily in the Jewish world.