Editorial Assistant: Support Acquisition & Copy for Books

News Corporation; New York (NY); On-site; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

HarperCollins Publishers is seeking an Editorial Assistant to provide administrative and editorial support to two executive editors and help acquire books across fiction and non-fiction categories. A passion for the market, strong organizational skills, and collaborative work across departments are essential.

The role requires a college degree or equivalent experience, and offers exposure to a range of genres including literary and upmarket fiction, memoir, science, nature, and culture.

Qualifications

• College degree or 1+ year equivalent work experience
• Prior relevant work experience (bookselling, internships, and/or coursework)
• Passion for fiction and non-fiction, knowledge of the marketplace
• Enjoy working collaboratively, across departments
• Ability to set priorities under pressure; highly organized/flexible
• Efficient, self-motivated problem-solver with excellent communication skills

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and editorial support, including prep for seasonal launch meetings, title data set-up and maintenance, reprint corrections, scheduling meetings, and processing expense reports.
• Manage deadlines and schedules for both editors, ensuring tasks are completed on time.
• Assist in acquisitions by reading manuscripts, drafting rejection letters, preparing acquisition materials, and conducting sales research.
• Maintain and update author files, review quotes, and assist with contractual payments.
• Draft copy for titles, update backlist copy, generate metadata, and conduct positioning research.
• Review production stages and maintain intra-departmental communication and deadlines.
• Attend meetings, take notes, and contribute research to development efforts.

Skills

Editorial support

Time management

Communication

Collaboration

Detail-oriented

Manuscript evaluation

Education

College degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Email tracking

Job description

HarperCollins Publishers is seeking an Editorial Assistant to provide administrative and editorial support to two executive editors and help acquire books across fiction and non-fiction categories. A passion for the market, strong organizational skills, and collaborative work across departments are essential.

The role requires a college degree or equivalent experience, and offers exposure to a range of genres including literary and upmarket fiction, memoir, science, nature, and culture.