Editorial Director - Atria Books

Simon and Schuster Books; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Simon & Schuster US is seeking an Editorial Director of Nonfiction to join Atria Books. This role works closely with the publisher to build a vibrant, editorially distinctive, commercially successful nonfiction list.

The ideal candidate brings exceptional editorial judgment, strong author and agent relationships, and a proven ability to identify emerging voices and develop books with lasting appeal across memoir, history, current affairs, and similar genres.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in trade nonfiction publishing, typically eight or more years.
• Proven record of successful acquisitions and editorial development.
• Established relationships with literary agents and talent sources.
• Exceptional developmental editing skills and ability to sharpen argument and voice.
• Strong understanding of nonfiction audiences and formats.

Responsibilities

• Acquire a strong nonfiction list aligned with Atria’s identity and growth goals.
• Identify and cultivate writers, journalists, experts, and emerging voices.
• Develop original book concepts and bring authors to life with a clear publishing vision.
• Negotiate acquisitions with imprint leadership and contracts teams.

Skills

Book acquisitions

Editorial development

Author relationships

Negotiation

Editorial leadership

Mentoring

Job description

Simon & Schuster was named to Forbes magazine list of America's Best Mid-Size Employers 2022. Simon & Schuster is a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world's most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards. It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Pocket Books, Adams Media, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom, and proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories. For more information visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.

Editorial Director, Nonfiction — Atria Books

Simon & Schuster is seeking an accomplished and entrepreneurial Editorial Director of Nonfiction to join Atria Books.

This role will work closely with the publisher to build a vibrant, editorially distinctive, commercially successful nonfiction list.

The ideal candidate brings exceptional editorial judgment, strong author and agent relationships, and a proven ability to identify emerging voices, anticipate reader interests, and develop books with both immediate appeal and lasting backlist potential. Areas of interest may include narrative nonfiction, memoir and biography, popular culture, history, current affairs, popular science, psychology, personal development, and spirituality.

Key Responsibilities

Acquisitions and List Development

• Acquire a strong list of nonfiction titles that supports Atria’s editorial identity, commercial goals, and long-term growth.
• Identify and cultivate writers, journalists, experts, public figures, and emerging voices with distinctive perspectives and the ability to connect with readers.
• Develop original book concepts and proactively seek out authors to bring them to life.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with literary agents and other sources of talent.
• Evaluate proposals and manuscripts for editorial quality, originality, audience potential, competitive positioning, and financial viability.
• Present acquisitions with a clear publishing vision, supported by market insight, comparable titles, and financial analysis.
• Negotiate acquisitions in collaboration with imprint leadership and the contracts team.

Editorial and Author Development

• Guide authors through the development and revision process, providing substantive editorial direction that strengthens structure, narrative, voice, clarity, and reader engagement.
• Manage projects from acquisition through publication, maintaining high editorial standards and meeting established schedules.
• Build lasting author relationships through thoughtful communication, creative collaboration, and strategic career development.
• Work with authors and relevant colleagues to address sourcing, permissions, and legal review needs as appropriate.

Publishing Strategy and Collaboration

• Collaborate with marketing, publicity, sales, design, managing editorial, production, and subsidiary rights teams to develop and execute cohesive publishing plans.
• Shape titles, subtitles, cover direction, positioning, and descriptive copy to communicate each book’s appeal and reach its intended audience.
• Serve as an enthusiastic and persuasive advocate for books and authors at internal meetings and sales presentations.
• Monitor sales performance, reader interests, and developments in media and culture to inform acquisitions, identify growth opportunities, and support backlist sales.
• Identify opportunities to expand authors’ readership across formats, markets, and sales channels.
• Balance creative ambition with sound commercial judgment, including attention to advances, production costs, schedules, and profitability.

Editorial Leadership

• Partner with imprint leadership on nonfiction list planning, publishing priorities, and opportunities to expand Atria’s readership and influence.
• Help develop a balanced publishing program that includes established authors, emerging talent, timely subjects, and books with enduring appeal.
• Mentor editorial colleagues, providing guidance on acquisitions, manuscript development, author relationships, and publishing strategy.
• Build a collaborative editorial environment that welcomes fresh ideas and a broad range of voices and perspectives.
• Represent Atria within the publishing community and at relevant industry and cultural events.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in trade nonfiction publishing, typically eight or more years, with a demonstrated record of successful acquisitions and editorial development.
• A strong track record of publishing commercially successful books in one or more nonfiction categories relevant to Atria.
• Established relationships with literary agents and a demonstrated ability to discover and attract new talent.
• Exceptional developmental editing skills, including the ability to strengthen narrative, sharpen arguments, and preserve an author’s distinctive voice.
• Strong understanding of nonfiction audiences, author platforms, and how readers discover and engage with books.
• Broad intellectual curiosity, cultural awareness, and the ability to recognize subjects and voices with meaningful publishing potential.
• Experience evaluating acquisition financials, negotiating deals, and managing the commercial considerations of a publishing list.
• Excellent communication, presentation, organizational, and relationship-building skills.
• The ability to manage multiple projects and priorities while maintaining close attention to detail.
• A collaborative leadership style and experience mentoring or developing editorial talent.

Simon & Schuster US is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). At Simon & Schuster US, the spirit of inclusion feeds into everything that we do. From employee benefits/programs and social impact outreach initiatives, we believe that opportunity, access, resources and rewards should be available to and for the benefit of all. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression), age, citizenship status, marital status, and Veteran status where protected by law or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

The hiring salary range for this position applies to New York City, California, Colorado, Washington state, and most other geographies. Starting pay for the successful applicant depends on a variety of job-related factors, including but not limited to geographic location, market demands, experience, training, and education. The benefits available for this position include medical, dental, vision, 401(k) plan, life insurance coverage, disability benefits, tuition assistance program and PTO or, if applicable. Additionally, employees have access to our industry-first, Broad Based Ownership program, which makes all employees partners in our shared success.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals in accordance with applicable law. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at [e-mail]. Unrelated emails, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response.

Candidates hired for this or any other posted Simon & Schuster role will be employees of Simon & Schuster, LLC, subject to all policies, including the Workplace Privacy Notice, and eligible solely for the benefits plans thereof.