Managing Editor

American Academy of Religion and Society of Biblical Literature; United States; Remote; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Part time

Job summary

Two Cities Press, a Philadelphia-based academic press, is seeking a Managing Editor to oversee production schedules, maintain quality standards, and nurture author relationships. This remote, half-time role offers a clear path to full-time within a year, coordinating with authors, editors, and an administrative assistant to move manuscripts from submission through production and marketing.

Experience with The Chicago Manual of Style and scholarly citation is expected, along with comfort using AI

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in religious studies, theology, or a closely related field is required.
• Publishing experience and editing experience are highly preferred.
• Strong command of The Chicago Manual of Style and scholarly citation conventions.
• Comfortable working directly with authors and managing ongoing professional relationships.
• Tech- and software-savvy; able to learn new platforms quickly, including AI tools.
• Familiarity with social media platforms.

Responsibilities

• Managing production schedules and deadlines across multiple simultaneous book projects
• Creating and maintaining a publishing timeline for each title, from contract through launch
• Editing manuscripts and upholding TCP’s editorial and quality standards at every stage
• Serving as the primary point of contact between authors and editors, guiding authors through editorial, design, and production stages
• Coordinating copyeditors, proofreaders, typesetters, and cover designers — vetting and contracting freelancers and tracking their budgets against each title’s plan
• Working with TCP’s administrative assistant on scheduling, correspondence, and the records that keep each project moving
• Helping supervise interns and their editorial assignments
• Helping identify and sign new authors, spot emerging trends and ideas in the academy worth publishing, including background research on subfields and comparable titles
• Updating book listings and events on the TCP website and supporting day-to-day operations of a small, growing press

Skills

Editing manuscripts

Chicago Manual of Style

Academic publishing

Communication skills

AI tools literacy

Education

Master’s degree in religious studies or theology

Job description

Two Cities Press (TCP) is a Philadelphia-based academic press focused on faith, ideas, and public life. We are a small, mission-driven start-up press building a catalog of serious scholarship — and we’re looking for a Managing Editor to help us manage our growing list of titles.

We want someone who is ambitious and intellectually curious — who enjoys engaging directly with scholars, tracking where the conversation in the academy is heading, and helping spot the next author or idea worth publishing. You should be eager, motivated, and willing to make the sacrifices that come with helping a start-up press succeed, including handling the small, detail-oriented tasks that keep a press running.

Above all, we’re looking for someone who believes in TCP’s mission: publishing serious and globally minded scholarship, and building genuine, author-centered relationships in the process.

This is a remote, half-time position with a clear path to full-time within one year, for the right person. You will be responsible for keeping each book on schedule and up to our quality standards — working directly with authors, with the editor assigned to each project, and with our administrative assistant to move manuscripts from submission through production and marketing. TCP is a start-up press, and this role requires someone willing to do the unglamorous, essential work of building something new: tracking details, solving problems as they come up, and pitching in wherever the press needs help. In exchange, you’ll have real influence over how a new company operates, close working relationships with scholars, and a genuine role in shaping our list.

Responsibilities

• Managing production schedules and deadlines across multiple simultaneous book projects
• Creating and maintaining a publishing timeline for each title, from contract through launch
• Editing manuscripts and upholding TCP’s editorial and quality standards at every stage
• Serving as the primary point of contact between authors and editors, and guiding authors through the editorial, design, and production stages
• Coordinating copyeditors, proofreaders, typesetters, and cover designers — vetting and contracting freelancers and tracking their budgets against each title’s plan
• Working with TCP’s administrative assistant on scheduling, correspondence, and the records that keep each project moving
• Helping supervise interns and their editorial assignments
• Helping identify and sign new authors, spot emerging trends and ideas in the academy worth publishing, including background research on subfields and comparable titles
• Updating book listings and events on the TCP website and supporting the day-to-day operations of a small, growing press

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in religious studies, theology, or a closely related field
• Publishing experience and one to two years of professional editing experience, both highly preferred
• Published author preferred
• Strong command of The Chicago Manual of Style and of scholarly citation conventions, with the ability to offer substantive editorial feedback across a range of subfields
• Comfortable working directly with authors and managing ongoing professional relationships
• Tech- and software-savvy: quick to learn new platforms, including artificial intelligence tools, and able to troubleshoot independently
• Familiarity with social media platforms
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, exceptionally well-organized, and able to prioritize competing deadlines
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Facility with non-English sources — European and ancient languages preferred