Pre-Production Associate, Audio Production (On-site - North Hollywood, CA)

Knopf Doubleday Group; California; On-site; USD 51,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Benefits package

Job summary

Penguin Random House LLC in North Hollywood, CA is seeking a highly organized Pre-Production Associate to coordinate audiobook recording sessions across studios and time zones. You will work closely with producers, narrators, authors, directors, engineers, agents, and production partners to keep bookings on track.

The role demands precise scheduling, proactive problem solving, and professional communication; onsite four days a week with some hybrid flexibility later.

Qualifications

• 1+ year of experience in production scheduling, production coordination, resource scheduling, or a comparable high-volume environment.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage numerous simultaneous bookings and shifting priorities.
• Strong problem-solving skills and sound judgment when making time-sensitive scheduling decisions.
• Precise, responsive, and personable written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience working with complex systems requiring accurate data management and workflow automation.
• Professionalism and discretion when communicating with high-profile talent, authors, executives, and creative professionals.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across production, creative, technical, and operational teams.

Responsibilities

• Record and coordinate audiobook recording bookings across multiple studios and time zones.
• Coordinate availability among narrators, authors, directors, engineers, studios, agents, producers, and production personnel.
• Prioritize bookings with producers to meet production deadlines and respond to schedule changes.
• Maintain real-time booking data using scheduling systems and workflow automation.
• Provide onsite logistical support to producers, directors, engineers, narrators, actors, and operations teams.
• Assist authors, narrators, directors, and studio partners with travel bookings and production logistics.

Skills

Organizational skills

Scheduling experience

Problem-solving

Communication

Data management

Professionalism

Cross-team collaboration

Job description

Pre-Production Associate, Audio Production (On-site - North Hollywood, CA)

Penguin Random House LLC

North Hollywood, 5250 Lankershim Blvd, Ste. 715, United States

onsite

USD 60,000 (Yearly)

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

We are seeking a highly organized, proactive, and detail-oriented Pre-Production Associate to coordinate a high volume of audiobook recording sessions. This role works closely with producers, studios, narrators, authors, directors, engineers, agents, and other production partners around the world to keep recordings efficiently scheduled and on track.

The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, communicates with precision and professionalism, and can quickly solve complex scheduling and resource challenges.

Key Responsibilities

Recording & Resource Scheduling

• Manage a high volume of audiobook recording bookings across multiple studios and production resources across various time zones.
• Coordinate availability among narrators, authors, directors, engineers, studios, agents, producers, and other production personnel.
• Partner closely with producers to prioritize bookings and meet production deadlines.
• Respond quickly to new requests, cancellations, schedule changes, talent availability, and special production needs.
• Identify and resolve scheduling conflicts, gaps, overbookings, and resource constraints.
• Anticipate capacity challenges and recommend practical scheduling solutions.
• Maintain accurate, real-time booking data using scheduling, workflow automation, and production systems.
• Communicate changes clearly and promptly to all affected teams and partners.
• Provide scheduling coverage for other pre-production associates as needed.

Production & Operational Support

• Distribute audiobook scripts and supporting materials according to established production protocols.
• Analyze, prepare, convert book scripts into required formats for production systems and workflows.
• Generate resource utilization and production reports as needed.
• Participate in workflow, automation, and system testing.
• Provide onsite logistical support to producers, directors, engineers, narrators, actors, and operations teams.
• Support authors, narrators, directors, and studio partners with production logistics and related needs, e.g., travel bookings.

Qualifications

Required

• 1+ year of experience in production scheduling, production coordination, resource scheduling, or a comparable high-volume environment.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage numerous simultaneous bookings and shifting priorities.
• Strong problem-solving skills and sound judgment when making time-sensitive scheduling decisions.
• Precise, responsive, and personable written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience working with complex systems requiring accurate data management and workflow automation.
• Professionalism and discretion when communicating with high-profile talent, authors, executives, and creative professionals.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across production, creative, technical, and operational teams.

Preferred

• Experience in publishing, audiobook, media, or recording-studio production.
• Experience working directly with talent and creative professionals.
• Familiarity with workflow automation, production technology, or programming.

Additional Information

This is an onsite position based in North Hollywood, California. Four days minimum onsite per week in the first 12 months. Further hybrid flexibility may be available after the first year of employment.

The salary for this position is $60,000. All positions are currently eligible for annual profit award or bonus, subject to Company results.

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 without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status.

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.