Senior Editor, Children's Books — Licensing & Fast-Paced

ReaderLink; Oak Brook (IL); Hybrid; USD 74,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plans

Flexible spending accounts

Life and accident insurance

Vacation pay and paid holidays

401(k) with company match

Author events

Publisher-sponsored book club

Job summary

ReaderLink, a children's book imprint, seeks a senior editor to lead a diverse list of licensed and non-licensed books for ages 0-12. This hands-on role manages development through licensor approvals and print-ready files in a high-volume, fast-paced environment, emphasizing rapid-turnaround publishing.

The position is hybrid/in-house in San Diego, with a preference for Southern California candidates; remote options may be considered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, or a related field is required.
• 5 to 7 years of editorial experience in a children's publishing house is preferred.
• Editorial and licensing experience with children's books and novelty formats is preferred.
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite is preferred.
• Strong to advanced experience in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook is required.
• Excellent project management, organizational skills, and ability to manage multiple projects at one time.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills across audiences.
• Strong editorial, proofreading, and copyediting abilities with knowledge of Chicago Manual of Style.

Responsibilities

• Project manage development of Silver Dolphin and Studio Fun titles for customers.
• Oversee creation of mocks, formats, and licensor pitches.
• Build and track development schedules and approvals.
• Edit and route manuscripts, dummies, designs, and proofs.
• Write and edit copy as needed; collaborate with designers for art notes.
• Create back cover and marketing copy.
• Coordinate with licenses for format approvals and asset acquisition.
• Communicate with production, design, and freelance talent throughout development.
• Attend weekly status meetings and report title progress.
• Identify new publishing opportunities and lead process improvements.
• Manage outside freelance editors as needed.
• Ensure accuracy of all title information in title management database.
• Maintain PRPG quality and artistic standards across titles.

Skills

Project management

Editorial excellence

Copyediting

Communication

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Leadership

Licensing knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, or related field

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Outlook

Job description

ReaderLink, a children's book imprint, seeks a senior editor to lead a diverse list of licensed and non-licensed books for ages 0-12. This hands-on role manages development through licensor approvals and print-ready files in a high-volume, fast-paced environment, emphasizing rapid-turnaround publishing.

The position is hybrid/in-house in San Diego, with a preference for Southern California candidates; remote options may be considered.