Senior Production Editor

Sourcebooks; Naperville (IL); Hybrid; USD 62,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Sourcebooks is seeking a Senior Production Editor to join our Adult Publishing Operations team. This role drives complex projects from manuscript to final files, mentors teammates, and shapes workflows across Editorial, Design, Manufacturing, Marketing, and Sales.

You will manage frontlist and backlist titles for high-profile authors, ensuring quality, accuracy, and timely delivery while fostering cross‑functional collaboration and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in publishing or related field.
• 8+ years in publishing operations and production editorial.
• Strong ability to manage multiple complex projects and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead editorial production from manuscript through final files.
• Manage production schedules, priorities, and milestones to ensure timely delivery.
• Coordinate copyediting, proofreading, page review, approvals, and final production readiness.
• Oversee editorial vendors with Freelance Resource Manager to maintain quality.
• Manage ARC production to support Marketing and Sales deadlines.
• Collaborate with Editorial, Design, Managing Editorial, Manufacturing, Marketing, Sales, and stakeholders to resolve challenges.
• Perform final QA reviews before files are released to manufacturing and digital distribution.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflows and efficiency across the department.
• Mentor Production Editors and support onboarding and training.

Skills

Editorial production

Project management

Vendor management

Cross-functional collaboration

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Adobe Acrobat

Smartsheet

Basecamp

Job description

Help bring extraordinary books to life.

If you're an experienced publishing professional who thrives on managing complex projects, solving challenging production puzzles, and collaborating across departments to deliver exceptional books, we'd love to meet you.

Sourcebooks is seeking a Senior Production Editor to join our Adult Publishing Operations team. This is more than a production role—it’s an opportunity to serve as a strategic leader who drives quality, mentors teammates, improves workflows, and helps shape how books move from manuscript to finished product.

You’ll manage a diverse list of frontlist and backlist titles for high-profile authors while partnering with Editorial, Design, Managing Editorial, Manufacturing, Marketing, Sales, and freelance editorial partners to ensure every project meets our standards for quality, accuracy, and schedule.

Whether you’re navigating a complex production schedule, mentoring newer team members, or identifying smarter ways to work, you’ll play an essential role in helping our books—and our people—succeed.

This an exempt, salaried position with a pay range of $62,000-$66,500. We determine starting pay based on a thorough evaluation of job-related factors, including geographic location, market conditions, relevant experience, training, and education. This process ensures a fair and competitive salary that aligns with both the company and the candidate’s qualifications.

The location for this position can be hybrid or remote in New York or Naperville, Illinois or remote based in any of the following states: Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin.

What you’ll do:

• Lead the editorial production of complex and high-profile publishing projects from manuscript through final files.
• Manage production schedules, priorities, and critical milestones to ensure books are delivered on time and at the highest quality.
• Coordinate copyediting, proofreading, page review, corrections, approvals, and final production readiness.
• Partner with the Freelance Resource Manager to secure and oversee editorial vendors while maintaining quality standards.
• Manage Advance Reader Copy (ARC) production to support Marketing and Sales deadlines.
• Collaborate closely with Editorial, Design, Managing Editorial, Manufacturing, Marketing, Sales, and other stakeholders to resolve production challenges and keep projects moving forward.
• Perform final quality assurance reviews before files are released to manufacturing and digital distribution.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, streamline processes, and enhance operational efficiency across the department.
• Mentor Production Editors by sharing best practices, providing guidance, and supporting onboarding and training efforts.
• Contribute to cross-functional planning discussions and help develop scalable publishing operations.

What you bring:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and publishing experience.
• 8+ years of experience in publishing operations, production editorial, or a related publishing discipline.
• Demonstrated success managing multiple complex publishing projects simultaneously while consistently meeting deadlines.
• Deep understanding of editorial production workflows, including copyediting, proofreading, page composition, quality assurance, and manufacturing readiness.
• Exceptional organizational, project management, and problem‑solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to build collaborative relationships across departments and with external vendors.
• Experience mentoring colleagues and contributing to team development.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to producing accurate, high‑quality work.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat; experience with publishing workflow and project management systems is preferred.
• Familiarity with Smartsheet and Basecamp a plus.
• A continuous improvement mindset and enthusiasm for learning new technologies, workflows, and publishing best practices.

Why Sourcebooks?

Sourcebooks is a thriving entrepreneurial publisher driven by our mission to change lives through books. The fifth‑largest publisher in the U.S. by print units sold, we bring extraordinary authors to readers in dynamic, data‑driven ways, leading to hundreds of national and international bestsellers. Our insight‑driven approach has earned us recognition from Fast Company as a Most Innovative Company, a Best Workplace for Innovators, a Most Loved Workplace by Newsweek, a Best Workplace by Inc., and Publishers Weekly’s nod as “the most successful self‑made publisher operating in the 21st century.” Story by story, book by book, we have changed more than 300 million lives. Join us as we change 300 million more!

• 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, 401(k), Short‑and Long‑Term Disability Insurance, Life/AD&D Insurance, and generous paid time off.

Sourcebooks 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.