Senior Editor

Senior Editor

Location: TN-Nashville

Job Description:

Overview

Join our team as a Senior Editor for a top-five publisher under the Harper Focus umbrella. At Harper Celebrate, we publish high-design gift books that inspire readers to celebrate the important people, seasons, and experiences in their lives. We seek to publish meaningful books that embrace a spirit of curiosity, humor, and heart—all qualities we look to bring to our working environment as well.

We are proud to publish a broad array of authors, including Reba McEntire (Not That Fancy), Kristin Chenoweth (I’m No Philosopher, But I Got Thoughts), Amy Bruni (Food to Die For), Scott Seiss (The Customer Is Always Wrong), Dr. Corey Yeager (How Am I Doing?), Anne Byrn (Baking in the American South), Faith Broussard Cade (Shine Bright Anyway) and more. We also publish proprietary titles, such as Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree and Horrors of Dating adult coloring book.

Harper Celebrate seeks a Senior Editor to manage our pipeline of daily readers, cookbooks, lifestyle titles, and illustrated and photographic nonfiction books. Duties include project management of the full Celebrate list (around 15 titles per year and growing) and editorial management of the Jesus Calling brand, which has sold 46 million copies to date.

The Senior Editor will manage projects from manuscript to completion. The role’s primary focus is production editing (including line editing, copyediting, proofreading, collating, style coding, and indexing), with the opportunity to manage the developmental and/or substantive edit of several titles per year.

Experience working with 2-color and 4-color books (including cookbooks) is strongly preferred. Please consider including in your cover letter examples of key projects and authors you have personally managed that include the types of books listed above.

This is a hybrid position based out of our Nashville office.

Responsibilities

Essential Responsibilities:

• Manages the production editorial process (line edit, copy edit, proofreads, and typeset) from manuscript to bound book for all Celebrate and Jesus Calling front-list and custom titles.
• Collates corrections from freelancers, designers, art directors, and authors, verifying that corrections have been made, and ensures timely delivery of final files to the printer.
• Manages multiple projects while maintaining high standards of quality; meets deadlines on tight production schedules.
• Maintains relationships with authors, exhibiting clear and professional communication.
• Collaborates alongside acquisitions, art directors, artists, and designers to select art, photos, and interior designs that enhance the manuscript and support the author’s brand within determined specs.
• Performs substantive and developmental editorial work on several titles annually, supporting Senior Acquisitions Editor as needed; this includes editing to maintain and enhance author’s style, voice, and message.
• Adheres to production editorial schedule for full Harper Celebrate and Jesus Calling lists; clearly communicates the schedule with internal and external parties.
• Facilitates the catalog copy process and the development of sales conference materials, writing and proofreading as needed.
• Codes all design elements of a manuscript, using proprietary Microsoft Word software.
• Drafts and edits cover copy and checks all stages of jacket/cover proofs.
• Coordinates with the Managing Editor to track and upload reprint corrections.
• Possesses a strong interest in general market visual content including self-help/wellness, cooking, décor, humor, biography, and beyond.
• Manages hiring of editorial freelancers, maintains editorial expense budgets for all titles, and processes invoices accordingly.
• Works with authors to secure permissions, releases, and endorsements and to obtain approval for text design, copyediting, cover design, and cover text.
• Creates error-free, industry-leading products on time and on budget.

Qualifications

Knowledge: Extremely familiar with Chicago Manual of Style. A strong grasp of proper English, grammar, and an eagle-eye for errors. Thorough knowledge of the book editorial process required.

Work Experience: 5+ years in book publishing required; 4-color book experience (including cookbooks) strongly preferred. Ideal candidates will also have experience in communicating with authors and/or high-profile personalities.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in English, Writing, Journalism, Publishing or related field required.

Industry Knowledge: Understanding of products that sell well in the mass market and reach wide audiences. Knowledge of key authors and relationships with freelance writers and editors is a plus.

Skills:

• Possess a thorough knowledge of Chicago Manual of Style (CMS).
• Evaluate manuscripts and conduct substantive editing, copyediting, and proofreading, as needed.
• Work independently and organize a high-volume pipeline.
• Collaborate with authors and agents diplomatically.
• Apply a detailed eye to both text and design.
• Maintain flexibility, with the ability to make adjustments as needed to suit the team’s defined goals.
• Communicate well, ask thoughtful questions, and generate efficient solutions.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite and a strong understanding of the Adobe Creative Suite.
• Liaise between editorial, art, design, and production.
• Learn new systems (i.e. HarperCollins’ proprietary software for managing manuscripts, etc.)