Editor

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 9-5
• Salary Range: $65,800- $65,800

Position Summary

Reporting to the Editorial Director the Editor will acquire (and see through every stage of pre-publication, publication, and post-publication) textbooks, monographs, and trade titles that will advance the scholarly, education, and global dialogue in the field of Philosophy and Religion.

Responsibilities

• Monitoring scholarly journals and popular media for promising topics, authors and institutions; researching, contacting and meeting with promising potential authors (the latter to be done within the budget established by the press for such activities)
• Evaluating potential projects and providing a timely response to potential authors regarding next steps; organizing a timely and thorough peer review process of projects under consideration; preparing summary documentation for project approval, including financial projections
• Overseeing the contract process and conducting or facilitating any necessary negotiations
• Maintaining regular contact with contracted authors; providing timely and reasonably detailed feedback on manuscripts-in-progress (including developmental work on trade and textbook titles as necessary); promptly answering author questions and directing authors to other resources as necessary
• Acting as a liaison between the author and other departments (including design, marketing, rights and production) as needed; providing guidance (to both the author and other departments) on cover and interior design, subsidiary rights, copy writing, publicity, and sales as necessary and helpful; setting appropriate author expectations and mediating any disputes that arise over the course of the publication process
• Providing input on publicity plans for forthcoming books, and meeting with freelance publicists, PR teams, agents and authors when needed; organizing the solicitation of endorsements for forthcoming books
• Discussing potential and upcoming projects with colleagues, faculty members and sales reps
• Preparing for and participating in discussion of fellow editor's projects, as well as in discussion of overall press strategy during yearly retreats
• Attending author events, potential author events, Columbia events, and conferences as a representative of the press; organizing travel and accommodations for such events within the budget established by the press for such activities
• Maintaining regular contact with the university, including the chair of the economics department, new and established centers and scholars, and faculty working on economic topics throughout various departments and schools
• Managing a part-time editorial assistant and delegating appropriate tasks (including initial contract prep, peer review outreach, endorsement outreach, etc.)

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and/or equivalent related experience required and 2-4 years related experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience acquiring projects in a field in the remit.
• Strong language skills and editing skills and the ability to quickly summarize and communicate technical and scholarly arguments.
• Demonstrated ability to interact professionally, personably, and productively with colleagues, professors, authors and others.
• Attention to detail, strong organization skills, and the ability to plan and coordinate projects with a long time-horizon.
• Initiative and perseverance in researching and following up with promising potential authors.
• A productive, flexible and problem-solving attitude towards publication challenges and new opportunities.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.