Senior Editor, Clarkson Potter (Open to Remote)

$78,000 - $85,000/Yr

Unclassified - New York, NY

Full-time - Mid Level

Remote - New York, NY

251-500 employees

About the position

Clarkson Potter, an imprint of The Crown Publishing Group, is seeking a Senior Editor to join our esteemed cookbook team. This role is pivotal for candidates who possess a deep passion for culinary literature and a proven track record in identifying and nurturing high-quality culinary projects that resonate both commercially and culturally. As a Senior Editor, you will be responsible for acquiring, editing, and managing a portfolio of 10 to 12 cookbooks annually, collaborating closely with a diverse range of authors and creative professionals. Our team thrives on collaboration, and you will work alongside editorial, design, production, marketing, and publicity departments to ensure the successful launch of each title. In this role, you will be expected to prospect new authors and trends, bringing a broad range of culinary interests to the table. Your entrepreneurial spirit and detail-oriented approach will be essential as you evaluate book proposals, build compelling commercial and cultural cases for acquisition, and manage relationships with agents. You will engage with authors to help them realize their vision, guiding them through the acquisition and production processes while developing, editing, and finalizing manuscripts. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of culinary processes, direct experience in recipe editing or writing, and a proven ability to manage multiple projects from conception to completion. This position not only requires strong written and verbal communication skills but also diplomacy and sensitivity in navigating delicate conversations within a collaborative environment. You will represent both the publisher and the authors, ensuring that all parties are aligned and that the final product reflects the highest standards of quality and creativity. We are looking for someone who is self-motivated, creative, and eager to contribute to a small, highly collaborative team dedicated to producing exceptional culinary books.

Responsibilities

• Acquire 10 to 12 cookbooks per year, identifying trends and impactful stories with a strong potential for reaching a wide audience.
• Evaluate book proposals and build the commercial and cultural cases for their acquisition, including creating and managing profit and loss statements.
• Negotiate and manage relationships with agents.
• Engage and partner with authors to fully realize their vision, collaborating throughout the acquisition and production processes.
• Develop, edit, and finalize manuscripts.
• Collaborate across departments, including design, production editorial, production, marketing, publicity, and sales teams.
• Represent the publisher, design, and production teams when working with the author, and represent the author when working with our publisher, design, and production teams.

Requirements

• 5 to 7 years of editorial experience working on complex, full-color cookbooks or other content-rich food media spaces.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong understanding of culinary processes and methods, including direct experience in recipe editing or writing.
• In-depth understanding of the acquiring process, and a strong record of acquisitions or assignments.
• Direct experience taking multiple concurrent projects from conception to completion.
• A strong record of meeting deadlines with effective organization and prioritization skills.
• Diplomacy and sensitivity in handling delicate conversations within a collaborative environment.
• Extensive team coordination and project management experience (including collaborations with designers, photographers, and writers/authors).
• Desire and willingness to collaborate in person in our New York office as much as possible.

Benefits

• Medical/Prescription drug insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 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