Job Description

Alfred A. Knopf has an exciting opportunity for a food-loving Editorial Assistant to join the Knopf Cooks team. The Assistant will provide editorial and administrative support to the Editorial Director and Senior Editor on a list of 8-12 titles a year.

Since 1961, when editor Judith Jones published Julia Child’s  Mastering the Art of French Cooking , Knopf has been home to one of the most distinguished culinary lists in America, publishing legendary authors such as Edna Lewis, Lidia Bastianich, Madhur Jaffrey, Joan Nathan, Claudia Roden, James Beard, and Marcella Hazan.

Upholding this legacy, today, Knopf Cooks publishes upmarket, voice-driven cookbooks and food writing that have a unique perspective on the topic at hand. Among our bestselling and prize-winning authors are: Sohla El-Waylly, Deb Perelman, Christina Tosi, Kwame Onwuachi, Hetty Lui McKinnon, Bill Buford, Nancy Silverton, Jody Williams and Rita Sodi, and Ruby Tandoh.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Knopf Cooks is a small, collaborative team – we meet regularly and brainstorm on all topics, from editorial to publicity and marketing. The ideal candidate will value that working environment and be expected to contribute across all parts of the publication process, efficiently managing a diverse set of responsibilities.
• Reading, logging, and evaluating proposals and manuscripts, providing competitive title research and sales data, and drafting rejection letters.
• Giving editorial feedback and, under guidance, editing manuscripts. Formatting manuscripts for production, creating art logs, drafting transmittal memos and copyright forms, tracking copyedits and page proofs, and drafting cover copy and sales sheets.
• Providing general administrative support, including scheduling meetings, routing contract and payment requests, generating profit and loss statements, clearing permissions, ordering author copies, contracting with photographers, handling mailings, processing reprint correction requests, filing expense reports, and liaising with authors, agents, and the different departments within the group.
• Updating online metadata fields (book copy, author bios, reviews, etc.) for current, forthcoming, and backlist titles.

Minimum Requirements:

• A passion for food and cooking, and for reading—both in the culinary space and across fiction and non-fiction categories.  
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.  
• A team player mentality and the ability to build internal & external relationships with departments, authors, agents, and other stakeholders.  
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to prioritize, and outstanding follow-up, organizational, and multitask skills.  
• Ability to work independently, meet deadlines, anticipate needs once familiar with the role, take initiative and problem solve creatively and professionally in a fast-paced office environment.  
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Acrobat.

This hybrid role is based in New York City and will require someone in commutable distance to coordinate in-person author and agent meetings, mailings, special projects and other in-person opportunities as needed.

Salary for this position is $48,000. All positions are currently eligible for annual profit award or bonus, subject to Company results.

Penguin Random House job postings include a good faith compensation range for each open position. The salary range listed is specific to each particular open position and takes into account various factors including the specifics of the individual role, and candidate's relevant experience and qualifications.

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, 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.

Penguin Random House is the leading adult and children's publishing house in North America, the United Kingdom and many other regions around the world. In publishing the best books in every genre and subject for all ages, we are committed to quality, excellence in execution, and innovation throughout the entire publishing process: editorial, design, marketing, publicity, sales, production, and distribution. Our vibrant and diverse international community of nearly 300 publishing brands and imprints include Ballantine Bantam Dell, Berkley, Clarkson Potter, Crown, DK, Doubleday, Dutton, Grosset & Dunlap, Little Golden Books, Knopf, Modern Library, Pantheon, Penguin Books, Penguin Press, Penguin Random House Audio, Penguin Young Readers, Portfolio, Puffin, Putnam, Random House, Random House Children's Books, Riverhead, Ten Speed Press, Viking, and Vintage, among others. More information can be found at < "">

Penguin Random House 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.

Company: Penguin Random House LLC

Country: United States of America 

State/Region: New York 

City: New York 

Postal Code: 10019 

Job ID: 270523

Job Tags

Full time, Contract work, Temporary work, Flexible hours,

Similar Jobs