Editor, Basic Venture

SUMMARY:

The Basic Books Group is a division of Hachette Book Group dedicated to making the world smarter by publishing works of serious non-fiction by expert authors. We are seeking an Editor to acquire primarily in economics and business for our Basic Venture imprint, with opportunities to acquire in current events, public policy, and technology for PublicAffairs, as well. The successful candidate will have a strong background in working with top experts in these fields to communicate specialized ideas to a general readership, with particular preference given to candidates with a background or interest in economics, and they will have concrete ideas for shaping our lists in these areas.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Helping to set and execute the editorial strategy for the Basic Venture list.
• Commissioning and/or acquiring approximately 10 books annually.
• Editing manuscripts for publication.
• Successfully negotiating deals.
• Working effectively with authors and agents in all phases of the publishing process, from acquisition through publication date and beyond.
• Preparing materials such as acquisition memos, profit and loss statements, title fact sheets, catalog and jacket copy, etc.
• Supervising the production process by acting as the in-house liaison between editorial and the production, design, and managing-editorial departments.
• Collaborating with the publicity, marketing, and design teams to package and position books.
• Developing selected backlist reissues.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• Excellent conceptual and line-editing abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to assess both the commercial and scholarly potential of proposed books.
• 5+ years’ editorial or equivalent experience.
• Broad knowledge of, and interest in, nonfiction subject areas and publishing categories.
• Contacts among academics, journalists, writers, and literary agents.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with other groups, companies, and organizations on shared long-term projects.
• Demonstrated understanding of and an appreciation for the ideas of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills
• Ability to deliver timely, accurate work and demonstrate good follow up and follow through.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively within a team setting.