Senior Acquisitions Editor

Calling all cookbook-loving, children’s, and select nonfiction editors...

Gibbs Smith is looking for a Senior Acquisitions Editor to join our Book & Gift team.

We're seeking an experienced editor with a track record of acquiring successful cookbooks and nonfiction, someone who gets excited about spotting trends, developing original concepts, building author relationships, and shepherding beautiful books from spark to shelf.

If interested, please submit resume and cover letter to: hrmailbox@gibbs-smith.com

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ABOUT THE JOB

Gibbs Smith is a proudly independent, 100 percent employee-owned publisher and a Certified B Corp dedicated to using business as a force for good. Our mission goes beyond books—we strive to create meaningful impact for our employee-owners, our communities, our industry, and the environment—always with the focus on our company ethos of enriching and inspiring.

We publish across two vibrant segments: Book & Gift and Education. Our Book & Gift titles can be found wherever readers discover great books—on the shelves of local bookstores, online, in libraries, in national parks, at airport shops, and in markets around the world from the UK to Japan.

Gibbs Smith Book & Gift is seeking a senior acquisitions editor, with significant cookbook experience, to join our small and scrappy team of unicorns. The ideal candidate should be creative as well as detail focused as they collaborate with the in-house team, authors, artists, designers, and other partners to germinate and grow projects from an idea to a fully formed book, in addition to acquiring and editing manuscripts, both agented and author submitted.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Acquisition and List Development

• Acquire 10–15 book projects per year with a focus on cooking, children’s, and select nonfiction categories aligned with the company’s publishing strategy
• Identify market opportunities that fit with Gibbs Smith’s publishing categories
• Develop compelling financial documents, acquisitions forms, positioning rationale, and sales points for proposed titles
• Build and maintain relationships with agents, authors, photographers, illustrators, designers, and other creative partners
• Help shape seasonal lists (three seasons per year) and long-range publishing strategies

Concept and Creator Collaboration

• Generate original, creative, and unique book concepts and gift products designed to enrich and inspire
• Pitch new book ideas at creative and acquisitions meetings
• Collaborate with authors and artistic creators to shape proposals and manuscripts from early stages
• Guide projects from ideation through publication

Editorial Management

• Negotiate deals with agents/authors/artists and generate proformas for contracting
• Project manage proposals and acquired manuscripts through all stages: development editing, line editing, copy preparation, cover and design creation, and review and oversight of production
• Manage project schedules for due dates, title progress against deadlines, and author communication
• Present and advocate for projects to sales, marketing, publicity, and design teams
• Write jacket/back copy, tipsheets, catalog copy, and launch materials
• Work closely with publicity and marketing staff on promotional plans for titles
• Work with teams across the Gibbs Smith organization to bring projects to market on time and on budget

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Requires a minimum of 7 years of editorial experience with four-color books
• Editor should possess excellent grammar, writing, editing, and communication skills
• Proven track record of acquiring and editing successful cookbooks and other nonfiction titles
• Strong understanding of positioning, audience targeting, and marketplace trends
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines

JOB SPECIFICS

Salary range: $75,000 to $95,000 annually

Status: Full-time

Location: On-site or remote; hybrid possibility

Benefits: Health, Dental, 401K, ESOP retirement plan