Editor, Children's

Chronicle Books is looking for a Children’s Editor to enhance the distinctiveness, prestige, profitability, and reach of our Children’s Publishing program by originating, acquiring, developing, and managing book, novelty, and ancillary titles that speak directly to their end consumer and grow topline revenue. They will originate and edit distinctive, profitable projects in key areas of the list, with a focus on middle-grade and graphic novels, picture books, licensing, and homegrown/royalty-free projects. While our preference is for this role to be based in San Francisco, we will also consider candidates in the NYC-area who can travel to our Manhattan office.

The Children’s Editor will acquire 10-14 children’s projects from a variety of sources (authors, illustrators, agents, overseas publishers, etc..) including 1-2 potential breakouts or lead titles, 1-2 titles with strong award potential, and 1-2 self-originating home-grown projects. The Children’s Editor will also identify series, franchise, and bestselling brand opportunities.

The person in this role will guide projects through the publishing process, and they will evaluate and respond to submissions, monitor marketplace trends and competition, and look for ways to expand personal expertise and category research by sharing knowledge and creating a collaborative community. Drafting top sheets, negotiating contracts, preparing for launch meetings/sales conferences, collaborating with the Make Team, and processing submissions will also be part of the Children’s Editor role.

Employees at Chronicle Books follow a flexible hybrid schedule of working a minimum of 3 days per week and up to 4 days per week in our San Francisco office, depending on project and business needs. Please note that this job description is not designed to cover all the activities required of the employee.

Hiring Salary Range: $68,000 - 78,200. This range represents the anticipated low and high end of the expected salary for this position and will be determined by factors including but not limited to the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, and geographic location as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. This position is also eligible for our profit share plan.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status. We are committed to fostering an inclusive company culture that respects and promotes diverse backgrounds and points of view. We look for candidates who will add to our culture and support the company’s vision of a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and collaborative workplace. Chronicle Books is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. If you are excited about this role but do not meet 100% of the qualifications listed above, we still encourage you to apply.

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter to our career site (link below).

Chronicle Books offers a full suite of benefits, including but not limited to: medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401k, a profit share plan, three weeks of paid vacation to start, two weeks of sick time per year, and company holidays, including a paid winter break between Christmas Day and New Year's Day, paid family, maternity, and paternity leave, commuter benefits, long-term disability insurance, annual tuition assistance, annual wellness stipend, and more.
Requirements

Candidates will need 4 to 6 years of acquisitions and project editor experience at a trade publishing house, with a demonstrated ability to acquire, develop, position, and edit a full list of strong-performing children’s titles. They should have strong contacts in children’s publishing including authors, illustrators, and agents, and they should be self-motivated and highly collaborative as well as an original thinker.
Salary Description
$68,000 - $78,200