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 http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/.
Job DescriptionClarkson Potter, a leading publisher of illustrated lifestyle books in the categories of Food & Drink, Design, Photography, Gift & Pop Culture, and Entertainment, seeks an Editorial Assistant to join our team. The assistant provides administrative and editorial support to an Executive Editor and Senior Editor on culture titles, cookbooks, and cocktail and beverage books as well as some administrative support to the Editor-in-Chief and an Editorial Director. This position offers the opportunity for growth and to learn about the editorial process and the inner workings of a publishing office. No previous publishing experience is required.
Clarkson Potter is the proud home of some of the world's most acclaimed culinary storytellers, thought leaders, brands, and innovators, including Ina Garten, Martha Stewart, The New York Times Wirecutter, Christian Watson aka Mr. Skelly, Toni Tipton-Martin, Alison Roman, Rick Martinez, Melissa Clark, Rodney Scott, and The Woks of Life, to name just a few.
At Clarkson Potter, the Editorial Assistant acts as a liaison between editors, authors, agents, and the many different departments within the publishing group. Daily responsibilities include all-around project support for the editors, calendar and meeting management, reviewing and evaluating proposals, and drafting sales copy.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Helping in the evaluation of proposals and manuscripts
• Researching trends and competition and identifying new talent
• Communicating with authors and agents
• Writing cover copy and title fact sheets
• Preparing and routing financial and contract information for acquisitions
• Running sales reports
• Taking on ownership of team-wide projects (for example, organizing and running the powerpoint presentation for seasonal launch meetings)
• Collaborating with all in-house departments (publicity, marketing, sales, production, design, etc.)
• Coordinating the editorial and production process for multiple titles concurrently
• Providing administrative support, including scheduling meetings, managing expense reports, mailings, etc.
Qualifications• Exceptional attention to detail, the ability to prioritize, manage multiple calendars and project workflows, and strong and efficient follow-up skills
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to multitask across multiple editors' desks
• Social media savvy with a strong interest in food /cooking trends and pop culture
• Strong communication skills, both verbal & written, used on timely follow-up over email and, phone, and chat
• Strong writing skills with an emphasis on clarity and concision
• Ability to take initiative, to work independently while being able to ask for guidance or feedback, to be resourceful, and to problem-solve creatively
• A team player who treats others with respect and has the ability to build internal & external relationships with colleagues, authors, and agents
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint
• Expertise in Outlook is a plus but not a requirement to succeed in this role (training available)
Additional InformationThis is a hybrid position with in-office responsibilities (approximately 2-3 days a week). We will consider candidates who can work from a commutable distance to our offices at 1745 Broadway, which includes the tri-state area (NJ, CT, and NY).
The salary for this position is $55,000. All positions are currently eligible for annual profit award or bonus, subject to Company results.
Please apply by 7/30/ 2026, using our ATS system and include your cover letter that gives us a sense of who you are and why you’re right for the position, as well as a resume for consideration. Before applying for any role at Penguin Random House, we recommend you review our applicant resources page and our FAQs page.
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 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.
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
Disclosure requirements pertaining to the collection of your personal data:
Responsible for processing the information provided in your application is the company specified in the job advertisement, with its registered office as indicated. The company processes your data for the purpose of establishing an employment relationship on the basis of Art. 6 (1) b GDPR / Section 26 (1) sentence 1 BDSG.
The retention period for your data is determined by the statutory time limits applicable in the respective country, beginning upon completion of the recruitment process. You can find these here.
You can contact the company’s Data Protection Officer at the above-mentioned postal address.
Further information on data protection and your rights can be found here.
We value the array of talents and perspectives that a diverse workforce brings. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or pregnancy.
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
Disclosure requirements pertaining to the collection of your personal data:
Responsible for processing the information provided in your application is the company specified in the job advertisement, with its registered office as indicated. The company processes your data for the purpose of establishing an employment relationship on the basis of Art. 6 (1) b GDPR / Section 26 (1) sentence 1 BDSG.
The retention period for your data is determined by the statutory time limits applicable in the respective country, beginning upon completion of the recruitment process. You can find these here.
You can contact the company’s Data Protection Officer at the above-mentioned postal address.
Further information on data protection and your rights can be found here.
We value the array of talents and perspectives that a diverse workforce brings. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or pregnancy.
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
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Skills Required
- Exceptional attention to detail, ability to prioritize, manage multiple calendars and project workflows, and strong follow-up skills
- Excellent organizational skills and ability to multitask across multiple editors' desks
- Social media savvy with a strong interest in food/cooking trends and pop culture
- Strong communication skills, both verbal and written
- Strong writing skills with emphasis on clarity and concision
- Ability to take initiative, work independently while seeking guidance, be resourceful, and problem-solve creatively
- Team player who builds internal and external relationships with colleagues, authors, and agents
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Expertise in Outlook
- Ability to work hybrid (approximately 2-3 days/week) and be commutable to offices at 1745 Broadway (NY tri-state area: NY, NJ, CT)
What We Do
Bertelsmann is a media, services and education company that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the entertainment group RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato Group, Bertelsmann Marketing Services, the Bertelsmann Education Group and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company has 165,000 employees worldwide and generated revenues of €20.2 billion in the 2022 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world. Bertelsmann aspires to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.
