Job opening at Yen Press

Kurt Hassler just dropped me a line to say he’s settling in at Yen Press, Hachette’s new manga imprint, and he’s looking for an editorial assistant. So if you’re looking for a way to break into the industry, this might be your opportunity. Full job posting after the cut.

Editorial Assistant -Japanese Translation Required

Hachette Book Group USA (HBG), a division of Hachette Livre, the third largest book publisher in the world, seeks to fill the position of Editorial Assistant.

HBG’s product lines include adult, illustrated, religious, children’s and audio books under the Warner Books, Little, Brown & Company, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, FaithWords, Center Street and Hachette Book Group Digital Media imprints. HBG USA’s bestselling authors include David Baldacci, Michael Connelly, Malcolm Gladwell, Ansel Adams, Robert Kiyosaki, David Sedaris, Walter Mosley, Nelson DeMille, Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, James Patterson, Nicholas Sparks and Cecily von Ziegesar. HBG classics include: The Catcher in the Rye, The Bridges of Madison County, Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, To Kill A Mockingbird, the Arthur children’s books, and works by photographer Ansel Adams. HBG USA also sells and distributes books for other publishers and has a warehousing operation in Indiana and customer services and other support services in Boston.

The Editorial Assistant will be responsible for providing administrative and editorial support to the Publishing Director. Responsibilities include:

• Work with translators and adaptors on Japanese licenses, must be fluent in speaking and writing Japanese. Some translation work may be required.
• Write catalog, cover and promotional copy and preparing fact sheets
• Prepare contract requests and process payments
• Communicate with authors and agents about queries, payments, etc.
• Traffic editorial projects through Production, Copyediting, and Marketing, and secure appropriate approvals
• Enter title data into proprietary databases system and track data throughout publishing process
• Prepare cost specifications
• Read and report on manuscripts, proposals and books submitted for publication
• Coordinate meetings and events, including Sales Conference and Trade Shows
• Perform administrative duties, including: photocopying, sorting mail, filing, directing/responding to phone calls, etc.
• Expertise and experience with manga required
Requirements: Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and administrative skills; Bachelor’s degree in English preferred; Minimum of 1 year of publishing experience preferred (internships ok); an ability to work independently, adhere to deadlines, attend to details, and juggle multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment; solid computer skills, including MS Word, Excel, and Powerpoint; polished communication skills; demonstrated interest in graphic novels and knowledge of the genre.

Anyone interested in applying should submit their resume and cover letter to: jobs@hbgusa.com referencing “NMED/Editorial Assistant/Japanese Translation Required” on the subject line.