Senior Editor, Intrigue (NYC Hybrid or Toronto Hybrid) - HarperCollins Publishers

Company:                       Harlequin Enterprises ULC

Date:                               December 10, 2024

Job Title:                         Senior Editor, Intrigue

Department:                   Brand

Reporting To:                 Senior Executive Editor

Status:                            Regular Full Time

Location:                        195 Broadway, New York, NY (hybrid model)

        22 Adelaide Street West, Toronto (hybrid model)

We celebrate and support the differences that make each of us unique, striving to create a welcoming workplace that ensures everyone has a voice and is able to do their best work. We welcome all applicants, including those who identify with groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the publishing industry including, but not limited to, Black, Indigenous, people of colour, members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, and persons with disabilities.

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Job Summary:  

The Senior Editor has specific responsibility for the editorial strategy and content of the Harlequin Intrigue imprint. They are responsible for ensuring the editorial acquired by the series acquisition team will meet the positioning and acquisition goals of the imprint’s global requirements. Additionally, the Senior Editor will work closely with their marketing partners to develop the publishing strategies that will deliver the sales required to achieve the imprint’s financial targets.

The Senior Editor is also responsible for soliciting, recommending, acquiring and developing authors for publication in Harlequin Intrigue.

Editorial Vision

• Responsible for developing and implementing the company’s acquisition and build strategies, as well as contributing innovative ideas in this process.
• Together with the Senior Executive Editor, formulates and executes a distinct and saleable vision for the imprint, ensures all content delivers, and develops an understanding of the imprint’s profitability.
• As a member of the senior Editorial team across three offices, contributes to growth strategies across all Harlequin Brand imprints.

Author/Agent Management

• Solicits commercial romance fiction from agents and from new and existing writers; reads and recommends, with the goal of successful acquisition/negotiation within the confines of budget.
• Fosters strong relationships with agents.
• Champion of brand, series and authors: Attends various writers’ conferences as company representative to raise profile of the imprint and attract authors. Represents the program and the company at both internal and external conferences, as well as in media situations sharing relevant information and learnings with relevant colleagues.
• Acquires and develops key authors and oversees the management of the author base in accordance with the imprint’s vision. Responsible for approving and implementing all author growth plans, maintaining key authors under contract and aggressively eliminating consistent poor performers while actively recruiting new talent.

Publishing Team

• The Senior Editor is a key representative for the imprint and must work closely with numerous internal departments such as Editorial, North American Marketing and Digital, Sales, Publicity, Overseas, Legal, Art, Production and Finance to ensure effective communication and planning within and across departments.
• Actively leads the editorial components (art fact sheets, title and back cover copy development) in the publishing team process with Art and Marketing to create effective packaging.  Contributes to the collaboration by representing the content. 
• Manages communication and feedback to authors and agents regarding all packaging issues and updates.

Leadership

• Manages a small team of two direct reports
• Develops and grows and retains editorial staff to meet current and future requirements through feedback, training and mentoring. Conducts recruitment, supervision and succession planning with input/support from Human Resources department.
• Demonstrates leadership in innovation, creativity, consumer and competitive insights, nurturing that atmosphere with the staff. Develops and executes innovative editorial ideas and concepts and participates in new company initiatives contributing to ongoing line renewal through coordinated efforts with relevant departments.

• Undergraduate degree
• 5-10 years of experience with a proven track record in finding, acquiring, editing and cultivating fiction programs and author management. Demonstrated ability in recognizing new talent with strong commercial potential.
• Excellent editorial skills, from manuscript revision to line editing to copy writing.
• Established agent and media contacts, with specific emphasis on those in the realm of romance fiction
• Strong contract negotiation skills, along with knowledge/understanding of standard
• publishing contracts and P&Ls.
• Strong communication skills, verbal and written.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work with internal business teams to achieve outstanding business results.
• Drive for results.
• Strong decision making and judgement skills, strategic mindset with the ability to make difficult decisions.
• Evidence of people leadership ability; managerial skills and experience, through deputizing, training, mentoring and project management.
• DEI expertise; understanding of the importance of DEI as values, team management and content.

What's in It For You?

• The opportunity to be part of a company on the leading edge of publishing, working with a very talented team and exceptional books
• Summer Hours from late May to early September
• Hybrid work, flexible start/stop times
• Work from anywhere 4 weeks per year!
• Paid time off days and vacation allotment, starting at three weeks (prorated based on start date)
• Flexible benefit plans to fit your needs and pension matching
• Working with passionate people!

About HarperCollins Canada and Harlequin

Harlequin is a leading publisher of commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction. We publish more than 100 titles a month that reach audiences globally. Encompassing highly recognizable imprints that span a broad number of genres, we are home to many award-winning New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling authors. Harlequin is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, the second-largest consumer book publisher in the world. Through HarperCollins’s global publishing program, Harlequin titles are published in 17 countries and 16 languages.

The salary for this position is $75,000-$95,000.

Known worldwide for the quality of its list, HarperCollins Canada is the proud home of many bestselling and award-winning authors, including Esi Edugyan, Heather O’Neill, and Lawrence Hill. It is our vision to publish the best books of our generation and to work with authors over the length and breadth of their careers. Our authors are at the centre of everything we do. In addition to the Canadian publishing program, HarperCollins Canada is responsible for the sales, marketing, and publicity of HarperCollins titles from around the globe.

HarperCollins Canada and Harlequin are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to equal employment opportunities. Employment decisions are based on job requirements and the skills, knowledge, and experience of the candidate, regardless of any other factors unrelated to job performance.

We are also committed to ensuring that the accessibility needs of candidates and employees are considered and accommodated during the recruitment process.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Please submit your application by January 8, 2025.