Book Production Assistant, Penguin Young Readers

Job Description

Book Production Assistant, Penguin Young Readers (Hybrid)

Book Production at Penguin Random House seeks a Book Production Assistant to join the Penguin Young Readers 4-color team. Reporting to the Executive Director specializing in 4-color books, the assistant will provide administrative support to the 4-color book production team.

Penguin Young Readers is home to beloved and engaging titles for every young reader, including picture books, board books, middle-grade fiction and nonfiction, young adult, teen, and New York Times best-sellers. Penguin Young Readers brings together award-winning authors and illustrators, such as Jan Brett, Tomie dePaola, Amanda Gorman, John Green, Matthew McConaughey, Ransom Riggs, and Reese Witherspoon; and world-famous brands, licenses, and best-selling series, such as The World of Eric Carle, Mad Libs, The Last Kids on Earth, Who HQ, Bluey, The Little Engine That Could, Corduroy and Winnie-the-Pooh.

The 4-color production team produces hardcover picture books and board books for a diverse list of children's authors & illustrators for several imprints. This role involves tracking book materials among in-house departments and vendors, maintaining schedules, generating cost estimates, and purchasing manufacturing materials.
Our ideal candidate is highly motivated and enthusiastic about publishing. We are looking for a detail-oriented, self-starter who loves children's books of all types and is invested in the process of bringing them to a wide readership, has strong writing and analytical skills, communicates clearly , is comfortable asking for help when needed and wants to be an active participant on a collaborative team.

This is a hybrid position with occasional in-office responsibilities, which include but are not limited to color-correcting proofs, reviewing samples, and in-office meetings. 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, & PA).

Please apply using our ATS system by March 7, 2024, and include your cover letter and resume.

The Role:
• Coordinating schedules, estimating costs, purchasing, tracking materials and reviewing invoices, and collaborating with various departments
• Update data in our FileMaker Pro and SAP databases; compile various reports and spreadsheets
• Provide general administrative support to the 4 color Production team, including attending production meetings and occasionally sending packages
• With training, will learn how to do estimating and purchasing for all facets of book manufacturing for own titles (prep, text printing and binding) for hardcover picture books and board books
• Works with other departments and vendors to keep production on schedule
• Maintains and updates all title information in SAP
• Routes and keeps track of materials to other departments and vendors including jackets, proofs, book copies, etc.

The Essentials:
• Ability to manage multiple projects and schedule tasks effectively
• Keen attention to detail
• Ability to work and learn independently as well as part of a team
• Capacity for anticipating problems and proposing solutions
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Familiarity with Microsoft Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook, PowerPoint, Acrobat and Box
• Basic math skills
• Experience in book production and/or SAP is a plus but not required-we value an organized and passionate team player with a strong interest in children's books

The salary for this position is $48,000. All positions are currently eligible for annual profit award or bonus, subject to Company results.

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.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-gm04om-3-133-115-157-42 in your application.