Senior Acquisitions Editor, Audio

Job Description

Simon & Schuster is a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world's most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards.

It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Pocket Books, Adams Media, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom, and proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories. For more information visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.

Simon & Schuster Audio is looking for a Senior Acquisitions Editor to fast-track the expansion of our original-audio publishing program. Our goal is to augment our industry-leading audio publishing program with an additional list of original audio publications that both bring new voices to our extensive list and create new opportunities for authors we already publish. We are looking for a self-starter who is enterprising and entrepreneurial, eager to own this new initiative while able to engage in the collaborative effort required to execute from vision to reality. This individual will report directly to the VP, Editorial Director and work closely with publishers, producers, editors, agents and authors to pursue opportunities in a wide range of subject matters.

Job responsibilities include:
• Commissioning, acquiring and developing new content available only on audio
• Working closely with the industry-leading S&S Audio publishing, editorial and production teams to maximize original-audio opportunities that complement and expand our audio list
• Identifying a wide range of content owners and creators – authors, franchises, publications and other media brands – to approach and engage for original-audio publication
• Soliciting and reviewing proposals for original audio programs from agents, publications and other content providers
• Negotiating multi-faceted publishing deals that include rights acquisition, content development guidelines and schedules, possible author narration and other production commitments
• Coordinating and collaborating with S&S Audio production team to develop concepts, commission and edit scripts, and shepherd projects from inception to publication
• Managing title-acquisition P&L's that capture the dynamic complexity of assessing the finances of original-audio publications
• Managing a rapidly-expanding list of programs in varied stages of development, in a range of editorial categories with diverse production formats

Requirements of the position include:
• Extensive network of publishing-industry contacts
• Minimum ten years experience in book publishing or other audio development medium
• Exceptional levels of initiative, curiosity, expertise and autonomy from day one
• Working knowledge of some form of audio production – audiobooks, podcasts, radio, etc.
• Deep and actionable understanding of recent and current markets for a wide range of audio information and entertainment – audiobooks, podcasts, radio, theater. Knowledge of the audiobook publishing marketplace, including sales trends is a huge plus
• Experience in content commissioning, acquisition and evaluation
• Strong and demonstrable editorial and project management skills
• Hands-on book and/or periodical editorial experience a plus – writing, editing, commissioning, author management
• Ability to bring new content providers and creators into the original-audio space
• Ability to cultivate a collaborative dynamic with agents, book editors, audio production and authors while maintaining a leadership role
• Experience creating P&Ls, and facility managing them to incorporate changing input and financial goals
• Familiarity with a wide range of editorial categories – fiction and non-fiction, commercial and literary, narrative and prescriptive
• Ability to cultivate an editorial perspective that assesses and speaks to the current cultural moment, and anticipates the next

ViacomCBS is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) including disability/vet.

Paramount believes in creating environments that allow our primary focus to remain on providing entertainment, education and information to our millions of viewers around the world. As part of this commitment to health and safety, Paramount requires COVID-19 vaccines for current US employees, including all newly hired employees, subject to applicable law. Union employees are subject to what is outlined in their applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-d27pw7-3-17-6-75-42 in your application.