A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

The Editorial Assistant will assist acquisitions editors in their efforts to recruit scholarly monographs, textbooks, and trade books and will work independently to track and facilitate workflows associated with acquiring and developing these titles. The Editorial Assistant is more than a support role; they are responsible for author communication and for accuracy, timeliness, and troubleshooting at different stages of the manuscript submission process. The Editorial Assistant serves as one of the author's main contacts throughout the publishing process, helping the author navigate new and traditional forms of publication. This job offers a great opportunity to learn the book acquisitions process at a major university press.

The University of Michigan Press is an important part of UM Library's Michigan Publishing, which is the primary academic publishing division of the University. In partnership with our authors and series editors, the Press publishes around 100-120 peer-reviewed books a year in a range of humanities and social science disciplines.

You will report to the Editorial Director.
You will work onsite in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

• General assistance for two editors, including helping editors maintain records and track projects at the various stages of publication 
• Communicate with colleagues across the Press regarding active projects; prepare preliminary budget plans for new projects; communicate project complexities to production department; assist editors with managing author and colleague expectations for project complexity
• Assist editors in seeking and querying peer reviewers; keep review schedules on track and up-to-date; process reader payments and send invoices for title subventions
• Maintain and enter data into title management system
• Draft and process contracts for new titles and book series
• Send contracts and manuscripts for review; mail complimentary copies of books to authors and reviewers, or direct student employees in this role
• Assemble and proofread new project proposals for Acquisitions Approval meetings and Faculty Executive Committee meetings
• Work with authors to prepare manuscripts for production; communicate with authors to ensure submission guidelines are met to provide a smooth transition to production
• Move 30-40 manuscripts into production annually
• Work with Publishing Technology Group and other departments to develop workflows for born-digital publications
• Work with acquisitions editors and other press departments on special projects such as grant writing and accessibility remediation; travel to conferences
• Functional management for student and temp employees

• Community college diploma or high school diploma and one to two years of relevant experience in collaborative project management or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills; a good vocabulary and writing skills; demonstrated ability to prepare and format electronic documents. 
• Familiarity with desktop publishing tools, including Microsoft Office Suite, including the ability to enter data or text quickly and accurately.
• Strong organizational, time management, and problem-resolution skills; ability to meet deadlines consistently in a production environment.
• Demonstrated history of attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and in a group environment as part of a well-functioning and diverse team.

• Previous experience in book, journal, or magazine publishing whether professional, extracurricular, or volunteer.
• Interest in new forms of digital scholarship and alternative (e.g., open access) business models.

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.