Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Now Hiring: Assistant Director and Editor-in-Chief

The University of Georgia Press seeks an experienced and talented publishing professional to direct and develop the Press’s distinguished editorial program and supervise its acquisitions staff. The Assistant Director and Editor-in-Chief is a key member of the Press’s management team and plays a major role in goal-setting, short-term and long-range strategic planning, and policy making for the Press. The Assistant Director and Editor-in-Chief also is responsible for personally acquiring 20-25 high-quality, marketable new manuscripts per year for the Press in one or more of the following areas:  history, literary studies, geography, urban studies, international relations and security studies, regional trade. This position reports to the Director of the University of Georgia Press.

Founded in 1938, the University of Georgia Press is the largest book publisher in the state. It has been a member of the Association of American University Presses since 1940. With a full-time staff of 24 publishing professionals, the Press currently publishes 80-85 new books a year and has over 1,500 titles in print. It has well-established lists in Atlantic World and American history, American literature, African American studies, southern studies, and environmental studies, as well as a growing presence in the fields of geography, urban studies, international affairs, and security studies.

Because it is affiliated with a land-grant institution that is the flagship university in Georgia, the Press has a long-standing commitment to publishing books about the state and region, including natural history field guides and other heavily illustrated works. It is also a long-time publisher of creative writing through books published in conjunction with the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction, the Associated Writers and Writing Programs Award for Creative Nonfiction, and other literary competitions and series. The publishing program has been nationally recognized, and in recent years a number of books published by the Press have won major awards.  For more information, please visit the Press website.

The Press is located on the University of Georgia’s historic North Campus in Athens, Georgia.  Perennially rated as one of the nation's top college towns, Athens offers a vibrant place to work and live.  With Atlanta 70 miles to the west, Athens offers good proximity to the city while maintaining a small-town culture and feel.  Athens offers a nationally recognized music scene, great restaurants, a local food movement, and a vibrant downtown area with independently owned businesses. Please visit here for more information about Athens.

Required Qualifications:  Bachelor’s degree in the humanities or social sciences.  At least 5 years of acquisitions experience, with a university press or trade publisher, in one or more of the fields in which the Press currently publishes.  Academic background and experience sufficient to facilitate constructive interaction with scholars, colleagues, and university administration.  Experience in helping to shape a press’s editorial program.  Thorough knowledge of publishing trends and markets for both academic and general-interest titles. Proven managerial and leadership skills. Active participation in the Association of American University Presses. Ability to work independently and imaginatively in seeking out promising book projects. Ability to manage multiple, deadline-driven projects simultaneously. Knowledge of copyright and contracts as they relate to book publishing.

Preferred Qualifications:  Master’s degree preferred. Budgeting and forecasting experience preferred.

The full description of duties and application instructions is available here.

The University of Georgia values diversity in its faculty, students, and staff and strongly encourages applications from underrepresented minority candidates. The University of Georgia is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.