Publisher

About The New Press: The New Press is a nonprofit publisher committed to social change. We have amplified progressive voices for a more inclusive, just, and equitable world for more than thirty years. Our books enrich public discourse, defend democratic values, and promote the public interest. We are: 

• A book publisher with a social justice mission.

• An intellectual home for the nation’s leading progressive thinkers, journalists, scholars, political leaders, and activists.

• A publishing house where ideas and movements come together.

• A small, diverse organization with a big vision: to change the world, book by book.

Today, The New Press has evolved into a key player in the progressive infrastructure, collaborating with dozens of nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, research institutes, think tanks, colleges and universities, and philanthropic foundations as we position our books as catalysts for social change.

Job Summary: The New Press is seeking a dynamic and experienced Publisher to oversee its publishing operation within a not-for-profit organization. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Publisher will lead a team responsible for publishing approximately 40 books annually and managing a backlist of 1000 titles. The Publisher will serve as the organization’s primary liaison with the publishing industry. Direct reports to the publisher include the Senior Director of Production, Senior Managing Editor/Art Director, Director of Sales and Sub-rights, Director of Publicity and Book Marketing, and the Academic Marketing and Publicity Associate.  The publisher also serves on the senior management team and plays an integral role in setting institutional policy.

The Publisher is entrusted with strategically positioning, packaging, pricing, promoting, and distributing new and backlist titles to achieve sales targets and enhance the organization's visibility and impact in the publishing realm. This role involves collaborating with department heads to develop comprehensive title strategies, nurturing media relationships, overseeing sales and distribution activities, managing rights and contracts, and marketing initiatives, providing input on design and production decisions, and contributing to financial planning and analysis. The Publisher will stay informed about industry trends, cultivate partnerships with publishers, and represent The New Press at industry events and conferences. 

Job Responsibilities

Publishing

• Overall responsibility for positioning, packaging, pricing, printing, promoting, and distributing roughly 40 new titles and select paperback reprints and backlist titles each year.   

• Responsible for meeting or exceeding sales targets and driving departmental staff performance toward this goal.

Publicity and Marketing

• Develop and draft comprehensive, individual title strategies in collaboration with the Publicity and Book Marketing Director, and co-present these to authors and agents.  

• Maintain relationships with key media contacts and pitch key titles directly.  

• Collaborate with development and communications staff to organize comprehensive outreach campaigns for key policy-focused titles, many of them with major foundation funding attached and in conjunction with leading social justice or public policy NGOs.

• Stay abreast of new and emerging publicity and marketing strategies and trends, and oversee their implementation on an ongoing basis, where appropriate.

Sales and Distribution

• Oversee seasonal catalogues, sales information to reps, pre-sales and sales meetings with Ingram sales force, and inventory management.  

• Collaborate closely with editors to position each title effectively for the sales force, including substantive input on comp titles, marketing points, etc.

• Maintain relationship with distributor and reps and with key accounts. Negotiate advantageous distribution contract terms on renewal. 

• Attend Winter Institute and occasional other appropriate venues (eg London Book Fair, Frankfurt, etc.)

• Help to establish direct-to-consumer sales channel.

• Direct robust academic marketing and special sales initiatives. 

Rights and Contracts

• Supervise rights and contracts department with an eye to increasing potential revenue across the list as a whole.

• Ensure that all TNP contracts reflect the latest industry standards.

Design and Production

• Provide managerial and substantive input on key decisions relating to jacket design, catalogue design and production, print quantities, production and print schedules, printer relationships, and related activities.

Finance and Inventory Management 

• Participate in budgeting and ongoing financial analysis. 

• Collaborate with CFAO to identify potential cost savings and revenue enhancements.  

• Serve on the New Press external financial advisory committee, which oversees and advises on budgets, forecasts, and retrospective analysis. 

Managing Editorial 

Publishing Industry

• Stay abreast of developments and trends in the industry and maintain relationships with a wide range of publishers, including mainstream, independent, and university-based presses. 

Required Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree, plus additional related college courses or professional training.

• Progressively responsible work experience.

• Supervisory experience. 

• Program or operational management experience. 

• Experience working with authors and agents.

• The ideal candidate will have served as an associate publisher and/or will have had significant involvement with or exposure to all aspects of trade publishing

• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral; highly organized; market savvy; deep knowledge of publishing industry and publishing finance; strong leadership skills; strong public speaking skills; thorough knowledge of publishing legal matters and contracts; deep knowledge of the editorial process, as well as of book marketing and publicity, distribution, inventory management, and manufacturing; strong computer and analytic skills.

• Create a collaborative and supportive work environment in order to ensure TNP's success in the trade and library markets

Compensation & Benefits

This is a full-time, exempt position offering a competitive salary commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $160,000 to $190,000, accompanied by a generous benefits package.

EEO Statement

The New Press is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Persons of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

The New Press is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The New Press will not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, economic status, religion, creed, sexual orientation, disability, Union activity, marital and/or parental status, citizenship, national origin or alienage, ancestry, genetic information, size, age, military or veteran status, arrest record, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

The New Press is affiliated with the Technical, Office and Professional (TOP) Union, Local 2110 UAW, AFL-CIO, but this position is not covered in the bargaining unit.