Job Description

Editorial Assistant, Doubleday Canada

The salary range for this position begins at $46,809.

As a team of dedicated and enthusiastic publishing professionals, we discover, shape, and share books that nurture thoughts, dreams, and conversations around the globe, ensuring that new and established voices are heard, and championing the works of a multitude of celebrated international writers.

At Doubleday Canada, we take a lot of satisfaction from being a dynamic and engaged team, with the same kind of extensive range to our list that has sustained our first-rate reputation for over 85 years. Our publishing encompasses literary prize-winners and commercial trailblazers as well as new, emerging talent and non-fiction luminaries.

We are actively seeking to add team members from communities with lived experiences of marginalization and underrepresentation. We respect and value each individual and their lived experiences and are committed to creating a more diverse team and establishing a culture of belonging. If you self-identify as Black, Indigenous, a person of colour, a member of the LGBTQIA2S+ community or another marginalized group, we strongly encourage you to apply.

We\xe2\x80\x99re looking for an Editorial Assistant to join the publishing team at Doubleday Canada.

Are you creative, dependable, and energetic, with a passion for the world of book publishing? Do you read widely across genres? Do you value working with a close-knit team that considers your ideas and contributions vital to the group\xe2\x80\x99s direction? Do you have sharp administrative skills and a flexible, confident approach when it comes to juggling competing priorities?

If this describes you, we encourage you to apply to join the Doubleday Canada team as our Editorial Assistant.

Your contribution to the story:

The Editorial Assistant will provide administrative and editorial support on an extensive list of fiction and non-fiction titles at Doubleday Canada.

Reporting to the Editorial Director, Commercial Publishing, this entry-level position will offer the opportunity for hands-on and meaningful experience in the editorial process and a day-to-day glimpse into the inner workings of a busy publishing house

What you\xe2\x80\x99ll do:

• Your administrative responsibilities will include:
• Maintaining the department submission and acquisition logs
• Preparing and routing contract paperwork
• Updating our internal databases with information about our books and authors
• Proactively ensuring books are kept to schedule and communication with other departments is clear
• Monitoring Amazon and other online retailers to ensure copy, metadata, and jackets are up to date
• Working closely with the Publisher and Awards Coordinator to submit our books for awards consideration.
• Working closely with the Editorial Intern and overseeing some of their administrative tasks
• Maintaining our department displays, bookcases, and archives
• Scheduling and preparing for meetings
• Ordering finished books for authors and agents
• General administrative tasks as needed to ensure the smooth operation of our imprint

Editorial work you can expect:

• Reading and reporting (including writing readers reports for editors) on submissions from agents to evaluate commercial and literary potential
• Liaising between authors, agents, and different internal departments to coordinate various stages and elements of the editorial process, including the galley process
• Assisting the editorial team with manuscript development, including preparing manuscripts for production, proofreading pages, drafting title-information sheets, copyediting and proofreading jacket and promotional copy
• Offering thoughts on jacket design, cover copy, and marketing and publicity ideas.
• Checking and clearing permissions as needed
• Handling special projects as assigned and working collaboratively with the larger team

Experience and knowledge you\xe2\x80\x99ll bring (qualifications):

You\xe2\x80\x99ll need to be very self-motivated and have excellent communication skills. An eager and enthusiastic outlook is essential, along with an ability to work well under pressure, multi-task, and organize yourself effectively.

• This is an entry-level role. Previous book publishing or bookselling experience or internships are a plus but not required
• Sharp attention to detail and excellent follow-through on tasks
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• Superior organizational skills and ability to balance multiple deadlines, projects, and assignments
• An inclusive and collaborative approach to your work, supported by cultural competency and a proven ability to work with people from across a wide range of diverse backgrounds
• Superb interpersonal skills that enable you to collaborate with authors, agents, and in-house team members
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs
• Enhanced knowledge and awareness of\xe2\x80\x94and experience with\xe2\x80\x94the culture and history of any community that has faced marginalization is considered a plus

We\xe2\x80\x99re looking for someone with a deep enthusiasm for a wide range of contemporary adult fiction and non-fiction. Within your cover letter, please share with us a recently published book that you believe was particularly successful, and why it stood out to you (in no more than 200 words).

Candidates must be within commuting distance of Toronto. Our offices are open, and we are currently working in a flexible work model in which employees are in the office three days per week.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and their resume by September 1, 2023. We appreciate the interest of all applicants; however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Please contact Human Resources at or 416-364-4449 if you need accommodation at any stage of the application process or want more information on our accommodation policies.

Penguin Random House