Fast Facts

Join OUP as an Acquisition Editor in History to enhance scholarly publications while leveraging your expertise in academic publishing. This role focuses on proactive content acquisition and collaboration across multiple teams within the organization.

Responsibilities: Manage the commissioning process, engage with authors and literary agents, and enhance the scholarly reputation of the Press through proactive content acquisition.

Skills: Experience in academic publishing, strong communication skills, and ability to work cross-functionally are essential.

Qualifications: Knowledge of History and experience in negotiating contracts and data-driven decision making preferred.

Location: New York, United States with remote work options available.

Compensation: $67844 - $96000 / Annually

We are the world’s largest university press. We have both a worldwide reach and a personal understanding of local needs, partnering on the ground to adapt publications and resources to meet the individual needs of communities, societies, and countries. We partner with researchers, educators, and technology partners to stay ahead of the changing ways people around the world are accessing and sharing knowledge. With a presence in more than 50 countries and millions of customers around the world, an idea launched at OUP can have a global impact.

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ABOUT THE ROLE

This is an exciting opportunity to join OUP as Acquisition Editor for History within the Academic Division’s Research Books Editorial – Content Strategy and Acquisition function. This role reports to the Executive Editor, History, working within the Humanities team, while representing OUP’s award-winning list in the US and abroad. With a strong emphasis on evidence-based, proactive content acquisition in line with market, customer, and product portfolio needs, this position will further the Press’s publishing and research services in the humanities, enhance the scholarly and public reputation of the Press, and support the larger Content Strategy and Acquisitions group in positioning the Press successfully to respond to changes in research and writing practices within the discipline.

The successful candidate will work effectively with colleagues across Research Editorial and in the wider business – including Product, Rights & Translations, Production, Sales, Marketing, and Publicity. They will also engage with external partners – including authors and editors, literary agents, editorial boards, reviewers, OUP Delegates and University stakeholders, research funders, professional bodies, scholarly societies, and the wider academy.

This role would would travel 2-3 times a year for conferences within the United States, with potential for international travel.

ABOUT YOU

• Experience in academic and trade publishing acquisitions, including with authors and literary agents

• Knowledge of the discipline of History

• Experience building, maintaining, and utilizing networks within the publishing industry and relevant academic/policy/professional communities

• Proven track record of managing the commissioning process and delivery of high-quality manuscripts

• Experience negotiating contracts and with data-driven analysis and decision-making

• Demonstrated ability to adapt to new systems and processes

• Ability to work with peers and cross-functionally in a productive manner (including within the matrix management structure of the Press) towards a common purpose

• Excellent written communication as well as strong presentation, interpersonal, and verbal skills

• Knowledge of and interest in open access publishing and the dynamics changing the academic publishing landscape desired

• Experience in mentoring others desired

BENEFITS

We care about work/life balance at OUP. We offer 15 days’ vacation time that rises with service, 10 sick days, plus floating holidays, personal days, company holidays, and a 35-hour working week. We are open to discussing flexibility in respect of working hours and the use of technology to support regular remote working, dependent on role. We also have a great variety of active employee networks and societies. 

We care for you and your dependents by offering health, dental, and vision insurance plans to our full-time employees. Each plan has multiple levels of coverage to fit your needs and has a high level of contribution made by OUP. In addition, we offer Employee Assistant Programs for all full-time employees, regardless of whether you elect in health insurance. We also offer life insurance and disability insurance.

We help make your money go further by providing a non-elective contribution on your behalf to your retirement plan of 7% of your salary and a matching contribution to the retirement plan of 50% on the first 6% of employee contributions on based earnings.

Position Location: This role can be done in a hybrid environment in New York City, New York. The role can also be done remotely in the United States.

GJC Level: I6 (for internal purposes only)

Salary: $67,844 - $96,000 dependent on skills and experience

Job Title may change to Senior Acquisition Editor dependent on skills and experience

We are committed to supporting diversity in our workforce and ensuring an inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive. We seek to employ a workforce representative of the markets that we serve and encourage applications from all.