Senior Diversity Editor

Open your career options outside of academia to a position that offers greater compensation than most-tenure track positions and allows you to work remotely, as well as contribute to important social and intellectual progress.

Help lead an innovative and critically needed mission within the book-publishing industry. Kevin Anderson & Associates (KAA) is searching for a highly educated academic to fill a position within our firm: Senior Diversity Editor. In this role, you will review full-length book manuscripts of varying genres to ensure they do not perpetuate harmful stereotypes or otherwise cause harm to marginalized voices or communities. This is a critically important role within the trade publishing industry; you will be reviewing many of the leading and most popular authors’ manuscripts before they go to print. 

The ideal applicant possesses a strong scholarly background in any of, though not limited to, the following fields: African and African American Studies; Gender and Sexuality Studies; Critical (Race) Theory; Latin American Studies; Post-Colonial Studies; Sociology, as it relates to issues of diversity; East and South Asian Studies; English Language and Literature; and Film and Media Studies. 

Knowledge of the traditional-publishing book industry is an added benefit but not required. 

This position has strong potential for growth and promotion within our rapidly growing and dynamic company. 

While proximity to the NY Metro area is preferred, this is primarily a work-from-home position and we will strongly consider any viable candidate.

Job Summary

The Senior Diversity Editor role offers significant professional growth and mobility as well as the ability to help lead a growing and dynamic company. Flexible hours, the ability to work from home, performance bonuses, and working with leading authors, editors, and publishers are just a few of the many perks of this position.

We are looking for a talented and dedicated senior editor who possesses an expert range of knowledge, advanced editing skills, and a passion for promoting the voices of marginalized people and groups. This position offers the potential for professional growth, as we expect it to transition into an executive editorial role within approximately 12–18 months, depending on the candidate’s experience and credentials. 

The ideal candidate is self-sufficient, performs well in a fast-paced environment, works from home efficiently and effectively. 

Primary responsibilities include performing sensitivity and diversity readings by reviewing manuscripts critically to identify potential issues pertaining to (mis)representation, biases, harmful stereotypes, and a range of other issues related to race, gender, and a variety of other demographics; providing detailed feedback to publishers, authors, and agents and advising them on how various issues can and should be neutralized; managing a team of editors and reviewing and assessing their work; and providing line editing and critical review and analysis on full-length manuscripts. 

As a member of the management team, the senior editor will be a key contributor to the ongoing development of the company, including promoting diversity and marginalized voices within the company, offering insight into potential growth opportunities, and advising on how to improve our services and internal processes.

We work often with clients who are high-profile, high-net-worth, or innovators in their respective industries and professions. It is very important that the candidate feels comfortable working with such clients and is able to do so with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

-Provide sensitivity, or diversity, readings on full-length manuscripts 

-Manage a team of editors and review their work periodically for quality assurance

-Assess full-length manuscripts and provide critical review and analysis 

-Perform line editing on full-length book manuscripts of various genres

-Maintain up-to-date records of all projects in the appropriate systems

-Communicate effectively, efficiently, and in a timely manner with clients and coworkers

-Contribute to senior management initiatives to grow and improve our firm’s service offerings, growth strategy, and internal and external health

Qualifications 

-Doctoral degree in relevant field of study

-Must have 5+ years experience promoting marginalized voices in an academic and/or editorial capacity

-A quiet home office where calls (audio and video) can be attended without background noise or interruptions

Skills and Competencies

-Excellent critical reading skills, especially pertaining to issues of sensitivity and diversity

-Self-motivated, hands-on, and creative with exceptional communication skills

-Persuasive and goal-oriented

-Self-motivated and a committed team player who enjoys a fast-paced and results-oriented work environment

-Ability to work both independently and with a team

-Ability to exhibit patience and enthusiasm in all client situations

-Attention to detail in a deadline-driven environment with the ability to multitask, prioritize, and delegate

-Strong initiative and judgment, particularly regarding team leadership

-Strong computer and research skills, with proficiency in MS Word

About Us

Kevin Anderson & Associates is a fast-growing and industry-leading book-writing, ghostwriting, editing, and publishing consultation firm located in Manhattan with offices in Nashville and LA. Our dynamic staff of New York Times bestselling authors, ghostwriters, former Big-5 executive editors, has been developing manuscripts for nearly 15 years. Our services are customized to the needs of each client and have produced numerous bestselling books. Our clients include literary agents, traditional and hybrid publishing houses, celebrities, notable figures in politics and business, and a wide variety of first-time authors. We work closely with publishers and agents, providing reliable and well-managed ghostwriting and book-doctoring services. We occupy a unique role within the publishing industry as we bring together authors, publishers, agents, marketers, publicists, designers, and other industry professionals in the unified goal to produce a successful and powerful book.

To Apply

Please submit your resume and a cover letter indicating why you would be a good fit for the role to careers@kawriting.com with “Senior Diversity Editor Applicant” as the subject line.

Do not call about this position. Applicants who call our office will be disqualified.

KAA is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of gender, sex, race, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, military service, or other non-merit factor.