Careers

Acquisitions Editor - Higher Education

Description: (View Full Job Description)

Human Kinetics is seeking an editor to conceptualize and acquire books, videos, ancillaries, software, and other electronic products as part of the Higher Education and Professional division. Responsibilities include identifying, recruiting, and contracting experts to review, write, and develop academic and professional products. Subject areas covered by this position include sports medicine, health promotion, personal training, fitness instruction, and weight management. An advanced degree or a professional certification credential in one or more of the aforementioned subject areas is required.

Position located in Champaign, IL.

For more information about this position, please contact Human Resources Department, Human Kinetics, PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076, USA; Telephone: 217-351-5076; Fax: 217-351-2674; Email: hr@hkusa.com. You may also download and print a copy of our job application form (Microsoft Word file).

Acquisitions Editor - Higher Education

Description: (View Short Job Description)

JOB SUMMARY: The Acquisitions Editor is responsible for acquiring manuscripts that are appropriate for the editorial mission of the Division. This particular position will be responsible for acquisitions in the aging/older adults, anatomy, biomechanics, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, history of physical activity and sport, kinesiology/physical activity (general), motor behavior/growth/physical development, personal training/fitness instruction, physical activity and health promotion, physiology of sport and exercise, psychology of sport and exercise, research methods and measurement, resistance training/sport conditioning, sedentary behavior and inactivity physiology, social science of sport, sport and exercise nutrition and pharmacology, sport management and marketing, sports medicine, stretching/flexibility, and weight management/body composition areas of the physical activity field. The Editor will conceptualize new books, ancillaries and electronic information media, review unsolicited manuscripts, and identify, recruit, and contract authors to write text and reference books and develop ancillaries, video, CD-ROM and other electronic information delivery systems in the physical activity field. The Acquisitions Editor will guide contracted projects through a review process, work with authors to help develop and organize projects, review submitted manuscripts, transmit projects to the editorial department, and oversee projects through their editorial and production development.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Contribute to the editorial direction of the Division
  1. Consult with and advise Division Director in developing and updating the strategic plan.
     
  2. Recommend areas in which to broaden the editorial scope or market base for Division, as appropriate.
     
  3. Undertake specific and special projects as directed by the Division Director.
     
  4. Prepare and submit a monthly report to the Division Director.
  
  
• Research potential projects and their markets
  1. Maintain a high awareness of trends in the specific areas of interest that is assigned.
  2. Keep abreast of competing publications and other informational products.
  3. Prepare and maintain interest area analysis reports for each interest area that is assigned.
  4. Prepare internal proposals for new projects.
  
  
• Screen and recruit authors
  1. Identify potential authors by attending conferences, exhibits, reading books, and monitoring relevant publications.
  2. Determine the authors to pursue in accordance with the Division's strategic plan.
  3. Solicit authors to prepare manuscripts on specified topics.
  4. Counsel authors in their preparation of acquisition materials.
  5. Review unsolicited manuscripts and determine which are worthy of follow-up.
  6. Prepare responses to authors regarding their manuscripts
  
  
• Prepare projects for review and approval
  1. Decide which proposals to bring to the Acquisition Committee.
  2. Obtain external or internal reviews for projects prior to the Acquisition Committee meeting.
  3. Take an inventory of the project's strengths and weaknesses.
  4. Prepare an analysis of the project.
  
  
• Negotiate and sign contracts.
  1. Discuss general terms with authors before the Acquisitions Committee meeting to ensure the author will work within the company's range.
  2. Present proposed terms in the cost/sales analysis and discuss them with the Acquisitions Committee at the meeting.
  3. Present the terms approved to the author and negotiate as necessary.
  4. Prepare contract terms for the Division Administrative Assistant to input into contract template.
  5. Review and approve contract before it is sent to author.
  6. Countersign all copies of the Author-Publisher agreement after completed and returned by the author.
  
  
• Develop Division projects
  1. Review the manuscript.
  2. Obtain external reviews for projects prior to or concurrent with transmitting the project to the Editorial Department.
  3. Approve manuscripts before transmitting them to the Editorial Department.
  4. Prepare an Editorial Transmittal Form to provide specific instructions to the Developmental or Managing Editor about the content changes to be made and the physical specifications of the book.
  5. Work with the Developmental or Managing Editor throughout the editorial process to make on-going judgments to shape the product.
  
  
• Oversee schedules and budget.
  1. Set the budget for the Division's products in accordance with the Acquisitions Committee and Division Director's input.
  2. Set the schedule for specific projects in accordance with the plans for the Division and the projected editorial schedule. This includes planning out schedules prior to contracting the projects, in order to set optimal schedules for given projects. For example, Fall Course Adoption books will need to be released in January or early February.
  3. Monitor the budget and schedule throughout its development and respond to questions by Editorial and Production relative to these two areas.
  
  
• Contribute to the packaging and marketing of products.
  1. Consult the Division Director with cover, title, and sub-title suggestions prior to the pre-ITMP cover meeting.
  2. Prepare ITMP meeting materials, including the preliminary copy package for each project acquired.
  3. Review and provide feedback on sample pages.
  4. Attend cover meetings.
  
  
• Initiate and plan revisions of successful products.
  1. Monitor the sales of products that have been published in the content areas assigned by the Division Director.
  2. Propose revisions to the Division Director, consult authors of such products and prepare them for Acquisitions Committee review as appropriate.
  3. Convey to appropriate authors that their product may be on a four-year revision cycle, by discussing it with them prior to signing the contract, and including language about the four- year cycle within the cover letter that accompanies the contract. Refer to HEP Revision Cycle Guidelines for more information regarding this.
  
  
• Represent the company.
  1. Be an ambassador for HK as a representative at conferences, exhibits, and meetings.
  2. Be cordial and responsive in telephone, written, and face-to-face contacts.
  3. Represent the Division in the absence of the Division Director when asked to do so.

SKILLS:
The Acquisitions Editor must have excellent written and oral communication skills. S/he must be able to give and receive directions. S/he must be skillful in negotiations and have a network of contacts in the physical activity field.
The Acquisitions Editor requires a comprehensive knowledge of the physical activity field with strong analytical skills to evaluate potential projects for publication. In addition, the Acquisitions Editor must have excellent knowledge of the markets for each product considered for publication. The Acquisitions Editor must be able to manage multiple tasks, identify new products, review unsolicited books and electronic information products, and review and shape other books in Editorial and Production. The Acquisitions Editor must be able to conceptualize new publications, and then help package them for maximum use and clarity.
The Acquisitions Editor must be able to operate a computer keyboard and telephone and be able to travel to represent the company. He/she must be able to set up/tear down a trade booth, lift boxes of books occasionally weighing about 20 to 30 pounds (on average) and stand for long periods of time while operating a trade booth

REQUIREMENTS:

• EDUCATION: Post-undergraduate degree in kinesiology, exercise science, sport sciences, physical education, or related field with an emphasis in the behavioral and/or social sciences.
  
  
• QUALIFICATIONS:
  1. Evidence of writing and/or editorial works which demonstrate the ability to organize and present information effectively.
  2. Experience in reviewing publications in the physical activity field.
  3. Breadth of knowledge and interest in the behavioral and social science areas within the physical activity field.
  4. Excellent interpersonal skills.
  5. 
     Excellent analytical skills.
  6. This position will have access to customer credit card data and must comply with all policies and procedures designed to keep that data from being compromised.