Contracts Manager

We are looking for an experienced, highly detail-oriented and process-driven Contracts Manager to join our busy Trade Contracts team. The Contracts Manager will bring deep knowledge of the contract lifecycle and will have an essential role on the Contracts team, drafting and negotiating a high volume of contracts for trade books, including complex contract arrangements such as joint acquisitions with global sister companies, profit sharing agreements, and “takeovers” from self-published authors; advising Editorial and other colleagues on deal terms; handling special projects as needed at the direction of Sr. Director; and tracking status of, and interpreting and advising on, publishing agreements. This role will require adaptability, strong organizational and problem-solving skills, and precise attention to detail.

What You'll Do

• Draft and negotiate a wide range of publishing contracts and ancillary documentation, including complex profit sharing agreements, global joint acquisitions arrangements, and “takeovers” of self-published authors.
  Serve as a key escalation point for complex, high-value, and non-standard deal terms.


• Ensure agreements align with company policies, including financial terms


• Primary oversight of responses to Royalties queries, Biblio territories and ONIX updates.


• Contract reversions, including possible future oversight of the reversions process.


• Advise Editors, Publishers, Finance, and other colleagues on deal terms, agency boilerplate, and other publishing contract matters.


• Utilizing expertise and fostering an environment of continuous improvement and with the goal of streamlining and improving Contracts Department operations while ensuring compliance, participate in special projects and in process improvement efforts as directed by Sr. Director, and flag areas ripe for process improvement.


• Create documentation.


• Entering and maintaining contract data in Biblio as needed.

What You'll Bring

• Approximately 5-8 years’ book publishing contracts experience (in-house or at a literary agency), ability to manage high volume of work with varying complexity


• Experience assessing and improving processes