We're Hiring

Who We Are

kn literary is a mission-driven, woman-owned company focused on helping authors get their transformational wisdom into book form. Our underlying mission is to help magnify positive change in the world around us, through the medium of books. In 2018, our CEO, Kelly Notaras, published her first book through Hay House: The Book You Were Born to Write: Everything You Need to (Finally) Get Your Wisdom onto the Page and into the World. 

We have multiple bottom lines:

• Good finances keep the company going.
• Happy, self-actualized employees can focus on the company mission.
• Delighted clients beget more clients, which begets more positive impact.

We strive to over-deliver in terms of service quality, responsiveness to client inquiries, and building genuine relationships with our customers that continue even when the project is complete.

 

Job Opening

Manager of Editorial & Operations

What We’re Looking For in a Manager of Editorial & Operations

The market for the author services we offer is getting bigger every year, and we are preparing to expand our customer base into new markets. We are looking for a hands-on integrator to manage our day-to-day editorial and operations teams and systems as our business grows. This role will oversee our fulfillment and operations, from managing our editorial talent to handling customer service issues to upgrading and maintaining our internal systems. This role will also be responsible for building new relationships with the US Publishing industry, including publishers, agents and packagers—as well as overseeing our current list of relationships. 

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in the US publishing industry, with 5+ years’ experience managing a team or teams at a book publishing company (or equivalent/adjacent business), with an emphasis on editorial quality, customer service, systems management and strategic planning, and is eager for the opportunity to take responsibility for the day-to-day fulfillment operations of a fast-growing small business. 

Responsibilities:

1. Participate in setting annual and quarterly goals for the business as a part of the Leadership team, and lead the Editorial and Operations departments to meet or exceed those goals.

2. Manage day-to-day editorial and operations teams/systems in alignment with Leadership Team vision, annual budget and strategic plans.

3. Provide leadership, direction and performance management for our editorial talent, including overseeing and approving the onboarding of new editorial ICs and employees, as well as releasing those who underperform.

4. Manage company office manager, including providing leadership, workload direction and performance feedback, as well as leading hiring/firing initiatives when needed.

5. Maintain current—and nurture new—relationships with US publishing industry customers (publishers, agents and packagers), including pitching our services to new and current customers, closing deals, executing contracts and overseeing the fulfillment of those projects to completion. 

6. Assure that the quality of our products and services is maintained and improved, especially as the company grows. 

7. Optimize operational and editorial structures for greatest efficiency and sustainability as the company grows.

8. Oversee our self-publishing program, including connecting with clients, training and supporting concierges, and providing leadership as needed.

9. Oversee certain third-party vendor relationships including payments, contracts, insurance and HR.

10. Oversee and resolve client and/or contractor challenges in the rare circumstances they arise, with minimal impact on company finances.

11. Other duties as assigned.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

1. Strategic Success: Editorial and Operations departments operate within annual budget, and meet or exceed quarterly and annual targets set by Leadership Team.

2. Fulfillment: Editing/writing/coaching/self-publishing services are delivered on-time and with excellence; clients are happy and client issues are minimized; those rare issues that arise are dealt with quickly and effectively with minimal impact on company finances; the majority of clients provide warm, positive feedback on their experience with KNLA and often become repeat customers.

3. Operations: Internal systems are improved, updated and ready for significant growth in client flow; office management duties are executed swiftly and without errors; metrics are compiled weekly, monthly and quarterly in easily digestible format; company contracts are updated regularly and meet company needs for legal coverage; all tech-related issues are handled swiftly and competently (and any necessary third-party tech contractors are on-boarded and supervised); opportunities for streamlining expenses are suggested and implemented when greenlit by Leadership Team.

4. Editorial Management: Stable of editors, writers and coaches is full with vetted, reliable, service-oriented talent; in-house operations staff are meeting performance goals; training needs are met; support and direction are readily available to team as needed. 

5. Publishing Industry Sales: New VIP publishing industry customer targets are met; industry-level client leads are followed up and closed; new industry contracts are onboarded and impeccably fulfilled; positive word of mouth is generating new sales within the industry.

6. Cross-Department Integration: Good communication flow between sales team and editorial team is the norm; cross-departmental issues are swiftly resolved.

7. Self-Publishing Services Oversight: Ensure self-publishing services are operating smoothly and successfully, including providing leadership and oversight to self-publishing team.

8. Products and Services: New products and services are developed and implemented when need is identified by Leadership Team; current mix is reviewed regularly and updated as needed; strategic pricing increases are implemented as needed.

Qualities and Qualifications:

1. Enthusiasm for growing a small business: Sense of adventure, openness to risk-taking, and excitement about growth. Personality that is well-suited to the ever-changing entrepreneurial environment of a young business.

2. Deep understanding of the book publishing world: 10+ years of experience in an editorial or production department at a publishing company, packager or literary agency, or equivalent, with good contacts within the industry and an interest in maintaining current—and initiating new—contacts, on behalf of the company.

3. Management experience: 5+ years managing a team or teams, or equivalent.

4. Editorial experience: Significant understanding of the process of writing, editing and publishing books in the traditional and self-published models; discerning editorial eye and demonstrated ability to help improve books at the levels of concept, structure and writing.

5. Process and systems oriented: Has experience upleveling company systems to improve efficiency, effectiveness and profitability.

6. Exceptional at personnel management: Depth of experience with hiring, internal conflict management, and firing. Ready to step in and assist team members as needed to get the job done—and reassign or release underperforming team members in service of company health.

7. Proactive, high-level communicator: Exceptional communication, self-understanding and the willingness to take personal responsibility. Confident, thoughtful, thorough and experienced in the face of conflict. 

8. Self-starting and available: Dependable about time and completing tasks/responding to inquiries throughout the day, and eager to stay connected to all members of the team on a daily basis. 

9. Excellent written and verbal skills: We are an editorial company and seek a candidate whose written communication reflects an above-average attention to detail (i.e., minimal errors).

10. Professional and relational approach: We are a company that values open communication, mutual trust and work-life harmony inside a context of professional responsiveness.

11. Up to date home office: Has computer (with camera) and smartphone as well as high-speed wifi and a quiet, private home office (or equivalent). Familiarity with technological systems such as Google Suite, Slack, QuickBooks Online and Insightly (or similar CRM system) is a plus.

What We Offer:

• The opportunity to oversee the operations of a mission-driven organization doing good work 

• Flexible, work-from-home work environment 

• Warm, values-driven company culture

• Competitive salary and benefits

• Good work for grateful clients

• To find out more about us, visit knliterary.com 

Details:

Hours: Readily available as needed during normal working hours M-F, with anticipated base workload ~25-30 hours/week, commission workload depends on candidate

Base Pay: $60,000-$75,000 base, dependent upon experience

Commissions: 10% commission* on all sales to new publishing industry clients 

Employment Status: W2

Benefits: 2 weeks paid vacation/year + holidays + the week between Christmas and New Year’s, health insurance, Simple IRA

Reports to: Co-report to CEO & General Manager 

BIPOC and LGBTQ+ applicants are especially encouraged to apply. 

Interested applicants are asked to send a letter of interest and resume to kelly at knliterary.com

*Up to a cap of $2500 per project

If you’d like to join our team as a contract writer or editor, please apply here.