Acquisitions Editor

University of Notre Dame•Notre Dame, IN

15h•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Notre Dame Press invites a creative, experienced, and forward-thinking Acquisitions Editor to join our dynamic publishing team. In this role, you will champion the publication of 15–20 high-impact scholarly and trade books annually, guiding projects from initial pitch to bound book. This position offers a unique blend of creative autonomy and deep collaboration. Working hand-in-hand with the Director and the Editor-in-Chief, you will have the agency to define, shape, and grow your own distinct editorial list, drawing on the press’s core areas of history, theology, religion, philosophy, political theory, Latin American studies, and medieval studies. You will collaborate daily with talented colleagues within the Acquisitions department with professionals across all departments of the Press—including marketing, production, and design.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (4 years)
5 to 6 years of experience
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Sound editorial judgment
Ability to build and maintain professional relationships with authors, scholars, peer reviewers, and colleagues
Ability to manage multiple book projects at different stages of development
Excellent attention to detail
Strong negotiation skills
Comfort working with contracts and publishing workflows
Ability to use standard computer systems and publishing-related tools effectively
Experience in acquisitions, scholarly publishing, list development, and revenue growth

Nice To Haves

Keen eye for exceptional scholarship and compelling narratives
Direct acquisitions experience
Track record of successful titles
Thrive in an environment built on mutual respect, open communication, and shared goals
Working effectively alongside both your immediate acquisitions peers and the wider press staff
Deep understanding of university press publishing

Responsibilities

Acquire 15 to 20 scholarly and trade books a year in chosen areas, developing a strategic plan for lists in the chosen areas to advance the publishing program and meet revenue goals
Effectively manage a pipeline of projects, including evaluating manuscripts and proposals, recruiting qualified peer reviewers, and presenting publishable projects to the Faculty Editorial Board.
Analyze publishing and scholar trends in areas and evaluates the performance of previously published books, while guiding authors on manuscript development, preparation, revisions, and formatting
Collaborate with press colleagues to craft successful production, publication, and promotion strategies for projects, including, copyediting, design and packaging, and promotional copy and strategies
Represent Notre Dame Press at major academic conferences, campus events, and within the broader publishing community