Associate Publisher, Saga Press

Simon & Schuster•New York, NY

1d•$100,000 - $110,000

About The Position

Saga Press, an imprint dedicated to publishing bold, commercial, and visionary science fiction, fantasy, and horror, seeks an entrepreneurial Associate Publisher to help expand its publishing program. Reporting to the Publisher, the Associate Publisher will play a critical leadership role in shaping publishing strategies and efficiencies while driving imprint growth across formats and channels. The ideal candidate is a passionate advocate for innovative publishing, with strong market instincts, and a collaborative leadership style. This role requires operational excellence, balancing high-level strategic thinking with hands-on publishing execution.

Requirements

4–7 years of publishing experience, preferably in trade publishing or genre fiction.
Strong project management and organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment, and a understanding of the full publishing lifecycle.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills across departments and stakeholders.
Familiarity with publishing workflows, metadata systems, schedules, and title management processes.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with seasonal title lists and cross-functional publishing operations.
Familiarity with title management systems, budgeting tools, and publishing databases.
Passion for science fiction, fantasy, horror, and speculative fiction publishing.
Experience supporting bestselling or high-profile publishing programs.

Responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of Saga Press titles through all stages of the publishing process, ensuring schedules, deliverables, and deadlines are met.
Maintain and oversee title metadata, seasonal lists, publishing schedules, and internal tracking systems.
Coordinate communication and workflow among editorial, production, design, marketing, publicity, sales, and distribution teams.
Monitor project timelines and proactively identify and resolve scheduling or workflow challenges.
Support the Publisher and Editorial Director in acquisition and list planning processes.
Prepare materials for acquisition meetings, launch discussions, and sales conferences.
Assist in managing contracts, profit-and-loss statements, and project documentation in collaboration with internal departments.
Ensure accuracy and consistency of title information across systems and departments.
Partner with marketing and publicity teams to support positioning, campaign planning, and launch execution.
Coordinate with production teams to manage manufacturing schedules and key milestones.
Work closely with sales teams to ensure timely communication of title updates and seasonal priorities.
Contribute to seasonal planning, budgeting, and operational forecasting.
Help identify opportunities to improve publishing workflows, efficiencies, and internal processes.
Track marketplace and category trends relevant to science fiction, fantasy, and horror publishing.
Work cross-functionally with marketing, publicity, sales, subsidiary rights, and production departments to maximize title performance.
Serve as a senior member of the Saga Press leadership team and contribute to overall imprint strategy and operations.
Analyze sales performance, marketplace trends, and competitive positioning to inform acquisition and publishing decisions.
Contribute to annual budgeting, forecasting, and list planning.
Support growth initiatives across print, digital, audio, and subsidiary rights channels.