Deputy Acquisitions Editor

Tax Analysts•Falls Church, VA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Deputy Editor-in-Chief (Acquisitions) is the driving force behind author outreach and acquisitions for the Acquisitions & Engagement Team. This leadership role is responsible for developing and executing targeted strategies to expand and diversify our author base, with a particular focus on acquiring high-quality content from contributors around the world. The Deputy EIC will use existing tools and develop new approaches to identify, engage, and onboard leading authors, ensuring our publications showcase a truly global perspective. This position acts as second-in-command, directly supervising the Associate Acquisitions Editor and acts on behalf of the Acquisitions & Engagement Editor-in-Chief as needed to ensure seamless operations and contributor engagement.

Requirements

Exceptional communication, networking, and relationship-building skills, which will be applicable in an international context as well
Innovative, strategic thinker with demonstrated ability to develop and execute global outreach plans
Strong organizational and project management skills
Ability to manage workflows, improve processes, and implement new tools
Analytical mindset with experience using data to drive decisions
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Sign, and media analytics platforms required.
J.D. required
5+ years of experience in editorial, publishing, or a related field, preferably including global outreach and acquisitions

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Alfresco Share content management system a plus
Experience supervising staff or managing editorial workflows preferred
Prior experience in tax publishing or practice a plus
Database management experience a plus

Responsibilities

Leads Global Author Outreach: Designs and implements targeted outreach initiatives to recruit authors worldwide, prioritizing expansion into underrepresented regions and subject areas.
Drives Contributor Acquisition Strategy: Identifies coverage gaps and emerging issues, devises action plans to engage high-value authors, and ensures a robust pipeline of diverse voices.
Innovates Outreach Tools and Processes: Utilizes all available tools—and develops new ones as needed—to streamline and enhance author identification, onboarding, and engagement.
Optimizes Author Engagement and Relationships: Builds, maintains, and deepens relationships with current and prospective authors, acting as the primary ambassador for our author community.
Oversees Author Agreements and Payments: Manages all aspects of author agreements, including negotiation, execution, and coordination of compensation, working closely with editorial leadership and accounting.
Performance Metrics & Reporting: Establishes key performance indicators to track outreach effectiveness, author satisfaction, and content quality; uses analytics to inform strategy.
Supervises and Develops Staff: Directly manages the Acquisitions group, to include the Associate Acquistions Editor and possible other members, setting priorities, providing training, and supporting professional growth. In consultation with the Acquisitions and Engagement Editor in Chief, may hire, discipline, and if necessary, dismiss team members.
Improves Workflow and Infrastructure: Designs and refines workflows for submission intake, author management, and content processing to ensure efficiency and alignment with editorial goals.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serves as a liaison between Commentary, Editorial, and Accounting to align contributor management, payments, and content operations.
Special Projects & Initiatives: Directs acquisitions for special projects such as thematic issues, year-in-review features, and other strategic content initiatives.
Author Feedback & Issue Resolution: Maintains processes for collecting author feedback and resolving publication process issues to foster a positive contributor experience.
Acts as Deputy: Represents the Acquisitions & Engagement Editor-in-Chief as needed to ensure continuity and excellence in acquisitions operations.