Senior Production Editor

Sourcebooks•Naperville, IL

17h•Hybrid

About The Position

Sourcebooks is seeking a Senior Production Editor to join our Adult Publishing Operations team. This role involves managing complex projects, solving production challenges, and collaborating across departments to deliver exceptional books. The Senior Production Editor will serve as a strategic leader, driving quality, mentoring teammates, improving workflows, and shaping the book production process from manuscript to finished product. The position manages a diverse list of frontlist and backlist titles for high-profile authors, partnering with various departments and freelance editorial partners to ensure quality, accuracy, and adherence to schedule. This is an exempt, salaried position.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and publishing experience.
8+ years of experience in publishing operations, production editorial, or a related publishing discipline.
Demonstrated success managing multiple complex publishing projects simultaneously while consistently meeting deadlines.
Deep understanding of editorial production workflows, including copyediting, proofreading, page composition, quality assurance, and manufacturing readiness.
Exceptional organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to build collaborative relationships across departments and with external vendors.
Experience mentoring colleagues and contributing to team development.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to producing accurate, high-quality work.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat.
A continuous improvement mindset and enthusiasm for learning new technologies, workflows, and publishing best practices.

Nice To Haves

Experience with publishing workflow and project management systems is preferred.
Familiarity with Smartsheet and Basecamp a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead the editorial production of complex and high-profile publishing projects from manuscript through final files.
Manage production schedules, priorities, and critical milestones to ensure books are delivered on time and at the highest quality.
Coordinate copyediting, proofreading, page review, corrections, approvals, and final production readiness.
Partner with the Freelance Resource Manager to secure and oversee editorial vendors while maintaining quality standards.
Manage Advance Reader Copy (ARC) production to support Marketing and Sales deadlines.
Collaborate closely with Editorial, Design, Managing Editorial, Manufacturing, Marketing, Sales, and other stakeholders to resolve production challenges and keep projects moving forward.
Perform final quality assurance reviews before files are released to manufacturing and digital distribution.
Identify opportunities to improve workflows, streamline processes, and enhance operational efficiency across the department.
Mentor Production Editors by sharing best practices, providing guidance, and supporting onboarding and training efforts.
Contribute to cross-functional planning discussions and help develop scalable publishing operations.