Acquisitions Editor, Business & Management

As Acquisitions Editor for Business and Management, you are responsible for strategically filling the pipeline with new content as well as expertly managing your list of active titles within the Business and Management discipline. This role plays a crucial role in acquiring, developing, and launching new product for the Business and Management curriculum within Sage US College. You will be responsible for signing new authors for textbook projects as well as recruiting coauthors, and ensuring existing projects are regularly revised on optimal schedules. As the market expert, you will demonstrate your knowledge of the discipline, course market dynamics, the competitive landscape, curriculum, and discipline trends to chart a vision and strategy for your discipline.

In this highly collaborative role, you will work closely with product management, content development, marketing communications, sales, sales enablement, and other departments within US College. You act as an ambassador for Sage externally, working closely and frequently with authors and customers through a variety of mediums (phone, email, videoconference, in person). You will present at the biannual sales meetings on your list’s new products as well as travel to academic conferences and campuses to learn about the trends in your discipline and network with potential authors and contributors. You will also provide leadership at the discipline level, bringing alignment and clarity to our highly collaborative, cross-functional work. You will work to ensure you are meeting key performance indicators (KPIs) related to acquiring, developing, and launching new product for your disciplines as well as list management and maintaining optimal revision schedules.

You embrace technology, systems, and digital content. You have a growth mindset and can iterate, adapt, and thrive through change.

This position is fully remote. US candidates are eligible to apply.

Key Responsibilities

• Market intelligence—be the expert on our external customers, both instructors and students. Know who are they, how they make decisions, and understand their key adoption/purchasing criteria. Interact with customers as much as possible—on campus, at conference/customer engagement events, both in-person and virtually.

• The competitive landscape—understand the competition in each course market you oversee, including content/coverage requirements, technology use, instructor resource expectations. Stay on top of who’s innovating and how, from pedagogy and authorship to competing courseware platforms and nontraditional publishers.

• Curriculum expertise—understand each course market’s needs when it comes to content/coverage, pedagogy, instructional design, learning outcomes, professional standards/accreditation, and use of technology and translate this knowledge into the products you sign, revise, develop, and publish to reflect evolving market trends. Understand how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) needs to be included in each course market.

• Author management—understand ideal author profiles for new signings; develop and maintain relationships with potential and existing authors; establish best practices for working with authors, educating them on industry trends, challenges, and changes. Manage conflict, negotiate contract terms, and be able to navigate difficult conversations with authors.

• New acquisitions —focused on priority signing targets, recruit author talent, develop quality proposals, draft clear and persuasive contract proposals, present new projects to the Publishing Committee, negotiate contract terms, and provide updates to key stakeholders in Publishing Decision discussions for select key first editions.

• List management—arrange revisions, strategically set schedules, drive efficiencies, provide author care, and take a holistic view of the entire list to ensure optimal cycling, profitability, and product differentiation.

• Market research—design surveys, reviews, focus groups, and 1x1 interviews in key markets to vet the accuracy and depth of content and determine a projects unique valuable proposition. Collaborate with the content development team and freelancers to set strategy on market research across products and platforms; analyze feedback and data from dashboards and reports to inform decision-making.

• Marketing communication—provide product and content information for titles promoted via marketing communication activities.

• Content development—work closely with content development editors to determine schedules, establish development milestones, hone unique value propositions, and agree upon digital resources and courseware content needs.

• New product launches—work closely with product specialists and go-to-market specialists to launch key frontlist titles. Present product information in-person and virtual at national sales meetings.

• Thought leader—demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the higher ed publishing industry and its key functional areas – editorial, production, marketing, sales, and product management. Articulate Sage’s strategy, mission, and values.
  
  

Key Attributes:

• Expertise – you have a depth and breadth of knowledge of your discipline, Sage, and the broader higher education landscape. You are curious and desire to always learn more.

• Ownership – you own goals, objectives, and KPIs for yourself and your team, demonstrating strong editorial instincts and an ability to make decisions, solve problems, and drive for results.

• Partnership – you build relationships, internally within Sage, and externally with authors, subject matter experts, and customers, to help achieve your goals.

• Alignment – you understand your role and your team’s role in Sage’s overall strategy. You champion change, check for understanding, and bring people along.

• Collaboration – you work well within and across teams to maintain high levels of momentum and alignment with our key projects and initiatives. You clearly convey messages and elicit feedback to enable appropriate and right-sized levels of cooperation and coordination. You regularly give feedback to and request feedback from your colleagues and team members.

• Analytical – You make data-driven, evidence-based decisions, can handle ambiguity, and make timely assessments.

• Innovative – you are curious and try new/different/unique ways to deal with challenges. You look to innovate in both big and small ways at the product, platform, and process levels.

• Resilient – you learn from mistakes, adapt to change, and overcome obstacles.

• Accountable – you have integrity, set clear expectations, and hold yourself and others to high standards of excellence.

• Ethical – you believe in and live Sage’s core values, respecting people while seeking progress.

Qualifications & Education

At least 3-4 years of book acquisition, content development, marketing, and/or sales experience, preferably in higher education textbook publishing.

Candidates must have prior experience delivering presentations in person and virtually.

This role is expected to travel approximately 20 days per year, traveling on college campuses, attending conferences and participating in sales meetings.

If you have a disability and you need any support during the application process, please contact [email protected]. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

Pay Transparency & Benefits Package:

Sage Publishing is committed to being an inclusive employer where all individuals are treated with fairness and respect. Sage is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer.

Compensation at Sage is influenced by several factors, including but not limited to skill set, nature and level of experience, qualifications, and other relevant considerations. Please note that the compensation details listed in U.S. role postings reflect the base salary only and do not include bonuses or benefits. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range and additional aspects of the compensation/benefits package for this position during the hiring process. If your desired salary falls outside of this range, we hope you'll still apply as there may be other positions that better align.

In addition to compensation, Sage offers a highly competitive and comprehensive PPO medical, dental, and vision care benefits package with SAGE covering most of the premium costs. Unique program benefits that support a healthy life, a company-sponsored anniversary trip every 5 years, a 401(k)-matching program of 100% up to 5% of pay, and other significant meaningful benefits. In alignment with our value for education, Sage offers financial support for bachelor's and graduate-level degree programs as well as learning for personal interest.

Sage offers freedom and autonomy in your day-to-day with hybrid or remote work, depending on the role. Join the nearly 2,000 Sage employees worldwide who deliver products and services that serve to fulfill our noble goal of education and dissemination of knowledge globally. We’d love to meet you!

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Sage Publishing is committed to being an inclusive employer where all individuals are treated with fairness and respect, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marriage and partnership status, pregnancy and parental responsibilities, race, religion and belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We believe that diversity is a cornerstone of a vibrant culture. We want Sage to be an organization where the most talented staff and high-potential staff are recruited, have the opportunity to grow, and want to work. We strive to achieve a better representation of diverse talent at all levels, including leadership, across our workforce.