[Hiring] Acquisitions Editor @Cengage Group

Role Description

Cengage is seeking an experienced publishing professional to join our Gale Primary Sources (GPS) team within the Higher Education division. As an Acquisitions Editor, you will play a key role in shaping a portfolio of digital primary source collections, with a strong focus on modern history.

In this role, you will lead the end-to-end acquisition process:

• Identifying and evaluating new content opportunities
• Building compelling business cases
• Negotiating with external partners
• Guiding projects through production and publication

You’ll work collaboratively across teams to bring high-quality, research-driven products to market that support academic discovery and learning.

Travel Requirements:

• The position is remote but may require travel within and possibly outside candidate’s home nation as part of the role’s acquisitions duties.

What you'll do here:

• Coordinate the development of individual digital archive modules.
• Develop digital archives series to support the financial goals of the Gale Primary Sources (GPS) initiative.
• Concentrate heavily on acquiring products focused on modern global history, particularly in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
• Source content from libraries and archives globally, primarily from North America and the United Kingdom.

Product Research and Concept Development:

• Investigate, quantify and collect data on potential institutional partners and content collections.
• Assess content for extent, physical condition, content type, rights clearance needs, privacy restrictions, and metadata requirements.
• Onsite visits at source institutions may be required.

Business Case Research and Product Approval:

• Prepare market research and financial analysis for new product approvals.
• Conduct sales history reviews and gather feedback from potential academic users and library selectors.
• Build accurate profit-and-loss analyses and review the comparative strengths and weaknesses of competitor products.

Partner Negotiation and Product Staging:

• Submit pre-contract proposals to potential partners.
• Draft partner agreements for content acquisition.
• Negotiate final terms for signing of products.

Product Staging and Creation:

• Coordinate and oversee with the in-house production team the successful digital conversion of content to publication.
• Analyze metadata requirements and remediate metadata challenges.
• Assess and oversee permissions and copyright clearance requirements.
• Survey privacy needs and implement suitable content redaction and removal protocols.
• Commission introductory essays and prepare all in-product descriptions.

Marketing and Sales Liaising Duties:

• Act as the key provider of product information to marketing, sales, and customer engagement teams.
• Prepare slide deck presentations to sales and marketing teams and customers.
• Write and review marketing copy and product descriptions.
• Circulate content title lists.

Qualifications

• Degree level in history or humanities required; advanced degree highly preferred.
• A strong sense of curiosity and openness to learning about topics in various academic areas, particularly history and the humanities.
• Ability and willingness to fully own the product and series development life cycle from inception to final publication.
• Flexible approach to tasks and a ‘can do’ attitude.
• Capacity to work regularly in a team setting.
• Keen attention to detail and follow-through.
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong numeracy skills and financial literacy.
• Solid communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Strong PC skills with working knowledge of Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work calmly in a sometimes high-pressure environment.
• Team player suited to a team-oriented and collaborative environment.
• Discreet and respectful of confidentiality, mindful of cultural sensitivities.

Requirements

• Understanding of copyright, privacy and data protection, archival practice, and digitization.
• A strong interest in history and the humanities as a field of scholarly study.
• Previous experience working in a publishing environment or academic archival experience within the digital humanities.

Benefits

• Comprehensive and rewarding Total Rewards package designed to support and empower employees.
• Eligibility to participate in the company’s discretionary incentive bonus program.
• 5% Annual: Individual Target bonus.
• Base pay range: $58,300.00 - $75,750.00 USD.