Editorial Assistant, Portfolio Sentinel - (Hybrid)

Penguin Random House has an exciting job opening for an Editorial Assistant to support the imprints Portfolio, Sentinel, and Thesis. The Assistant will provide administrative and editorial support to the Editor-In-Chief.

About You

You are a highly organized, ambitious self-starter and confident writer who is looking for an entry point to trade nonfiction publishing. You are insatiably curious and often seek out viewpoints that challenge your own. Your media diet is rich and varied, and includes a diverse array of nonfiction, current affairs magazines, Substack, newsletters, and podcasts. You have strong opinions, loosely held. You enjoy learning new things, meeting new people, and are able to work out of the midtown NYC office one to three days a week as needed.

About Us

We are a tight-knit collaborative group who publish a range of nonfiction, focusing primarily in the business and self-development space. Recent authors of note include Ryan Holiday, Scott Galloway, Cal Newport, Annie Duke, Shane Parrish, Katherine Morgan Schafler, Jennifer Breheny Wallace, Simon Sinek, Seth Godin, Arthur Brooks, and Will Guidara. Our flagship imprint, Portfolio, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year; most of our publishing falls under our tagline of “nonfiction for ambitious people.”

Specific responsibilities

• Support the Editor-In-Chief in running the editorial department; help manage her calendar, deliverables, and materials in a fast-paced, high-information environment.
• Keep track of contracts, deadlines, manuscripts, jackets, and other parts of the publication process.
• Shepherd manuscripts through production, from styling to transmittal to trafficking copyedits and proofs back and forth with the author.
• Assist authors in navigating the publishing process; provide proactive, friendly, knowledgeable help to them on manuscript formatting, art formats, permissions, and notes.
• Under supervision, act as primary editorial contact for backlist authors and revised/anniversary editions.
• Collect data and maintain imprint databases on acquisitions, sales, contact information, and freelancers.
• Organize imprint events and happenings, including weekly editorial meetings and preparations for seasonal sales meetings and strategy sessions.
• Schedule meetings and meals; handle expenses; make travel arrangements as necessary.
• Read and quickly share feedback on manuscripts in progress; under supervision, line edit manuscripts and/or curate book excerpts and pull quotes.
• Draft both author-facing and consumer-facing materials such as emails, blurb requests, flap copy, TI sheets, editorial memos, and letters.
• Other support tasks as needed.

Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent attention to detail, organization, and follow-up skills.
• Ability to multitask and manage multiple assignments in a deadline-driven environment.
• Ability to master complex systems quickly.
• Ability to work independently as well as within a team.
• Ability to take initiative and problem-solve creatively.
• Ability to manage multiple short- and long-term projects simultaneously.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Google Docs.
• Prior office experience within book publishing a plus, but not required to succeed as an Editorial Assistant.

Role details

This role is hybrid, with two to three days a week in the NYC office. The salary for this position is $51,000. All positions are currently eligible for annual profit award or bonus, subject to company results.

Please apply by February 19th, 2026 and include your resume and cover letter for consideration. Before applying for any role at Penguin Random House, we recommend you review our applicant resources page and our FAQs page.

Penguin Random House job postings include a good faith compensation range for each open position. The salary range listed is specific to each particular open position and takes into account various factors including the specifics of the individual role, and candidate's relevant experience and qualifications.

Full-time employees are eligible for our comprehensive benefits program. Our range of benefits include, but are not limited to, Medical/Prescription drug insurance, Dental, Vision, Health Care/Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, Health Savings Account, Pre-Tax and Roth 401(k), Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance, Life/AD&D Insurance, Commuter Benefits, Student Loan Repayment Program, Educational Assistance & generous paid time off.

Penguin Random House is the leading adult and children's publishing house in North America, the United Kingdom and many other regions around the world. In publishing the best books in every genre and subject for all ages, we are committed to quality, excellence in execution, and innovation throughout the entire publishing process: editorial, design, marketing, publicity, sales, production, and distribution.

Penguin Random House values the array of talents and perspectives that a diverse workforce brings. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status.