The Poetry Foundation is seeking a full-time assistant editor. The assistant editor is responsible for helping the editorial team produce monthly issues of Poetry on schedule while maintaining the high standards of both the contents and format of the magazine. This role has administrative and editorial responsibilities and reports to the senior editor.   

 The Poetry Foundation is a hybrid workplace. This position will be in-person at our Chicago offices three days per week, with the option to work from home two days per week.

 The Objectives You Will Meet

• Organize and maintain submissions, submissions guidelines, magazine files, and databases using Submittable, FileMaker, Google Drive, and print files;
• Prepare authors' accepted files, contracts, payments, and any necessary permissions ;
• Provide general administrative assistance to editorial staff, including preparing issue files for third parties, managing delegated email accounts, overseeing magazine mail, responding to permission requests, corresponding with contractors;
• Typeset content in InDesign, proofread materials, and make corrections for editorial content;
• Work with the senior editorial team on copyediting and developmental editing of prose pieces for publication;
• Read and discuss submissions with the editorial team, and occasionally solicit new work that aligns with the team’s goals;
• Contribute to ongoing conversations with the editorial team regarding strategic planning and visioning.

The salary range for this role is $60,000-$68,000.

Who You Are

A well matched candidate will bring the following skills to the role:

• 3+ years of experience in editorial roles, with significant knowledge of poetry and literary publishing;
• 3+ years of administrative experience;
• Strong communication and relationship management skills to assist in collaboration across foundation teams;
• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with a keen eye for detail;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of InDesign and Photoshop is desirable.

 This position will stay open until filled, but priority consideration will be given to those who apply by August 2nd. 

Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Studies have shown that marginalized communities - such as women, LGBTQIA+ , BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian Arab, Native American) people   - are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. The Poetry  Foundation is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application. You may be just the right candidate for this role or a future position!

If you are a qualified candidate with a disability, please e-mail us at hr@poetryfoundation.org if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

•  Must be in-person at the Poetry Foundation office at least three days per week (attendance on Wednesday is required by all staff) and work a full-day schedule from home when not onsite in the office (two days per week).
•  Must be able to navigate through various spaces of the building.
•  Remaining in a stationary position, often sitting for prolonged periods in an indoor office environment.
•  Communicate with others to exchange information and perform duties
•  Ability to read materials on a computer screen
•  Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers
•  Moderate noise level consistent with an office environment

More About the Poetry Foundation

The Poetry Foundation recognizes the power of words to transform lives. It works to amplify poetry and celebrate poets by fostering spaces to create, experience and share poetry. Learn more about the organization here.

Equal Opportunity: The Poetry Foundation values the perspectives and talents of a diverse staff and is committed to creating a workplace where employees thrive both personally and professionally. The Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and employs personnel without regard to race, color, age, pregnancy, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, veteran status, marital status, disability, or any other bases protected by law.

Land Acknowledgement

The Poetry Foundation building is situated on the occupied original homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: The Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odowa Nations, among other Indigenous nations. Indigenous people continue to live here today, and Chicago is home to one of the largest urban Indigenous communities in the United States. We recognize that some of us are settlers on colonized land and that this land acknowledgment is one small part of disrupting and dismantling the colonial structures in which we are living.

Vaccination Expectation

The Poetry Foundation requires all employees to be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 to ensure our own safety and the safety of our guests, partners, and visitors. All employees must provide proof of their vaccination status or request a medical or religious exemption within the first week of employment.