Special Projects Publishing Assistant

The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) is seeking a Publishing Assistant for CCAR Press, a division of the CCAR and the primary publisher of the Reform Movement. CCAR Press publishes books, ebooks, apps, a journal, certificates, and Visual T’filah to serve Reform Jews and the wider Jewish community. This position will contribute to a range of publications, with a primary focus on a major new Reform Torah commentary. 

Core Responsibilities (including but not limited to):

·      Coordinates and tracks author invitations and submissions for the Torah Commentary;

·      Gathers bios and author, editor, and contributor contracts for anthologies, and original source/citation information, primarily but not only for the Torah Commentary;

·      Coordinates permissions processes and drafts backmatter (bibliography and previously published materials), primarily but not only for the Torah Commentary;

·      Proofreads various documents;

·      Writes copy for select promotional materials;

·      Provides first-read editorial feedback on select proposals and manuscripts;

·      Corresponds with other publishers about permissions contracts;

·      Coordinates and tracks email invitations to book committees;

·      Prepares manuscripts for production as needed; 

·      Assists with book mailings;

·      Assists with conference materials handling and logistics as needed;

·      Transcribes videos, creates subtitles, and adds video descriptions;

·      Works closely with CCAR Press team to help facilitate workflow;

·      Participates in weekly Press team meetings.

Valued Qualities, Skills, and Competencies:

·      Patience/good judgment with people;

·      Positive attitude;

·      Good conflict resolution instincts;

·      Professional and courteous telephone and office demeanor as an ambassador and representative of the organization;

·      Strong computer skills;

·      Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and database management systems;

·      Quick learner with the ability to learn new programs and processes;

·      Ability to manage multiple tasks and set priorities and deadlines;

·      Must be highly organized and extremely detail oriented;

·      Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills;

·      Excellent verbal, and written communication skills (no typo or broken hyperlink gets past you);

·      Willingness to be flexible;

·      Good problem-solving skills;

·      Ability to work as part of a team and independently;

·      Ethical foundation in both conduct and qualifications;

·      Experience working in an office environment;

·      Bachelor’s degree;

·      Knowledge of Judaism (desired);

·      Basic reading knowledge of Hebrew (desired);

·      Knowledge of book publishing (desired).

This position offers the opportunity to learn about the book publishing industry and the religious not-for-profit sector by being an integral team member for a major Jewish publisher.

This is position is hybrid (four days remote, one day in the office per week) for employees in the New York City metro area, or fully remote for those elsewhere.

Salary range: $50–$60K depending on experience

• CCAR provides benefits such as health insurance, dental insurance, LTD insurance, 403B, and vacation time.