Careers at Lee & Low

About the company: LEE & LOW BOOKS is the largest multicultural children's book publisher in the United States. We are committed to publishing culturally authentic diverse books that are about everyone and for everyone. Founded in 1991, we are family-owned and independent, which means we publish what we want and aren't afraid to take risks. Our books have won major awards including the Coretta Scott King Award, the Pura Belpré Award, the NAACP Image Award, and many more.

Lee & Low Books is an equal opportunity employer. Our commitment to diversity within our books is matched by a commitment to support a diverse and inclusive workforce behind the scenes. We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color; those who identify as disabled; and those who identify as LGBTQ+.
 

Current Openings:

Marketing Associate

Summary: The Marketing Associate supports a small team in all aspects of book promotion for a highly regarded independent publisher specializing in diversity. This role offers experience in many different types of marketing and publicity, with a focus on the school and library markets.

Are you someone who has the uncanny ability to boil an entire book down to one succinct sentence that makes people say, “I want to read that—give that to me!”? Are you passionate about children’s books and diversity? Lee & Low Books has an opening in our marketing and publicity department. This department is tasked with the goal of getting our books on readers’ radar. We’re looking for a strong, adaptable, and personable communicator who can convey excitement about diverse books both in writing—through our social media channels, email marketing, and blog—and in person at book festivals, events and trade conferences.

It has been said that a year at Lee & Low goes by like blink of an eye—this is called Lee & Low time. This is a busy department with a lot on its plate, so if you have trouble juggling many different projects and deadlines, this is not the job for you. However, if you are the type of person who loves organization; thrives on building and maintaining systems and relationships; and cares as much about the small details as the big picture, you might be a good fit for us and we might be a good fit for you.

Responsibilities include:

• Planning and attending virtual and in-person conferences and local book festivals (some travel required if/when it becomes safe)
• Planning and executing marketing plans for frontlist titles
• Managing blog calendar and develop blog content
• Author and illustrator event planning and support
• Coordinating the creation of ads and managing the ad schedule
• Collaborate with our editorial, literacy, sales, and operations departments on various projects
• Maintaining author relationships
• Email marketing
• E-book and wholesaler seasonal updates
• Seasonal catalog and brochure work

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Interested in children’s books
• Knowledgeable in and passionate about issues surrounding diversity and representation
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• A strong writer and communicator
• Extremely organized and self-directed
• Confident speaking in front of large audiences
• Self-motivated, friendly, creative, and personable
• Proficient with major social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Knowledge or experience that would be a plus:

• 1-2 years experience in book publishing
• Familiarity with Adobe Photoshop
• Metadata and/or SEO experience

This role is full time and will report to our Marketing Manager. This position is currently remote but may transition to in-person work for candidates in the New York City area. Remote candidates will also be considered. Competitive full-time annual salary along with bonus incentives. Company benefits package include single coverage health insurance (including prescription drug coverage), 401K plan, and generous vacation policy.

How to apply: Please fill out this online form to submit your application.

House Designer (Filled)

Lee & Low Books seeks a creative, organized, and adaptable individual to serve as our in-house Designer. This person will wear many hats, working on projects that support multiple departments across the organization, from designing materials for our marketing and sales teams to maintaining printer archive files. We are looking for someone with both a strong, creative design sense and a passion for organization and systems. The ideal candidate should have one to two years of professional experience in printed-materials design as well as the ability to work independently, take initiative, and multitask on a daily basis. BIPOC and members of other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities:

• Designing promotional materials for the marketing and sales teams, including catalogs, flyers, book lists, social media images, ads, teacher guides, and more
• Handling design on paperback conversions, Spanish editions, leveled readers, and other select book projects
• Supporting the editorial team as needed with additional design/production support and troubleshooting
• Providing digital design support for Lee & Low’s website as needed
• Overseeing Lee & Low’s overall branding as well as maintaining materials for freelancers to ensure consistency across projects
• Managing freelance designers on select projects
• Creating and maintaining company systems for storing reprint files, printer archive files, fonts, and other digital assets
• Assisting in preparing and processing backlist reprints
• Handling file requests for permissions, foreign rights, and subrights
• Generating PDFs, resized cover images, interior thumbnails, and other digital assets for new titles
• Managing our backlist ebook conversions

Requirements/Qualifications:

• One to two years of experience in graphic design for printed materials, ideally within the children’s book or educational publishing industry
• A general understanding of book production
• Strong knowledge of Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator and Microsoft Office (Word and Excel). Experience with batch image processing and automated scripts a plus.
• Basic knowledge of HTML/CSS
• Strong design sense with a knowledge of current trends and branding best practices
• Ability to work independently, manage time well, and prioritize among competing deadlines, as well as collaborate within multiple teams
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• A passion for Lee & Low’s mission and an understanding of how representation and diversity issues play out in our work
• A sense of humor, approachable demeanor, and strong communication skills

Desired:

• Experience with book design, particularly with illustrated books and/or graphic novels
• Familiarity with contemporary children’s and YA books and conversations within the diverse-books space
• Familiarity with the Zoho family of business software programs or another CRM
• An understanding of ePub file requirements and the ebook conversion process
• Basic video editing skills
• Web design experience
• Experience managing freelancers and/or outside vendors
• Interest in creating illustrations

Applications from throughout the United States are welcome. The position will start out as remote and may be permanently remote for the right candidate, though applicants within or willing to move to the New York tri-state area are preferred. Company benefits include single coverage health insurance, 401K plan, and generous vacation policy.

How to Apply: Please fill out our online application, where you can also upload a sample portfolio.