[CLOSED] Part-time, Temporary Assistant (Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency)
The application window for this job has closed.
Marietta Zacker and Beth Phelan are looking to hire a part-time, temporary assistant. Our ideal candidate is driven, reliable and self-motivated. They are passionate about traditional kidlit publishing and see themself as an advocate for young readers from the margins. We would love to work with someone who is fearless in the face of databases, and enjoys learning and developing new systems. This person would be highly organized and collaborative, with excellent written communication skills and a proactive, problem-solving attitude. In the interest of maintaining a healthy work/life balance, email is our preferred method of communication (except in cases of emergency/urgency, of course).
Compensation: $20/hr, independent contractor (1099). You must submit a weekly invoice detailing hours worked. Unfortunately, we cannot offer any benefits with this position.
Schedule: Approximately 10 hours per week, with the possibility of more, depending on the week. This position will begin in mid-March and last until at least mid-June, with the possibility of extending further depending on the agency’s needs at that time.
Location: Remote/Virtual. We will communicate via email, Zoom (or other similar video conferencing app), Google Drive, Slack and other platforms.
Qualifications
No professional publishing experience is required, however we are looking for someone who can demonstrate some familiarity with the traditional kidlit industry and has a love of reading.
Experience with Word and Excel, and Google Docs and Google Sheets.
Experience with AirTable, or eager to learn.
Experience with Squarespace, or eager to learn.
Experience with Canva, or eager to learn.
Strong interest in/pursuit of career as a book publishing professional.
Discretion, strong communication skills, dependability, pride in their own work.
We are particularly interested in applications from BIPOC candidates.
Responsibilities
Organizing, prioritizing and helping to answer queries and requested submissions.
Reading and evaluating submissions/manuscripts.
Maintenance of client press sheets.
Developing new systems (ideally Airtable) for client/project management, query management, sub-rights and contracts tracking.
Assorted admin tasks, e.g. organizing databases and office systems.
Updating website (bethphelan.com) with new information; correcting layout issues.
Other, as needed.
F.A.Q.
Can writers apply?
We are primarily interested in giving this opportunity to someone who is serious about a career as a book publishing professional. If that applies to you, and you also happen to be a writer, that is absolutely acceptable!
Is there a set schedule I have to adhere to?
Scheduling will be quite flexible. We won’t need you to be available/working per any specific schedule, although we will be mostly 9AM-5PM ET. Most tasks can be done during free time, however, we may occasionally need things done urgently.
What will I learn?
This position will give you access to a lot of back-end insight. Agenting isn’t all reading and selling manuscripts (although we do a lot of that!); there are various maintenance, tracking, admin and other ancillary duties involved in being an effective agent. Naturally, you’ll be tasked with reading and maybe even light editing, but also experience aspects of marketing, sales, and building strong foundations for our clients’ success. Our door will always be open to any questions and we’re eager to create teachable moments as well.
To be clear, this position and its responsibilities are wholly unrelated to Beth’s activities outside of agenting.
How long before the application window closes?
We will keep this posting open for 2 weeks. We may decide to close it sooner, if the volume of applications becomes unmanageable.
Is this position open to non-US candidates?
Unfortunately, at this time, we can only consider candidates who can work in the US.
To Apply
Send your resume and cover letter to both marietta@galltzacker.com and beth@galltzacker.com. Please tell us why you see yourself as a good fit for this position and give us a sense of your taste in kidlit books. We’d love to know also about your background or familiarity in the industry, and your professional ambitions. Please also include your social media handles, if any.
About the Agency
The Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency focuses on developing and finding the right home for the work of some of the most talented writers and illustrators in the book industry. Established in 2000 by Nancy Gallt, and later joined by Marietta B. Zacker, we aim to bring to life stories and artwork that help young readers throughout the world become life-long book enthusiasts and to inspire and entertain readers of all ages. We represent authors and illustrators who share and, through their work, exemplify that vision.
About Marietta Zacker
Marietta has worked with books, authors and illustrators throughout her career -- studying, creating, editing, marketing, teaching and selling. She supports independent bookselling, believes in libraries and takes pride in her work as a Latina in the world of publishing. She is always on the lookout for visual and narrative stories that reflect the world we live in, not the bubbles in which we put ourselves. She loves books that make readers feel and shies away from those that set out to teach the reader a lesson. Whether she is reading a young adult novel, a middle grade novel or a picture book, Marietta looks for a book in which young readers can identify with the actions and reactions of the characters, not the perspectives of the author or illustrator. Diversity in the story must be inherent and authentic, not trendy. She is thrilled to shine the spotlight on soulful, insightful, well-crafted, literary or commercial projects aimed at any age group from young adult to the youngest of readers.
About Beth Phelan
Beth has been working in literary agencies since 2010, but has been with Gallt & Zacker since 2017. A lifelong reader, she’s been caught reading by flashlight in hotel closets while on vacation and finishing stories in lieu of returning friends’ calls. She is a winner of the inaugural CBC Diversity Outstanding Achievement Award, a Publisher’s Weekly Notable Person of the Year Reader’s Pick, nominated for The Ignyte Community Award for Outstanding Efforts in Service of Inclusion and Equitable Practice in Genre by the inaugural IGNYTE Awards, and a Publisher’s Weekly Star Watch Honoree. Beth is also the creator of #DVpit, a Twitter pitch event for marginalized creators, and DVcon, a free virtual conference for marginalized book creators.