Backlist Manager, Scribner Books

About the role

Simon & Schuster, a global leader in general‑interest publishing, is seeking a creative, strategic, and commercially minded Backlist Manager for its Scribner imprint. The Backlist Manager will develop and execute an ambitious strategy for optimizing Scribner’s deep catalog of timeless literary works, modern classics, and bestselling authors, identifying books with renewed sales potential and creating innovative campaigns to bring fresh attention to both literary landmarks and contemporary classics.

Responsibilities

• Backlist Strategy and Optimization
  • Develop and manage a comprehensive, year‑round strategy for growing Scribner’s backlist across print, digital, audio, retail, academic, and direct‑to‑consumer channels.
  • Utilize sales history, market trends, inventory, pricing, formats, metadata, cultural conversations, and competitive publishing data to identify untapped opportunities.
  • Establish annual priorities for key authors, titles, franchises, and thematic publishing programs.
  • Build a pipeline of short‑, medium‑, and long‑term initiatives with clear revenue goals and measures of success.
  • Monitor results and use performance data to refine future campaigns and publishing decisions.
• Repackaging and Publishing Programs
  • Identify opportunities for redesigned editions, anniversary publications, format changes, new introductions or afterwords, reading‑group editions, boxed sets, and other value‑added packages.
  • Conceive larger programs—including seasonal collections, author starter packs, thematic series, and other creative groupings—that encourage discovery across the Scribner list.
  • Ensure new editions feel relevant to contemporary readers while honoring each work’s literary significance and history.
• Campaign Development
  • Create inventive campaigns tied to anniversaries, adaptations, holidays, academic cycles, author milestones, awards, cultural moments, and emerging reader interests.
  • Find meaningful connections between frontlist and backlist titles, using new publications to renew interest in an author’s larger body of work.
• Cross‑Functional Leadership
  • Serve as the central champion and strategic resource for Scribner’s backlist.
  • Partner closely with Editorial, Sales, Marketing, Publicity, Art, Production, Managing Editorial, Rights, Audio, and Digital teams to bring ideas from concept to market.
  • Work with authors, agents, estates, literary organizations, and outside partners when appropriate.
  • Present backlist strategies and recommendations clearly and persuasively to internal stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of relevant experience in book publishing, bookselling, marketing, brand strategy, media, or a related field.
• A deep appreciation for literary fiction and narrative nonfiction, and an understanding of Scribner’s identity, history, and place in American publishing.
• Demonstrated ability to generate original ideas and translate them into practical, commercially viable programs.
• Strong analytical skills and confidence working with sales reports, market research, consumer insights, and performance data.
• Excellent editorial, writing, communication, and presentation skills.
• Strong visual judgment and an understanding of how packaging and positioning influence reader discovery.
• Exceptional project‑management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• A highly collaborative working style and the ability to build enthusiasm and alignment across departments.
• Curiosity about changing reader behavior, new retail opportunities, digital discovery, and evolving ways to connect books with audiences.

The ideal candidate

The ideal candidate is part literary enthusiast, part creative entrepreneur, and part commercial strategist. They recognize the enduring value of a beloved classic while imagining entirely new ways to present it, notice overlooked opportunities, make unexpected connections across a catalog, and understand how design, timing, positioning, and storytelling can transform a backlist title into a newly essential read. Above all, they believe great books should continue finding new readers, and that Scribner’s extraordinary literary legacy can be both honored and reimagined for the future.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) plan
• Life insurance coverage
• Disability benefits
• Tuition assistance program and PTO
• Broad Based Ownership program, making all employees partners in shared success

Pay

The hiring salary range for this position applies to New York City, California, Colorado, Washington state, and most other geographies. Starting pay for the successful applicant depends on a variety of job‑related factors, including but not limited to geographic location, market demands, experience, training, and education.