Translation Rights Assistant (Publishing)

Job Description

THE AGENCY

Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is the world’s leading full-service entertainment, media, and sports agency.  We represent many of the most successful professionals working in publishing, television, film, music, theatre, video games, sports, and digital content.  We also provide a range of strategic and marketing consulting services to corporate clients.  

OVERVIEW

CAA, which acquired ICM Partners in 2022, has expanded its operation in London, bringing the agency’s publishing business in-house. A fast-paced and growing department selling rights to the CAA list across all languages, territories, and formats to establish and develop literary careers worldwide; we work with internationally acclaimed and bestselling authors across fiction and non-fiction. 

We are looking for a new detail-oriented and efficient Publishing Assistant to join our team, primarily to support one of our Translation Department Heads. This Assistant will work on a client list comprised of US- and UK-based authors, including names like Haruki Murakami, Walter Isaacson, Patrick Radden Keefe, Richard Ford, Siri Hustvedt, Toni Morrison, Ann Patchett, George Saunders, Tara Westover and Coco Mellors as well as many other bestselling and prizewinning writers of fiction and non-fiction.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• Dealing with enquiries about rights sales and acting as the primary point of contact for client enquiries by telephone and email. 

• Handling post, author copies, book orders, cover and translator cv approvals.

• Reading and commenting on author’s new material.

• Gathering material and information from US and UK agents and publishers to aid the submission process.

• Liaising with the Agent on submission lists and submitting in certain markets.

• Logging all submissions, all deals, all bookings and keeping all databases up to date.

• Responsibility for drawing up and tracking contracts from deal stage through to contractual negotiations and on to full execution of agreements.

• Pulling together information and material for the catalogues we produce in advance of the two major annual bookfairs in London and Frankfurt.

• Handling schedules for bookfairs and separate trips to specific markets that take place throughout the year.

• Liaising with clients and our accounts department on invoices/payment chasing. 

• Selling translation rights via co-agents and in some instances, selling direct in emerging markets.

• Providing administrative support to the Agent in all areas including but not limited to diary management, booking travel, scheduling meetings and expenses.

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS

• Must have a passion for books/reading and be keen to develop a career in the publishing industry. 

• Must be a strong team player and willing to help out within the department.

• Must have solid administrative experience which is fundamental to the role.

• Excellent organisation skills and attention to detail.

• Ability to juggle a number of tasks under pressure, to take ownership of tasks and prioritise workload to meet tight deadlines.

• Excellent focus and ability to perform tasks to a high standard at a fast pace.

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

• Previous experience with Outlook and other MS Office programmes. 

• Additional language skills are desirable but not essential.

Please ensure you provide complete and legible information in your application. An incomplete application may affect your consideration for employment.

Creative Artists Agency (“CAA”) is committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment and creating a workplace culture in which diversity and inclusion is valued and everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As part of our zero-tolerance approach to discrimination in any form, you and any job applicants will receive equal treatment regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, or any other legally recognised protected basis under UK law.

Please inform CAA’s Recruitment Department if you need any assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.

CAA does not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters unless they were contractually engaged by CAA to provide candidates for a specified opening. Any such employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume does so with the acknowledgement and agreement that CAA will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion without any fee owed to the submitting employment agency, person or entity.