Publicity & Marketing Manager / Senior Manager – Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Speculative

Location: Hybrid - Open to Remote

Duration: Full Time

Salary: $65,000-$75,000

Benefits: Health; Dental; 401K; Bonus; Profit-sharing; Summer Fridays, Week off btw Xmas & New Year's

Contact: Vida Engstrand

Email:

VEngstrand@kensingtonbooks.com

Job: 41833

Special Instructions: To apply, please send resume reflecting proven interest in genre, with writing samples (press release, sample pitch, marketing content, etc. – whatever you think represents your skills!) and a brief description of one or two recent campaigns that you feel you handled successfully to Vida Engstrand, Communications Director:

VEngstrand@KensingtonBooks.com

.

Job Summary

Kensington Publishing is seeking an experienced and creative Publicity & Marketing Manager or Senior Manager to lead innovative campaigns for select titles across our SFF, Horror, and Speculative Fiction lists, with some Romantasy crossover. Working within our acclaimed Erewhon and Kensington imprints, you’ll promote diverse stories that push boundaries, spark fandoms, and stay with readers long after the last page.

Candidate should have at least 5 years of experience working with commercial fiction in the communications / public relations / publicity field (preferably within the publishing industry), superior writing skills, established media contacts, the ability to think strategically, a keen sense for reaching niche audiences, and strong skills to strategize, plan, and execute campaigns. The ingenuity to try new and innovative approaches to publicity and marketing is essential, as is the ability to tailor and present the salient aspects of each new title to journalists and editors, potential authors, and events coordinators. Reporting to the Communications Director, you will develop and launch campaigns to promote your assigned titles through both earned and paid exposure.

Kensington’s offices are located in Manhattan, with most staff working on a hybrid basis (2 days/week in office), but we are open to fully remote candidates as well.

Responsibilities:

• Create, develop and implement effective marketing and publicity campaigns for 2-6 new releases per month.
• Conceive, draft, edit and review marketing content on a daily basis.
• Write promotional copy for press releases, pitch letters, catalogs and sponsored content.
• Pitch and secure interviews, events, blog tours, partnership opportunities, reviews, brand partnerships and other PR initiatives to promote books / authors.
• Provide author support as needed and work with authors to develop their brands.
• Maintain records; monitor, track, circulate and analyze relevant media coverage and marketing strategies.
• Work closely with colleagues in Communications department to plan large-scale events and fan conventions.
• Coordinate and collaborate with in-house Social Media Managers, including maintaining Erewhon-branded social media platforms as needed.
• Identify potential partners and new opportunities for promoting Kensington books and developing authors’ brands.
• Present strategies at relevant in-house Sales meetings.

Qualifications:

• At least 5 years of experience in publicity and/or public relations, preferably within the publishing industry.
• Established media contacts and familiarity with the outlets, reviewers, producers, creators and influencers who are essential to securing exposure for commercial fiction books and authors, especially within the SFF, horror, and speculative fiction genres.
• Proven track record of securing press and executing innovative, successful campaigns.
• Excellent writing and promotional copywriting skills.
• A keen sense for identifying and reaching niche audiences.
• Strong skills to strategize, plan and execute campaigns.
• Knowledge and understanding of the publishing process.
• A proven ability to generate creative story ideas, pitch angles and pitches.
• Ability to take initiative on assigned projects/tasks and work with minimal supervision.
• High level of familiarity with Microsoft Office, particularly Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Familiarity with Adobe Suite is a plus.

Benefits Include:

• Health; Dental; Bonus; Profit-sharing
• Matching 401(k) program
• Competitive PTO model
• Week off between Christmas and New Year’s + additional holidays
• Alternating four-day work week between Memorial Day and Labor Day
• Hybrid and full-time remote work opportunities

About the Company

Kensington Publishing Corp. is an independent, family-owned book publisher founded in 1974 and based in New York City. Known for the diversity of the authors and books it publishes, Kensington releases more than 300 fiction and non-fiction titles each year, providing readers with a range of popular genres such as thrillers, romance, historical fiction, cozy mysteries and non-fiction, as well as true-crime, western, sci-fi, and speculative fiction titles.

In 2014, Kensington de-siloed the publicity and marketing departments, combining them into one unified group under Communications. Instead of having two separate entities handling the same titles – a publicity team working on earned exposure and a marketing team working on paid exposure – we’ve created areas of genre or audience-based specialization within the department. Communications Managers focus on specific genres and are empowered to promote their books through both paid and earned channels.

Founded in 1974, Kensington Publishing Corp. is located in New York City and is known as “America’s Independent Publisher.” It remains a multi-generational family business. As the foremost independent commercial publishing house in the United States providing hardcover, trade paperback, mass market, and digital releases, Kensington publishes the books that America wants to read with a range of popular genres such as thrillers, romance, historical fiction, cozy mysteries, science-fiction and fantasy, and non-fiction, as well as true-crime, western, and bookclub fiction titles.