How to hire an acquisitions editor

How to hire an acquisitions editor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step acquisitions editor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an acquisitions editor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new acquisitions editor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an acquisitions editor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The acquisitions editor hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect acquisitions editor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of acquisitions editors.

   Type of Acquisitions Editor	Description	Hourly rate
   Acquisitions Editor	Editors plan, review, and revise content for publication.	$16-50
   Content Writer	The job of content writers is to create the best possible written or visual content ranging from blog posts to press releases. They produce the content for various types of websites, including social networks, news aggregators, and e-commerce sites... Show more	$19-40
   Staff Writer	A staff writer is a professional who works in the television (TV) or entertainment industry to provide standard content such as news reports, reviews, and features. Since writing content is important, staff writers must be able to collaborate and brainstorm ideas with other staff members in the production process... Show more	$13-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Management
   • Market Trends
   • Market Research
   • Product Development
   • Fiction
   • Book Projects
   • Subject Matter Experts
   • Strategic Growth
   • Author Contracts
   • Contract Terms
   • K-12
   • Non-Fiction
   • Editorial Board
   • Publication Process

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage content using CMS tools and ongoing social media campaign and reader engagement via social media networks and blog.
   • Develop content for website design and social networking including Facebook, twitter, blogging and more.
   • Edit and format fiction and non-fiction for eventual publication.
   • Edit and proofread article submissions.
   • Edit and do layout for fiction and nonfiction books.
   • Edit and proofread text, layout, and design.

   More acquisitions editor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your acquisitions editor job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An acquisitions editor salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, acquisitions editors' average salary in nebraska is 61% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level acquisitions editors earn 68% less than senior-level acquisitions editors.
   • Certifications. An acquisitions editor with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an acquisitions editor's salary.

   Average acquisitions editor salary

   $60,342yearly

   $29.01 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level acquisitions editor salary

   $34,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average acquisitions editor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$92,317	$44
   2	District of Columbia	$73,069	$35
   3	California	$71,243	$34
   4	Massachusetts	$65,490	$31
   5	Washington	$63,942	$31
   6	Texas	$58,170	$28
   7	North Carolina	$56,870	$27
   8	Utah	$54,575	$26
   9	South Carolina	$53,205	$26
   10	Florida	$50,771	$24

   Average acquisitions editor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	SAGE Publishing	$99,217	$47.70
   2	Oxford University Press	$97,401	$46.83
   3	American Chemical Society	$97,153	$46.71
   4	Stanford University	$91,323	$43.91
   5	Arcadia Publishing	$90,048	$43.29
   6	VitalChek	$78,803	$37.89
   7	Amazon	$77,718	$37.36	19
   8	Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi	$61,976	$29.80
   9	Hachette Book Group	$61,961	$29.79	3
   10	University of Florida	$56,908	$27.36	2
   11	RELX	$56,524	$27.18	8
   12	Pearson	$55,794	$26.82
   13	Lifeway Kefir	$50,907	$24.47
   14	Life Way Christian School	$44,901	$21.59

4. Writing an acquisitions editor job description

   An acquisitions editor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an acquisitions editor job description:

   Acquisitions editor job description example

   **Overview**
   
   Nelson Books is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and highly values diverse backgrounds and insights that fuel our innovation. The Senior Acquisitions Editor serves in a leadership role in the acquisition and editorial/product development for non-fiction titles in the Christian market
   
   This position is remote. The preference is to fill this position in Grand Rapids, MI or Nashville, TN but we are also open to qualified candidates that are located outside of these areas.
   
   **Responsibilities**
   
   + Actively acquires 12-14 titles per year consistent with publishing strategy and financial goals.
   
   + Oversees editorial development of books acquired, including the delivery of expert and timely editorial work to production and strong author management.
   
   + Shepherds the titling, packaging, and cataloging process for acquired titles.
   
   + Provides timely communication with current and potential authors and their agents regarding the status of their proposals and/or contracted projects.
   
   + Negotiates with authors and/or agents in a manner that is fair and within financial benchmarks and develops, nurtures, and grows author and agent relationships; strong editorial judgment about which authors to acquire and resign.
   
   + Represents Nelson Books persuasively within HCCP and within the broader publishing community, including at conferences and industry trade shows as needed.
   
   + Influences and informally mentors junior editorial staff.
   
   + Possesses expertise in cultural, entertainment, and publishing trends.
   
   **Qualifications**
   
   **Knowledge:** Expert market knowledge, proven leadership ability, proven success in acquisitions, proven ability to maintain strong relationships with internal and external constituencies.
   
   **Work Experience:** Proven success as an acquisitions editor with 7-8 years' experience in publishing.
   
   **Education:** BA in Humanities, English, Journalism, or Theology or equivalent degree required. MA degree preferred.
   
   **Industry Knowledge:** Strong knowledge of the ABA and CBA trade book market, leading authors, and publishers; strong agency and industry contacts.
   
   **Skills:**
   
   + Excellent developmental editing, line editing, proofreading, andcommunication skills; ability to work with authors in developing content
   
   + Manuscript management experience
   
   + Familiarity with Christian content and a variety of theological frameworks
   
   + Able to work withand lead/influence others in a team environment
   
   + Strong communication and interpersonal skills
   
   + Ability to juggle multiple assignments at any given time
   
   + Able to manage and coach creative people and desire to see them thrive
   
   + Skilled in understanding book offers, publishing terms, and negotiation tactics
   
   + Decisive, well organized, strategic planner in the context of a team environment with shared processes and goals. Innovation and creativity skills are crucial for success
   
   + Relationship builder, networker, diplomatic and collaborative
   
   + Outstanding communication and public speaking skills
   
   + Must be able to work in a fast-paced, rapidly evolving marketplace and environment
   
   + Must be able to travel as needed
   
   HarperCollins Christian Publishing is an Equal Opportunity Employer
   
   **Job Locations** _US | US-MI-Grand Rapids | US-TN-Nashville_
   
   **Category** _Editorial_
   
   **Additional Locations** _US-MI-Grand Rapids | US-TN-Nashville_

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right acquisitions editor for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with acquisitions editors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit acquisitions editors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your acquisitions editor job on Zippia to find and recruit acquisitions editor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit acquisitions editors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new acquisitions editor

   Once you've decided on a perfect acquisitions editor candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new acquisitions editor first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an acquisitions editor?