Book Publishing Associate

Location: Lahore or Islamabad, with occasional travel across project sites and partners

Education: Bachelor’s or Master's degree in Education, Publishing, Language, Fine Arts, Communication, or related field

Experience: Minimum 3-5 years of relevant professional experience in book publishing, children’s book development, or educational content production.
Key Responsibilities

1. Book Development and Publishing Management

• Plan and oversee the full publishing cycle of children’s storybooks and reading materials, from concept note to printed book.
• Coordinate the annual call for manuscripts and sample illustrations; facilitate review and selection processes with internal and external panels.
• Organize and facilitate writers’ and illustrators’ workshops, mentoring sessions, and follow-ups for story and artwork refinement.
• Work closely with selected writers, illustrators, and editors to finalize manuscripts and illustrations in line with feedback from reviewers and project leads.
• Ensure the final layout, design, and pre-press preparation of books by coordinating with designers.
• Liaise with printers for printing specifications, proofing, and production oversight to ensure quality and timely delivery.
• Maintain publishing documentation, design archives, and metadata for all published titles.

2. Quality Assurance and Standards

• Ensure storybooks meet agreed quality standards for design, content, and production.
• Support the development and use of book leveling and categorization tools for age-appropriate and reading-level alignment.
• Monitor and evaluate the use of ITA-published titles in classroom libraries and community spaces, gathering feedback from teachers and children.
• Ensure adherence to ITA and partner branding and copyright policies.

3. Distribution and Inventory Management

• Plan and manage the distribution of published books to project schools, libraries, and partners.
• Maintain digital and physical inventory of published titles and ensure proper documentation of stock movement and storage.
• Support logistics for book fairs, launches, and reading events showcasing ITA’s published materials.

4. Capacity Building and Partnerships

• Facilitate capacity-building initiatives for local writers, illustrators, and publishers to strengthen the children’s literature ecosystem in Pakistan.
• Build partnerships with the local publishing industry, National Book Foundation, literacy organizations, and government departments.
• Represent ITA and PLP in book fairs, exhibitions, and forums related to children’s publishing and literacy promotion.

5. Reporting, Budgeting, and Documentation

• Contribute to annual planning, budgeting, and forecasting for publishing-related activities.
• Track expenses, manage procurement documentation, and ensure cost-effective publishing operations.
• Prepare progress reports, workshop summaries, and documentation of best practices and lessons learned for donor reporting and internal learning.

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong understanding of the local publishing industry and children’s literature landscape in Pakistan.
• Experience with the full publishing process including manuscript development, design, pre-press, printing, and distribution.
• Proficiency in MS Office and design software (Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator preferred).
• Strong communication, coordination, and documentation skills (English and Urdu).
• Experience working with public education systems, NGOs, or literacy projects.
• Knowledge of book leveling systems and familiarity with foundational literacy frameworks.
• Existing networks within the publishing and education sectors.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: Rs80,000.00 - Rs120,000.00 per month

Work Location: In person