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POSITION AVAILABLE: Marketing & Publicity Manager

DATE: September 23, 2019

Radix Media is looking for one person to become the Marketing & Publicity Manager for our publishing operations. This is an ownership track position, which means that after a year, you could potentially co-own a printing and publishing company. We are worker-owned and collectively managed, so there is no rigid hierarchy to bring you down. Women, people of color, and other marginalized identities are strongly encouraged to apply. Please read the whole ad below for a full overview of our business structure.

About Radix Media

We are a worker-owned print shop and independent publisher based in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. On the commercial print side, we offer offset, letterpress, digital, and wide format services. As a publisher, we have released four titles: Aftermath: Explorations of Loss & Grief (Bronze winner for the 2019 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year award), Be the Change! A Justseeds Coloring Book (co-published with Justseeds Artists’ Cooperative), The Witches’ Grimoire (co-published with artist Sabrina Cintron), and a science fiction series called Futures.

Radix Media is worker-owned, meaning that there is no boss giving orders to a lower class of workers. We all own the shop together, and share in the profits (or losses) together. We are also collectively managed, which means that we all make decisions together and ensure that no one person is taking on more than another person. This helps keep our business running smoothly and allows us to live our values more fully. 

Our official business hours as of July 1, 2019 are 9am-5pm, Monday through Friday. We are closed on weekends, though the occasional weekend may be required, mostly for tabling at book fairs and festivals. We are also closed on most major holidays as well as May Day (all of these are paid). We operate in a closed space, not a retail storefront, so we conduct business primarily through email and do not accept walk-in traffic.

What We’re Looking For

In 2017, we decided to focus on the publishing side of our business, and are looking to continue that transition in 2019 and beyond. The Marketing and Publicity Manager will primarily be responsible for helping us build our platform as a publisher and market our titles. 

The ideal candidate should be able to:

• Create marketing plans on a title-by-title basis
• Work with authors to promote and market their work
• Coordinate with social media manager to develop content
• Maintain our mailing list and send monthly targeted newsletters
• Create copy for sell sheets, press kits, and other marketing materials
• Represent the publisher at trade shows and book fairs
• Field media inquiries
• Maintain spreadsheets
• Make/maintain publishing connections
• Set up readings/book events
• Pitch our projects to different publications/media channels
• Send out review copies
• Keep up with publishing trends/conversations

The following would be a huge plus:

• Editorial experience
• Connections with the literary world
• A drive to publish emerging voices
• Being a fluent Spanish speaker
• Having worked in or organized with cooperatives before

Other tasks may be divided up on an as-needed basis. There are also opportunities to cross-train if you express interest in printing or other parts of the business.

Qualifications

• Commitment to staying in New York City for at least one year
• 2-3 years of hands-on book marketing or bookselling experience 
• Ability to lift up to 25lbs
• Familiarity with the Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign
• Strong written and verbal communication
• Willingness to collaborate, compromise, and troubleshoot
• Sharing the values and goals of the collective
• Organized and punctual

Prior work experience in publishing is ideal but not required. Experience with commercial printing is not required.

As worker-owners, we share both the burden of risk and the joy of success. This means that holding ourselves and one another to high standards, being thorough and efficient in our work, and communicating effectively are critical. 

Meetings and Business Operations

We have a brief (10-15 minute) meeting upon everyone’s arrival, where we go over the job board and other tasks for the day. We use apps like Asana and Airtable to help organize both our printing and publishing work, using them to make to-do lists, schedule projects, communicate in between meetings, draft documents, and store files. 

All workers must be willing to check e-mail and Asana most days in order to stay informed. Asana also has a mobile app that makes it easy to check off tasks and stay updated. We are open to implementing other tools. 

We also have a longer bi-weekly operational meeting that covers an agenda that will be posted 1-2 days before the meeting. We make decisions by consensus, so an ability to collaborate is a must!

Workers are encouraged to participate in the operation of the business in addition to their regular work. 

What to Expect

As a new worker, you will be considered an apprentice for the first six months. We will start off by training you on our workflow practices and policies, and give you an overview of the machines and the work that we do. Although much of your work will be done in the office, the opportunity may arise where you need to help receive or fulfill orders, interact with clients picking up jobs, and other things on an as-needed basis. Remember that we are a small operation. While there are some areas of specialization, we share much of the day-to-day work that needs to happen. 

The first month is an introductory one. During this time, we will work as a team to determine how your duties fit with those of other workers. There will be a review at six months, where the collective will vote on whether or not to offer the apprentice a full time position as a collective member.

As an apprentice, you will be required to attend bi-weekly collective meetings. You will not be empowered to block consensus decisions yet, but your opinions will always be taken into consideration. Participation is strongly encouraged.

In order to become a co-owner, you must invest 100 hours of “sweat equity.” You may do this over the course of six months or longer, if desired. After working for six months and with the unanimous approval of all collective members, you may become a co-owner.

You will be asked to make at least a one year commitment, but the ability to stay on for more than that is even better. It also takes time for workers to become deeply involved in the management of the business and help with developing the shop’s processes. 

We are unionized with the Graphic Communications Conference / International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 1. It is not necessary for you to join the union until you are a co-owner (dues are paid by the shop). You may choose to attend union meetings and participate in other union activities, but this is not required. We also recognize the membership of other unions; being a “dual-carder” is not necessarily an issue.

Compensation

The rate paid to apprentices and collective members is $18 per hour. For the first six months, you will be required to work 20-24 hours per week (flexible). Please note that this is a 1099 position, and you will be responsible for filing the appropriate taxes. We will not deduct any taxes from your check.

At your six month review, you will become a collective member and be expected to work 40 hours per week. Please note that this is also a 1099 position. At your one-year review when you become a co-owner, your pay will increase to the salary currently paid to co-owners. This will be categorized as owner’s draws and you will start receiving a K-1 form instead of a 1099. The shop will also begin keeping a capital account for you, which tracks your equity in the business.

How to Apply

Please e-mail us at jobs@radixmedia.org with a cover letter. Include a little bit about yourself, your background and experience, and why you want to be part of a worker-owned print shop and publisher. Also attach a PDF resume to your e-mail. Resumes without a cover letter will not be considered. Please also include two references.

In your cover letter, please address the following:

• Describe any past experience with the publishing industry.
• Describe any past experience with commercial printing.
• What does the ideal workplace look like for you?
• Are you able to make at least a one-year commitment? How does working at Radix Media fit in with your long-term goals?
• How does working at Radix Media align with your values?
• Do you have any schedule restrictions? Do you expect your availability to change within the next year?

We are an anti-racist, anti-sexist workplace. We welcome applications from women, trans folks, queer folks, and people of color. There will be no discrimination due to an applicant’s race, age, immigration status, gender, gender identity, sexuality, housing situation or past criminal history.