Figure 1, a leading Canadian publisher of illustrated books, is seeking an experienced, full-time Editor. This role is critical to the company’s ongoing growth and commitment to partner-focused publishing.

The successful candidate will serve as the in-house advocate and author liaison for up to a dozen titles each year, a role that entails guiding and supporting authors and clients throughout the publication process in close collaboration with Figure 1’s production, creative, and sales and marketing teams. The Editor will also perform the substantive edit of eight to ten of those titles.

Our ideal candidate will bring professional expertise, enthusiasm, and curiosity to the work, and will be willing to engage in creative problem-solving, seek advice when needed, and grow as part of a small but accomplished and ambitious team.

About us

We work with storytellers, artists, curators, designers, chefs, and other creatives to make books of the highest quality, in the areas of art and photography, architecture and design, Indigenous art and culture, and food and drink. As we operate in a hybrid publishing model (which you can learn more about here), often with first-time authors, our work is highly collaborative in nature.

Our values

• Passion for books: We have a shared love for beautifully designed, well-written books, and we seek to celebrate that in everything we do.
• Respect for our team: We value the ideas, expertise, and unique contributions of our staff and freelancers, and compensate them fairly.
• Service-driven: Our work relies on the trust and respect of our authors and clients, which we earn by making high-quality books that serve their publishing goals.
• Pursuit of quality: We are always pushing to reach higher levels of excellence with every project.
• Collaborative: We believe that a shared commitment to teamwork and knowledge sharing among our Figure 1 staff, clients and publishing partners produces exceptional books that benefit all stakeholders.
• Disciplined: We regularly assess and improve our systems, communications, client services, industry knowledge, business strategy and individual performances.

Job overview

The primary role of the Editor will be to shape manuscripts, including both written and visual components, and work closely with authors, clients, and Figure 1’s production, design, and sales and marketing teams to oversee all other aspects of the publication process—while meeting the objectives set out by the client and the high standards for which Figure 1 is known. Of the ten to twelve projects assigned to the Editor each year, they will provide the substantive edit for eight to ten. The editor will report directly to the Editorial Director.

Key responsibilities

Sponsor ten to twelve titles annually:

• Act as the project champion and primary client/author liaison throughout the publication process;
• Develop and/or refine the book’s concept, including all written and visual elements;
• As necessary, coach the author on the writing of the manuscript and selection/procurement of images;
• Schedule and chair project launch meetings, and attend meetings with other departments (design; sales, marketing, and publicity) as required;
• Manage the contracting process for compilation and anthology books, and liaise with the Controller on invoicing for each signed participant;
• Work with the client/author and the Sales Director to create jacket copy (e.g., title and subtitle, endorsements, bylines, reading lines, descriptions);
• Work with the client/author, designers, and the Figure 1 team to oversee development of the front cover;
• Write marketing materials for the book, including advance book description and author biographies, and liaise with the Sales Director to refine that copy;
• From time to time, edit marketing materials, including the website, print and online ads, invitations, and print catalogues;
• Attend weekly production meetings and provide progress reports on each project.

Of the ten to twelve titles above, provide the substantive edit for eight to ten every year:

• Ensure the manuscript meets the agreed-upon word count and image count;
• Propose to authors edits to refine structure and to ensure clarity, accuracy, sound arguments, and engaging prose;
• Work with the author/client to refine the selection and placement of images, and ensure they are tagged within the manuscript;
• Liaise with designers on cover and interior design approaches, including the inclusion of graphic elements such as maps, charts, infographics;
• Prepare a style sheet that outlines editorial decisions and considerations for copy editors and proofreaders, and includes a design memo to explain design concepts and considerations.

Preferred qualifications

• At least three to five years experience substantively editing illustrated publications, preferably in our core areas of art, architecture, photography, design, Indigenous art and culture, and food and drink;
• Demonstrated cultural competency and sensitivity working on books about, and with partners from, underrepresented communities, including Indigenous Peoples;
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize, stay organized, meet production deadlines, and collaborate with authors/clients and colleagues;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Fluency with Word and its Track Changes function;
• Interest in books and the publishing process as a whole—an appreciation for arts, culture, design, food, and lifestyle topics is a plus;
• Certification and/or training in book publishing is beneficial, though not a requirement;
• Experience copyediting and/or proofreading book publications is a plus;
• Familiarity with collaboration tools and production and design programs (e.g., Adobe Acrobat, Dropbox);
• Customer service/client-facing experience is an asset.

Location and hours

We are a fully remote workplace. The company is headquartered in Vancouver, in the traditional, unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples, with staff residing in the Lower Mainland and other regions.

Though our preference is to hire a candidate based in Vancouver or Toronto, we will consider applications from individuals who reside anywhere in Canada and are legally entitled to work in Canada. 

This is a full-time, salaried position with a targeted start date of July 15, 2026.

Regular work hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. PT, including a one-hour lunch break. Some flexibility in working hours can be accommodated, especially for those working in other time zones.

Occasional travel will be required, including to in-person team meetings in Vancouver.

Compensation and benefits

• Salary range: $55,000–$65,000, commensurate with experience
• Three weeks’ paid leave annually: two weeks anytime during the year and one week during the Figure 1 office closure between Christmas and New Year’s
• Annual healthcare spending account
• Participation in annual bonus program
• Half-day Fridays in July and August
• Professional development opportunities
• Copies of Figure 1 publications

How to apply

Please email a cover letter and resume saved as a single PDF or Word document to publishing@figure1pub.com by June 1, 2026.

Applications and queries will be kept confidential. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Interviewing will take place in mid-June.

We are committed to diversity in the workplace and encourage applications from all qualified candidates, including those individuals who identify as BIPOC, disabled, LGBTQ2+, and others who face barriers to employment. We ask applicants who require accommodation throughout the hiring process to connect by contacting publishing@figure1pub.com

A note on artificial intelligence

We are an independent publisher working with and championing creatives in the arts. As such, we restrict the use of our publications for large-language-model training and insist our authors and clients do not submit any content generated by services using artificial intelligence or large-language models. We will not be using AI as part of our hiring process, and we ask applicants to embrace their humanness and refrain from using these tools in their applications.

We will advise all applicants once the position has been filled.