Pre-Production Associate, Audio Production (On-site)

Penguin Random House is the leading adult and children's publishing house in North America, the United Kingdom and many other regions around the world. In publishing the best books in every genre and subject for all ages, we are committed to quality, excellence in execution, and innovation throughout the entire publishing process: editorial, design, marketing, publicity, sales, production, and distribution. Our vibrant and diverse international community of nearly 300 publishing brands and imprints include Ballantine Bantam Dell, Berkley, Clarkson Potter, Crown, DK, Doubleday, Dutton, Grosset & Dunlap, Little Golden Books, Knopf, Modern Library, Pantheon, Penguin Books, Penguin Press, Penguin Random House Audio, Penguin Young Readers, Portfolio, Puffin, Putnam, Random House, Random House Children's Books, Riverhead, Ten Speed Press, Viking, and Vintage, among others. More information can be found at http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/.

Job Description

We are seeking a highly organized, proactive, and detail-oriented Pre-Production Associate to coordinate a high volume of audiobook recording sessions. This role works closely with producers, studios, narrators, authors, directors, engineers, agents, and other production partners around the world to keep recordings efficiently scheduled and on track.

The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, communicates with precision and professionalism, and can quickly solve complex scheduling and resource challenges.

Key Responsibilities

• Recording & Resource Scheduling

• Manage a high volume of audiobook recording bookings across multiple studios and production resources across various time zones.

• Coordinate availability among narrators, authors, directors, engineers, studios, agents, producers, and other production personnel.

• Partner closely with producers to prioritize bookings and meet production deadlines.

• Respond quickly to new requests, cancellations, schedule changes, talent availability, and special production needs.

• Identify and resolve scheduling conflicts, gaps, overbookings, and resource constraints.

• Anticipate capacity challenges and recommend practical scheduling solutions.

• Maintain accurate, real-time booking data using scheduling, workflow automation, and production systems.

• Communicate changes clearly and promptly to all affected teams and partners.

• Provide scheduling coverage for other pre-production associates as needed.

• Production & Operational Support

• Distribute audiobook scripts and supporting materials according to established production protocols.

• Analyze, prepare, convert book scripts into required formats for production systems and workflows.

• Generate resource utilization and production reports as needed.

• Participate in workflow, automation, and system testing.

• Provide onsite logistical support to producers, directors, engineers, narrators, actors, and operations teams.

• Support authors, narrators, directors, and studio partners with production logistics and related needs, e.g., travel bookings.

Qualifications

• Required

• 1+ year of experience in production scheduling, production coordination, resource scheduling, or a comparable high-volume environment.

• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage numerous simultaneous bookings and shifting priorities.

• Strong problem-solving skills and sound judgment when making time-sensitive scheduling decisions.

• Precise, responsive, and personable written and verbal communication skills.

• Experience working with complex systems requiring accurate data management and workflow automation.

• Professionalism and discretion when communicating with high-profile talent, authors, executives, and creative professionals.

• Ability to collaborate effectively across production, creative, technical, and operational teams.

• Preferred

• Experience in publishing, audiobook, media, or recording-studio production.

• Experience working directly with talent and creative professionals.

• Familiarity with workflow automation, production technology, or programming.

• Additional Information

• This is an onsite position based in North Hollywood, California. Four days minimum onsite per week in the first 12 months. Further hybrid flexibility may be available after the first year of employment.

• The salary for this position is $60,000. All positions are currently eligible for annual profit award or bonus, subject to Company results.

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