Senior Production Manager Jobs

Description

Wayside Publishing is a progressive developer of world language programs, resources, and materials for middle and high schools across the United States. We partner with educators to craft transformative texts and digital tools that engage students and foster successful communication and understanding across cultures.

What You'll Do

As a Senior Production Manager, you will have a comprehensive oversight role, managing both print and digital production processes, supervising the Print and Digital Production Managers, and leading the team of Production Editors. Your responsibilities include contributing to strategic planning, ensuring effective resource allocation, maintaining quality standards, and driving process improvements to deliver superior educational materials in a timely manner. This includes overseeing the production process of our print and platform publications from manuscript to final product, ensuring efficient workflows, high-quality outputs, and meeting or exceeding delivery dates. You will work closely with the Print and Digital Production Managers and Production Editors as well as cross-functional teams, including, Content, Technology, Marketing, Finance, Operations, and external vendors (i.e., printer and technology companies,) to ensure seamless execution of projects while adhering to budgets and deadlines. The ideal candidate should possess excellent project management skills, a keen eye for detail, and a deep understanding of the publishing industry for print and digital with great emphasis on the digital component.

Requirements

• Manages a team of digital and print production staff and production editors, providing support, mentorship, guidance, training, and performance evaluations.
• Coordinates with Content Project Managers, Print and Digital Production Manager, and Production Editors, to establish project specifications, schedules, and budgets.
• Foster a collaborative and positive work environment, promoting effective communication and teamwork.
• Manages the end-to-end production process for all print and digital publications, including textbooks, ancillaries, readers, and digital content for learning platforms.
• Establishes and enforces quality control processes and conducts regular quality checks to ensure adherence to design, layout, and production best practices for production workflows.
• Oversees the workflow and coordination between the Print Production Manager and Digital Production Manager, ensuring seamless collaboration and integration between the print and digital production processes.
• Collaborates with the editorial team to develop and maintain a standardized stylesheet for the materials being published and takes responsibility for managing and updating the stylesheet as needed, communicating any changes or revisions to the production team.
• Ensures that the established stylesheet is effectively implemented across all print and digital materials.
• Identifies new vendors and evaluates potential partnerships to improve production capabilities.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Handles escalated issues and resolves production-related challenges. Analyzes and troubleshoots problems, collaborates with cross-functional teams, and proposes solutions to minimize disruptions and maintain project schedules.
• Works closely with senior leadership and the VP of Product to develop and implement strategic plans rot the production department.
• Oversees the pre-press and printing process, ensuring accurate proofing, color management, and adherence to quality standards and ADA specifications.
• Ensures all digital production materials are ADA-compliant.
• Monitors production schedules, identifying potential bottlenecks or delays, and implementing proactive solutions.
• Provides support to Marketing in the creation of collaterals and other needed materials.
• Stays updated on industry trends and technological advancements, recommending process improvements, and implementing best practices, especially for digital production.
• Works with the editorial team to create the design for the products, which includes guidelines for font, layout, spacing, headings, and other design elements.
• Ensures that projects are delivered on time, within budget, and in accordance with established guidelines.
• Collaborates with internal teams and external vendors to negotiate contracts, monitor vendor performance, secure competitive pricing, ensure final delivery of high-quality products/jobs, and maintain strong relationships.

About You

We value diversity and accept people from all backgrounds, united around their ability to build relationships, communicate, problem-solve, and ultimately work as a team to achieve goals. Some of the qualities needed to be successful here include:

• Proficiency in English, fluency in a second language, and or PMP certification is a plus.
• The ability to effectively communicate with stakeholders, team members, external partners, and other departments, such as marketing, professional learning, software engineering, etc. to ensure a cohesive approach to content creation and distribution.
• Knowledge and familiarity with the technology used in language education.
• Strong knowledge of print and digital production processes, including knowledge in content creation for learning platforms.
• Experience in K-12 publishing (print and digital) educational materials.
• Strong interpersonal and multi-tasking skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to provide clear instructions and feedback.
• Knowledge of online learning environments and other technology used in education.
• Familiarity with design software and content management tools, such as Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator), and Pim core.
• Excellent organizational and technical skills.
• Knowledge of both print and digital production is highly desired.
• Bachelor's degree in Publishing, Graphic Design, Communications, or a related field. A master's degree is a plus.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in print and digital publishing production management, preferably within an educational publishing environment.
• Exceptional attention to detail. Proven ability to work collaboratively and effectively with cross-functional teams, including authors, editors, designers, and vendors.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to proactively identify issues and implement effective solutions.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proficiency in project management software, such as Asana, Trello, or Basecamp, to track project timelines and deliverables.
• The ability to analyze data and metrics to make data-driven decisions.
• Strong project management and organizational skills are necessary to oversee multiple teams, projects, and deadlines. This includes effectively planning, prioritizing, and managing resources to ensure the timely delivery of high-quality content.

What We Offer

• Work/life balance as a company value
• Paid holidays
• Competitive compensation: base salary plus achievement-based incentive program, uncapped potential.
• Retirement savings plan with employer contribution
• Employer-paid STD and LTD policies
• Health insurance with options for dental, vision, life insurance, and more

We believe that traditional hiring policies can hurt the most marginalized people in society, including people of color, people from working-class backgrounds, women, and LGBTQ people. Because we believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.

Wayside Publishing is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

When submitting your application, please include a concise cover letter that speaks to your experience, and why this role is the next best step in your career.

NO PHONE CALLS OR RECRUITERS PLEASE