Director Publications & Special Projects (E5427)

IEEE•Los Alamitos, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The overall purpose of this position is to lead the Computer Society's publishing group, focusing on maximizing collaboration among and within work groups, increasing production efficiency, and developing core capabilities. The role exercises operational and financial responsibility for editorial policies, strategies, objectives, and initiatives for all publications of the Society, including periodicals and conference proceedings. The incumbent in this position is primarily responsible for managing the strategies, tools, operations and teams that support magazines, transactions, conference proceedings, and publishing integrity, as well as facilitating the development of new digital editorial products, production tools, and business opportunities. This position works under consultative direction and has authority to approve invoices (within approved financial authority); administer performance appraisals; make final decisions regarding all publications operational and staff issues, volunteer issues, interpersonal issues, and work schedules within staff group; make shared decisions with other managers and editors for editorial planning and budgets; and makes recommendations for hiring, firing, promotions, personnel problems, and department procedures. Position is also responsible for taking on special projects, both short and long term, as assigned by The Executive Director.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
15-20 years Publishing experience with 15+ years of publishing management experience, preferably in a professional association environment
10-15 years Management of staff responsible for a wide variety of publications-related tasks, including oversight of integrity and ethics roles
Leadership experience in transitioning from print to digital formats, and spearheading creative yet cost-effective multimedia content delivery is required.
Demonstrated excellence in editorial creativity and the leadership of creative professionals.
Excellent team-building and cross-collaborative skills.
Experience in proposing, developing, and launching new products.
Solid understanding of the technology and economics underlying contemporary publishing.
Technologically savvy knowledge worker who seeks out technology solutions to business challenges.
Strong facility with off-the-shelf word processing, spreadsheet, e-mail and database packages.
Able to operate comfortably in a progressive electronic environment, with an emphasis on Web development, e-mail (Google suite), and Microsoft Office applications.
Strong command of English grammar and syntax; Will communicate with and ensure effective communications among clients, vendors, and staff, including explanation of technology needs and financial goals
Position presides over meetings and represent the department to formal volunteer and staff committees, as well as other volunteers, IEEE staff, and other internal and external audiences; Must be able to clearly express complex and/or potentially controversial information to a variety of audiences with a sensitivity for both knowledge level and political ramifications
The role composes progress reports and prepare competitive bids for vendors, outlines, writes project plans and schedules, and the functional specifications needed to accomplish project goals. May also document workflows or software features/how to use instructions; Must be able to edit, summarize, and rewrite technical prose without impairing technical content
Reads and applies information found in technical and policy manuals, author instructions, and technical manuscripts; Must have a strong command of the technology and publishing terminology utilized by IEEE authors, staff and vendors.
Ability to think freely and independently, to see multiple aspects of complex issues and recommend solutions along with their ramifications and outcomes
Strong ability in problem solving/conflict resolution for turnaround to positive outcomes to meet objectives
Positive attitude and a supportive, team-based approach towards the attainment of departmental goals
Exceptional cultural awareness, judgment, and tact; Due to the wide scope of activities, there is routine interaction with various levels of staff and an international constituency of society/council/region officers, volunteers, and partner associations/institutions
Provides advice and direction to volunteers on a wide variety of standard and nonstandard issues
Ability to recognize potential volunteer/community issues that could impact CS operations, and take corrective action
Ability to influence clients to make appropriate decisions (IEEE Policy, industry standards, budget, etc.)
Capable of researching issues and determining the appropriate course of action.
Ability to prioritize the importance of both staff and volunteer requests, and communicate priorities effectively and diplomatically
Ability to make decisions without relying on established precedent
Capable of managing change and be able to adapt new procedures to existing processes.
Ability to judge workload (for self and staff) and balance priorities to consistently meet deadlines on assigned tasks/projects in an efficient manner, ensuring that staff has a reasonable workload distribution, is empowered to achieve goals and meet deadlines, is trained and fluent in current best-practices, and works in a collegial and constructive environment conducive to professional growth and development
Willing to travel as needed
Individuals currently serving on an IEEE board or committee are not eligible to apply.
This position is not budgeted for employer-sponsored immigration support, this includes all persons in F (both CPT and OPT), J, H, L, or O status.

Nice To Haves

Master's or other advanced degree
7-10 years Opertions, Office management and/or facility management experience

Responsibilities

Leads the CS Publications group that comprises magazines, transactions, conference proceedings, and publishing integrity, focusing on maximizing collaboration among and within work groups, increasing production efficiency, and developing core capabilities. Exercises operational responsibility for editorial policies, objectives, and initiatives
Under consultative direction from the Executive Director, facilitates the development of new editorial products and business opportunities, particularly in electronic delivery. Identifies and evaluates new opportunities, develops business cases, coordinates with other departments, and solicits appropriate endorsements from CS program boards and the IEEE
Manages the incubation and development of new editorial products, product enhancements, product redesign, and business opportunities to increase profitability, develop our online presence, or to otherwise achieve society objectives; Oversees initiatives until they reach maturity, end, or are permanently assigned to program areas; Oversees the work of project managers and their project teams
Guide direction of overarching CS publishing integrity activities to proactively mitigate misconduct at all levels within the various volunteer structures for proceedings and periodicals and relevant committees
With volunteer committees and staff, develops portfolio review metrics and apply the metrics in formal, periodic portfolio reviews. Establish criteria for rejuvenating or sunsetting low-performing products that to not meet minimum performance expectations
Continuously monitors and evaluates publishing tools, platforms, and processes to ensure continual improvements in editorial workload and efficiency as well as maintain/improve author and EIC experience, submission-to-publication timing, production efficiency, and realize cost savings where possible; Develops complete business plans to support any modifications to existing platforms or tools, or acquisition/development of new tools and platforms, including clear cost/benefit analysis
Manages a 13-member department (4 direct, 9 indirect reports) to achieve organizational objectives, including reducing expenses and maximizing efficiencies in workflow and production.
Responsible for ensuring that the publications’ author/EIC/Conference Program Leadership is engaged.
Provides management support of MOC, TOC, Pubs Board, other volunteer committee and communities; EICs and authors
Coordinate with IEEE on copyright and publishing questions and concerns and disseminate instructions to volunteers, department staff and other department managers as necessary
Oversees peer review operations
Negotiate fees and manage budget and expenses for the peer review system and outsourcing.
Lead resolution of policy-adherence problems with authors and volunteers. Work with VP for Publications, EICs, and other key CS and IEEE staff and volunteers to resolve appeals
Ensures that freelancer invoices, volunteer expense reports, and board budgets are properly managed
Ensures that CS Periodicals are correctly set up in the IEEE Catalog. Represents the Computer Society with IEEE Pub Ops, PRAC, Panel of Editors, and liaises with PSPB, IEEE Periodicals Committee and CEE Proceedings support group as needed. May represent CS at IEEE BoD Series
Monitors publishing industry trends and reader needs to identify best practices and forward-looking processes and leverage new technologies to improve profitability and achieve departmental and organizational business goals
Works with Marketing & Sales and the cross-organizational Web Team, receives and analyzes Web and market-research reports; Performs trends analysis and coordinates implementation of market-driven response for editorial products
Works with volunteers and staff, helps to establish editorial direction and coordination among periodicals to achieve society objectives
Prepares and recommends operational budgets for the publications and related editorial products and services
Develops and recommends the strategic goals, policies, and procedures for editorial products and services to the Executive Director
Supports the Executive Director in the development of cross-society cooperative agreements, partnerships, technical co-sponsorships, and bulk sale agreements
Recruits, hires, trains, and evaluates editorial staff; Provides leadership, coaching, and mentoring
Responsible for CA office operations and facility management, including management of Office Operations Administrator
Travel Information: CS BOG Mtg. Domestic and International Act as support for VP of Pubs. and represent pubs staff at CS BOG Mtg.
Travel Information: IEEE Mtg. Series Domestic. Act as support for VP of pubs and represent CS Pubs team at various IEEE and TAB Pubs-related mtgs.
Additional Responsibilities: Special Projects as assigned by Executive Director, including managing office operations staff and facilities.