Manager Technical Publications

Generac•Waukesha, WI

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Manager, Technical Publications leads the development, and delivery of technical documentation supporting Generac's residential, commercial, and industrial power-generation products across global markets. This role owns the end-to-end documentation lifecycle, from authoring and illustration through translation, publishing, and post-release maintenance, for operator manuals, installation guides, service literature, illustrated parts catalogs (IPCs), service bulletins, and digital content. The manager directs an in-house team of technical writers, illustrators, and content specialists who author and illustrate within PTC Windchill and Arbortext; coordinates the external translation/localization vendor that delivers multi-language versions; and partners with Engineering, Product Management, Service, Compliance, and Legal to ensure documentation is accurate, safe, compliant with global regulatory standards, and optimized for dealer, installer, and end-user audiences.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Technical Communication, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, or related technical field (equivalent demonstrable experience documenting mechanical/electrical systems considered)
7 years of progressive experience in technical documentation for engineered products, with 5+ years in a regulated or safety-critical industry (power generation, automotive, heavy equipment, industrial machinery, aerospace, or similar)
5 years of direct people-management experience leading writers, illustrators, or content teams
Demonstrated ownership of the full documentation lifecycle: authoring, illustration, review, translation, publishing, and revision control
Hands-on experience with structured authoring in XML (DITA and/or S1000D) and a component content management system (CCMS)
Proven track record managing cross-functional delivery with Engineering, Product Management, and Service organizations
Demonstrated experience coordinating external translation/localization vendors, including SOW management, SLA enforcement, and translation memory governance
Budget and vendor management experience, including translation/localization vendors
Familiarity with ISO/IEC 82079-1 (preparation of instructions for use) and ISO 20607 (machinery instruction handbooks)
Leadership and team development
Strategic thinking and planning
Strong written and verbal communication
Content architecture and information design
Project management and prioritization
Attention to detail and quality focus
Data-driven decision making

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Technical Communication, Engineering, or related field
Hands-on experience with PTC Windchill (PLM) and PTC Arbortext Editor / Publishing Engine in a production environment
Experience with S1000D and/or DITA at scale, including module reuse strategy and BREX/specialization governance
Experience with CAD-to-illustration toolchains (PTC Creo Illustrate, Cortona3D, or IsoDraw) and 3D technical illustration Platforms
Experience documenting internal-combustion engines, alternators, ATS/switchgear, energy storage systems, or grid-interactive equipment
Experience integrating documentation with field-service platforms (e.g., ServiceMax, Salesforce Service Cloud) and dealer portals
Experience managing translation/localization programs across 15+ languages, including TMS
Working knowledge of ASD-STE100 (Simplified Technical English) and controlled-language authoring
Familiarity with EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and the EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 (effective January 2027), UL 2200, CSA, and EPA/CARB documentation requirements
Familiarity with Agile/DevOps delivery, Jira/Confluence, and Git-based docs-as-code workflows
Knowledge of UX writing, content strategy, intelligent content (CIDM), and AI-assisted authoring (LLM-based drafting, terminology management, automated QA)

Responsibilities

Leads, mentors, and develops a team of technical writers, editors, and content specialists
Sets priorities, manages workloads, and ensures timely delivery of documentation projects
Establishes best practices, standards, and processes for content creation and governance
Defines and executes the technical publications strategy aligned with business goals
Develops and maintains documentation standards, style guides, and templates
Ensures consistency, accuracy, and clarity across all technical content
Drives adoption of structured authoring, content reuse, and modular documentation practices
Oversees creation of product manuals, service documentation, user guides, release notes, and knowledge base articles
Collaborates with engineering, product management, service, and support teams to gather and validate content
Coordinates the end-to-end translation and localization program with the external language services vendor, covering operator, installation, and service literature across all markets where Generac products are sold
Utilizes and optimizes platforms such as PTC Windchill (PLM) and Arbortext (structured authoring and publishing)
Evaluates and implements new tools and technologies (e.g., AI-assisted authoring, content automation)
Manages documentation workflows and controls while ensuring adherence to regulatory, legal, and industry standards
Oversees quality assurance and documentation effectiveness by implementing audits, feedback loops, and data-driven performance monitoring