Marketing - Direct Mail Production Manager

GEICO•Bethesda, MD

16h•Hybrid

About The Position

Direct mail is one of GEICO's highest-volume acquisition channels, running across multiple lines of business at once — and the channel only works if production runs clean. A missed spec, a late drop, or a data error in a personalized piece doesn't stay contained to one campaign; at this scale, it shows up in acquisition results. The Manager, Direct Mail Print Production owns that production process end to end: cost estimation, material sourcing, vendor management, quality control, postal logistics, and budget reconciliation. You'll be the primary point of contact for print production vendors and the USPS, and you'll partner daily with accounting, marketing operations, strategy, creative, and data teams to keep a complex, multi-stakeholder workflow moving without errors. This is a role with real production consequences — and real ownership over how well one of GEICO's biggest acquisition engines runs. You'll be managing constantly shifting timelines and competing demands across multiple lines of business at the same time, which takes both technical production depth and organizational precision. If you want a channel where the work you do each week visibly moves acquisition results — and you're the kind of person who keeps a hundred moving pieces on track without losing the details — this is that role. The Marketing organization at GEICO is guided by a clear set of principles: we hire the best at every level and invest in developing them. We believe that strategy comes before action — if we don't know why we're doing something, we don't do it. We bring the same care and accountability to how we spend resources as we would if it were our own business. And when there are challenges, we face them directly and collectively. Leaders in this organization are expected to bring that same mindset to their teams.

Requirements

Owned direct mail print production end to end — not just supported it — at high volume and across multiple simultaneous campaigns
Deep technical knowledge of printing processes, materials, and postal logistics, and can apply that knowledge to diagnose and resolve production problems quickly
Worked inside a high-volume, conversion-driven service business — insurance, financial services, telecom, or a direct response agency — where a production error has direct, immediate consequences for acquisition results
Hold yourself and vendors to an exacting standard: a data error in a personalized piece or a missed postal deadline is not an acceptable outcome
Organized enough to manage a large portfolio of concurrent projects without anything slipping — timelines, budgets, proofs, and vendor deliverables all tracked simultaneously
Communicate proactively, so stakeholders across strategy, creative, and finance always know where a project stands, including when something is at risk
Thrive in a fast-moving environment where priorities shift, timelines compress, and you need to adapt without losing precision
Comfortable using AI or automation tools to work faster on proofing, planning, or vendor coordination — not chasing new tools, just using what actually helps
Want to own the mechanics behind one of GEICO's highest-volume acquisition channels — not just keep it running, but make it sharper every cycle
Experience: 10+ years in print production management, with proven, demonstrable results managing high-volume direct mail programs — preferably in insurance, financial services, telecom, or with a direct response agency
Service company context: Experience working inside a conversion-driven service business — financial services, insurance, telecom, or SaaS — where production and marketing are tied directly to customer acquisition and retention
Technical production depth: Strong working knowledge of printing processes, materials, technologies, pre-press workflows, and USPS postal requirements
Vendor management: Direct experience managing print production agencies and vendors, including holding them accountable to quality standards and delivery timelines
Budget management: Experience managing large-scale print production budgets, including forecasting, accruals, invoice processing, and reconciliation
Data & personalization: Experience managing version matrices and data maps for personalized direct mail at scale — and catching errors before they reach print
Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite and pre-press software; proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and Word; comfort using AI tools (e.g., Claude, Copilot) to speed up planning or proofing work is a plus
Bachelor's degree required

Nice To Haves

Experience in insurance or financial services direct mail, including familiarity with compliance and legal review requirements specific to those categories
Experience optimizing postage costs and production efficiency in a high-volume program — not just tracking spend, but actively reducing it
Familiarity with AI or automation tools that accelerate production planning, proofing workflows, or project coord

Responsibilities

Own the direct mail print production process end to end — from concept and cost estimation through material sourcing, print execution, quality review, and final delivery
Execute high-volume DM production across multiple lines of business and stakeholder groups simultaneously, managing competing timelines without sacrificing accuracy
Oversee project schedules, vendor deliverables, and internal proof workflows to ensure timely execution across all active campaigns
Assist in vendor contracting and compliance management, serving as the lead liaison with Marketing Operations
Manage and hold accountable direct mail agency production vendors — serving as GEICO's primary point of contact on production timelines, quality standards, and issue resolution
Serve as the primary point of contact with the USPS on postal logistics, rates, promotions, and compliance requirements
Partner with external vendors and printers to ensure quality control and timely delivery of estimates, print projects, and financial reporting
Conduct quality checks on all printed materials — reviewing proofs for accuracy, correct use of data and personalization, spec adherence, and legal compliance
Partner with design and content teams to ensure file specs and delivery are accurate before production begins
Work with strategy, creative, and data teams to build, manage, and regularly refine a comprehensive version matrix and data maP
Manage production budgets, forecasts, accruals, invoice processing, and reconciliation — ensuring all campaigns are reported accurately and within budget
Analyze postage and production credits and costs against campaign results to identify and implement cost reduction and efficiency opportunities
Maintain organized project schedules and communicate progress, financial status, and risks proactively to stakeholders
Stay current on industry trends, printing technologies, and USPS postal regulations — applying best practices to improve quality and efficiency
Develop and refine production workflows that scale with a growing direct mail program across multiple LOBs