Senior Production Editor

Oxford University Press•New York, NY

12d•$60,434 - $79,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Responsible for supporting a fast-paced and diversified Academic publishing program within Content Operations, this position oversees and supports production of content from delivery to publication in print and digital formats such that products of appropriate quality are available to the market at the right time, cost, and quality. The team also provides specialism in books requiring a high level of author care and attention to detail across a diverse range of Higher Education, academic, scholarly, and trade titles, including classics, history, law, linguistics, literature, religion, and science.

Requirements

Ability to empathize, support, and collaborate with others on problem resolution and to step back and entrust others with implementation
Flexibility, creativity, and initiative in problem solving along with an ability to get the root cause and facilitate path to success
Excellent prioritization and organization skills, including ability to manage a busy workload with strict and often conflicting deadlines in a fast-paced project management environment
Ability to build relationships, influence, and negotiate with key stakeholders (up to manager level), including authors, often through difficult situations requiring skills in advocacy and diplomacy
Significant experience and understanding of print and digital production processes and workflow, including experience of managing third-party suppliers
Good experience and understanding of copy-editing, proofreading, and indexing processes, including experience of managing freelance editorial personnel desirable
Precision in written and verbal communication along with good attention to detail
Good numeracy with the ability to create a budget desirable
Understanding of digital authoring technologies and delivery platforms, and/or manufacturing processes desirable
Good IT skills, including standard Microsoft Office package, and ability to learn new technologies desirable

Nice To Haves

experience of managing freelance editorial personnel
ability to create a budget
Understanding of digital authoring technologies and delivery platforms, and/or manufacturing processes
Good IT skills, including standard Microsoft Office package, and ability to learn new technologies

Responsibilities

Use project management skills in managing the production process on titles requiring high levels of care and attention to detail and oversee the work of third-party supplier project managers in coordinating schedules for print and digital products, commissioning, briefing, and managing production processes and quality control for each project, and setting the budget for each product.
Communicate with authors, project partners, and stakeholders, and oversee the communication of third-party supplier project managers with all project stakeholders to ensure accurate information is given in a timely, proactive, and professional manner, expectations are managed in line with cost, quality, and schedule considerations, and project status is clearly stated.
Support and advise third-party supplier project managers on the analysis and resolution of manifold issues as they arise in the production process such that efficient, cost-effective solutions are implemented, authors/other stakeholders report a positive experience and maintain confidence in the OUP production process, and quality is maintained.
Facilitate continuous improvement by mentoring and coaching third-party supplier project managers such that they have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to manage content of all complexity levels, ensuring that lessons learned are given as constructive and actionable feedback.
Proactively contribute to or initiate the analysis and resolution of problems relating from, or causing, supplier performance issues in conjunction with pre-press suppliers and OUP stakeholders such that a satisfactory outcome is achieved, and the recurrence of problems is averted.
Generate, engage with, and implement business process improvements and transformations such that Content Operations’ workflows continue to adapt to changing publishing requirements and add value to the business.
Support the line manager so that the department workload is successfully managed, and stakeholders report a good experience of working with Content Operations; act on the manager’s behalf in their absence or on request.
Co-ordinate design and artwork processes and engage with third-party suppliers to ensure that cover artwork, text design, and in-text images meet appropriate budget, schedule, and quality standards.
Update and maintain tracking tools and systems as events occur, and support third-party suppliers in maintaining systems, so that accurate project information is available at all times, cost variances are avoided, and colleagues can confidently manage projects in the post-holder’s absence.
Support colleagues in the production process, answering queries, coordinating and delivering training on CO workflow tasks, and advising on prioritization and problem-solving, so that skills are shared among the team and schedule, cost, and quality targets are met.

Benefits

15 days’ vacation time that rises with service
10 sick days
floating holidays
personal days
company holidays
35-hour working week
flexibility in respect of working hours
use of technology to support regular remote working
active employee networks and societies
health insurance plans
dental insurance plans
vision insurance plans
Employee Assistant Programs
life insurance
disability insurance
non-elective contribution on your behalf to your retirement plan of 7% of your salary
matching contribution to the retirement plan of 50% on the first 6% of employee contributions on based earnings