Fast Facts

The Editorial Manager for Secondary Literacy will lead product development initiatives within the 6-12 core market, overseeing multiple projects and managing a team of editorial staff to ensure timely and on-budget delivery of educational materials.

Responsibilities: Manage and oversee product development, analyzing state standards, contributing to strategic planning, and ensuring projects are completed on time and meet budgetary constraints. Mentor and manage editorial staff and support marketing efforts as needed.

Skills: Must have strong project management and editorial experience, expertise in educational publishing, proficiency with software tools, and excellent communication and leadership abilities.

Qualifications: A minimum of 10 years of editorial experience within the education sector is required, along with a BA or Master's degree in literature. Teaching experience is preferred.

Location: This position is based in the United States with no specified remote options.

Compensation: Not provided by employer. Typical compensation ranges for this position are between $85,000 - $120,000.

SUMMARY

Leads product development efforts for major and ancillary programs within the 6-12 core market

space. Analyzes state standards and frameworks, and provides input on publication plans and

strategy, and the instructional model and direction of individual products. Shapes and finalizes

individual product plans, overseeing prototyping activities and component array planning.

Contributes to plans for the development of the user experience for digital components. Manages the

work of the supervisory staff on major department projects through all stages of product

development, ensuring that projects are completed on time, on budget, and in alignment with

original product vision.

SCOPE AND IMPACT OF JOB 

• Plans for and manages the use of in-house and resources as needed to complete assigned projects. 
• Takes an active role in the performance management of assigned staff, encouraging appropriate career growth as well as feedback in the case of performance issues.
• Writes yearly performance appraisals and objectives for assigned staff.
• Manages between 2 to 8 editorial staff members.
• The Manager is ultimately accountable for ensuring that the evolving product meets the objectives of the plan (including getting listed in adoption states), its budget, and its schedule.
• The Manager typically oversees the development of a grade span of a major program or all grades of an ancillary component.
• Manage the work of editorial staff on one or more projects in the following areas:
• Development of competitive and detailed program plans based on state requirements.
• Seeing project through all stages of print or digital production.
• Ensure that product is accurate and effective.
• Ensure that programs are published on budget and on schedule.
• Analyze competition and market trends, and incorporate findings into program.
• Participate, as appropriate, in market research efforts (e.g. prepare sample lessons, conduct phone interviews, attend focus groups, etc.)
• Participate in planning assigned projects; make creative suggestions that reflect an understanding of the marketplace and an awareness of customer needs.
• Provide marketing support, as appropriate, that may include sales and conference presentations, correlations to state guidelines, and workshop support for departmental products.
• Participates, as appropriate, in managing staff performance in the following ways:
• Identifies opportunities to support employees through professional development activities.
• Identifies key staff and grooms them for greater responsibilities and future management roles as part of succession planning.
• Improves communication by taking a leading role in regularly scheduled staff meetings.
• Coaches department managers in effective practices for performance evaluation, focusing on performance improvement issues.
• Monitors and communicates job expectations for performance improvement.

Strategy and Planning 

• The Editorial Manager participates in and contributes to overall line strategy and pub planning for 6-12 literacy products, working closely with the Director of Product
• Development. An Editorial Manager serves as a leader throughout the detailed planning of individual program or sections of a program. The Editorial Manager is an expert in the subject matter for his/her assigned area and, in combination with the appropriate editorial staff, uses that knowledge to help ensure that the program plan is both highly competitive and instructionally sound.

Development 

• The Editorial Manager is responsible for oversight of the execution strategy that will ensure that all titles within his or her line are completed on schedule and on budget. In addition to reviewing the work of editors and vendors, the Editorial Manager assists with department staffing plans, recruiting and managing vendors, consulting with program authors, and contributing to an outsourcing strategy. The Editorial Manager is responsible for ensuring that staff understands all of the “details” in the plan for the assigned project, including specs, writing guidelines, and the plan details for any Requests for Proposals (RFPs).
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REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

• 5+ years of project management experience and staff management experiences is essential.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in an editorial capacity within educational publishing.
• A BA or Master’s degree in literature is strongly preferred.
• Teaching experience is a plus.

Other Skills

• Proficient user of computers and software programs including Adobe Acrobat, MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Has experience with budgeting, project approval, and production processes.
• Able to be strategic and efficient in planning and meeting schedules, budgets, and accuracy/quality goals.
• Makes and implements decisions compatible with organizational goals.
• Able to present program plans as well as finished products to senior management, the sales force, and/or customers.
• Experience in curriculum materials development, in instructional design development, and in the visual delivery of instruction. 
• Able to create effective product in both print and digital media.
• Strong problem-solving skills in dealing with the ambiguity of a fast-paced setting. 
• Anticipates and addresses potential problems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, strong team-building skills, and strong leadership skills.
• Ability to respond quickly in an environment of changing priorities. 
• Must be able to set relevant priorities on a daily basis as the job requires multi-tasking.
• Ability to analyze state standards and frameworks, and transform into concrete product plans that fit the timeframe and resources available (drive for results). 
• Actively pursues innovation to create products of the future.
• Must be able to work productively with counterparts in other functional groups.
• History of effective staff management and leadership. 
• Must be able to generate excellent involvement from a variety of staff members who have various specialized skills.
• Ability and willingness to develop staff and improve productivity through goal setting, coaching, delegating, training, and regular performance evaluation.