Key Facts

Remote From:

New Jersey (USA)

Category: Project Manager

Full time

Senior (5-10 years)

English

Hard Skills

Print Design Vendor Management Project Management Digital Media Copy Editing Budget Management Design Specifications Book Design Digital Media Risk Mitigation +7 more

Other Skills

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Quality Assurance
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Stewardship
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Communication
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Adaptability
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Time Management
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Teamwork
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Entrepreneurship
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Detail Oriented
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Strategic Thinking
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Relationship Building
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Problem Solving

Roles & Responsibilities

Proven experience managing end-to-end book production for print and digital formats from manuscript to publication
Strong project management, scheduling, cost control, and vendor coordination skills
Excellent communication and problem-solving abilities with stakeholders across acquisitions, design, editorial, marketing, and sales
Knowledge of standard operating procedures and process improvement to optimize publishing workflows

Requirements:

Oversee production of a diverse range of titles from raw manuscript through final print and digital publication, including heavily illustrated and complex books (textbooks, nature/field guides, art books)
Serve as primary production contact for assigned titles, coordinating with Acquisitions Editorial, Creative Media Lab, Operations, Marketing, and Sales; manage relationships with authors and vendors
Assign, supervise, and evaluate packagers, freelance editors, proofreaders, indexers, and compositors; monitor quality and cost control; develop art logs with illustrators and designers
Develop and maintain detailed production schedules, estimates, and workflows (in Biblio), monitor costs against budget, oversee handover to production, and drive process improvements and risk management

Princeton University Press

About Princeton University Press

Princeton University Press is an independent publisher with close connections, both formal and informal, to Princeton University. As such it has overlapping responsibilities to the University, the academic community, and the reading public. Our fundamental mission is to disseminate scholarship (through print and digital media) both within academia and to society at large. We select for publication only scholarship of the highest quality on all levels regardless of commercial viability: specialized monographs making an original contribution to knowledge within a subdiscipline; titles appealing to a broader range of scholars and professionals in a single discipline; interdisciplinary academic works intended for readers in more than one subject area; and works by scholars aimed at bringing the findings of a discipline to the larger, well-educated reading public. Some titles from all these categories are also eventually used in the classroom as supplemental course reading. We also publish texts specifically intended for student use at the graduate and undergraduate level. We seek to publish the innovative works of the greatest minds in academia, from the most respected senior scholar to the extraordinarily promising graduate student, in each of the disciplines in which we publish. The Press consciously acquires a collection of titles – a coherent ‘list’ of books – in each discipline, providing focus, continuity, and a basis for the development of future publications. Through the publication of works of scholarly significance, Princeton University Press fulfills part of the mission of Princeton University by furthering its fundamental commitment to the dissemination of knowledge.

Company type: SME

Founded: 2018

Company size: 51 - 200

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Job description

Princeton University Press (PUP) seeks a Senior Project Manager of Publishing Operations to oversee the production, in print and digitals forms, of a diverse range of titles, including complex and high priority projects, from unedited manuscript through final publication. Reporting to the Executive Director of Publishing Operations, the role carries responsibility for title-level production editorial and manufacturing decisions and vendor coordination and supports key publishing areas, including textbooks, nature, and art titles. This position is responsible for sustainable planning, scheduling, cost control, and print strategy from early planning stages through publication. The position requires an experienced communicator and problem-solver who is both strategic and detail-oriented, entrepreneurial in spirit and skilled at fostering relationships with a diversity of stakeholders/collaborators. The role also serves as an organizational steward for standard operating processes to ensure optimal publishing workflows and quality publications.

This is a full-time position with comprehensive and industry-leading benefits that include a focus on wellness. PUP is a staff choice organization when it comes to work location and flexible scheduling. The Press respects and trusts that staff can determine where and how they best function to perform their role. The selected candidate will be able to choose either 100% remote (within the US), hybrid, or full-time in our Princeton, NJ office.

Specific Responsibilities Include:

•   Manage a varied list including heavily illustrated 4-C books with significant design and manufacturing complexity such as textbooks, nature/field guides, and art books, taking projects from raw manuscript through final print and digital publication.
•   Serve as primary production contact for assigned titles, including author liaison, coordinating closely with Acquisitions Editorial, Creative Media Lab, other Operations, and Marketing and Sales staff.
•   Assign, oversee, and evaluate the work of packagers, freelance copyeditors, proofreaders, indexers, and compositors; ensure quality and cost effective control.
•   Create art logs and work with Illustration manager, designer, freelancers, and colleagues as required, to ensure art programs are prepared for optimal publication.
•   Convey detailed information to the designer concerning the range and complexity of design elements in the book and its art program.  
•   Make title level manufacturing recommendations, including print method, specifications, schedules, and vendor coordination, in consultation with colleagues.
•   Develop and maintain detailed production schedules, estimates, and workflows before and during production in Biblio; adjust schedules proactively as projects evolve.
•   Process improvement and workflow optimization. Continuous process improvement through effective project management and cross-departmental communications. Resolves and suggests improvement on procedural issues; answers questions; and ensures smooth workflow.
•   Monitor production costs against budget and uphold PUP quality standards.
•   Prepare projects for production handover, ensuring copyediting, design, permissions, and manufacturing considerations are fully addressed.
•   Review permissions logs, copyright pages, covers/jackets and copy, and regional or audio editions and ebooks as assigned. Reviews epub galleys as needed.
•   Provide additional support to specialized publishing areas during periods of high demand or transition.
•   Coordinate printer proofs, digital proofs, F&Gs, and ancillary materials; resolve manufacturing or quality issues for assigned projects.
•   Participate in production coordination meetings as needed to flag risks and propose solutions for assigned projects.
•   Contributes to overall publishing operations with new ideas in the dynamic operations landscape.