Production Manager, Consumer & Direct-Response Advertising (4897) Job Opening at Reader's Digest, Milwaukee in Greendale, WI

Reader's Digest offices in Milwaukee WI produce new content for 8 brands including the #1 food title, Taste of Home.  We are recruiting for a production manager experienced with consumer and direct response advertising.  You will work across the company with key stakeholders to manage the advertising production process on numerous national titles.   Successful candidate will be motivated by fast-pace environment and be able to adjust to ever-changing challenges.

This key role is responsible for the production management of selected publications with focus on consumer magazine growth and profitability. The Production Manager works directly with advertising, editorial, premedia teams and print vendors to insure schedule integrity of deliverables, while taking a lead-role in the advertising insertion process with the primary responsibility for materials management, positioning guarantees, special unit optioning and Book Makeup satisfying contractual and financial obligations of our advertising clients and supported business units.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

 Advertising Materials Management:

• Advertising materials coordination, communication, trafficking & validation.
• Assist in the monthly revenue recognition to ensure that all ads have been placed, and payment has been received.
• Maintenance of all insertion orders (contracts) for files of assigned publications.
• Manage and maintain “positioning guarantee reports” for Advertising Sales.
• Liaison with advertisers to ensure smooth ad placement and resolution of issues.
• Review all proposed contracts for integrity and verify what has been signed is what has been entered by sales support into the billing system and assist with managing billing and invoicing.
• Validate pricing and verify ability to fulfill compliance of proposals and contracts created by sales representatives.
• Works directly with advertisers to ensure all materials are submitted correctly and by the deadlines.

 Book Layout & Makeup:

• Create Book layout review prior to pagination.
• Documentation of versioning for historical control of changes to the layout.
• Distribution of book layouts to business units.

Communications:

• Assist advertising, editorial and circulation teams in establishing and publishing close dates.
• Continual updates to editorial team regarding number and/or placement of advertising in each issue along with any special unit requests.
• Develop and negotiate cost effective, timely solutions for advertising client’s needs or requests.
• Interface with business units to ensure advertising materials aligned with schedules.
• Maintains current understanding of all aspects of all publications under your supervision.
• Maintains department expertise on assigned publications understanding the business purpose, fulfillment requirements, special technology and vendor requirements.
• Liaison with print vendors regarding technical specification for production on selected titles.

 Quality Control:

• Identifies trends and changes in the business that impact client, manufacturing, vendor, technology and scheduling needs.
• Problem-solve as needed between the company and vendors on assigned titles.
• Review all advertising proofs to confirm specifications to contracts & print placement.
• Inspection of selected titles printed products to insure quality standard & expectation exceeded.
• Work with print vendors to improve quality in every stage of manufacturing & production.

 Schedules:

• Authorizations for extensions of advertising materials delays from schedules.
• Review “master schedules” and track key milestone dates to advise clients of pending deadlines.
• Monitor schedules for any changes which may affect delivery of final printed products to remove obstacle or barriers from manufacturing.

 Special Units:

• Coordinate special unit procurement, delivery and insertions into assigned titles.
• Prepares price comparison analysis, and tentative schedules of special units.
• Provides technical guidance to ensure cost effective and efficient production.
• Review pricing of special units with Director of Production prior to releasing to sales.

Other duties as assigned.

Required Skills:

• Ability to persuasively explain technical requirements as they relate to cost efficient program plans and product development.
• Demonstrated Project Management techniques with an acute attention to detail.
• Effective leadership skills including the ability to lead by example while fostering team spirit and cooperation with clients, business units and internal team members.
• Excellent organizational skills demonstrating the ability to plan for achieved results and handling multiple projects simultaneously under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Experience with “Book Makeup” proprietary software (Publishers Studio) desired.
• Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word & Excel) with additional database experience required.
• Persuasive communication skills used in negotiating prices or timelines with clients and/or suppliers.
• Proven technical skills related to advertising materials (insertions, positioning & special units), premedia, high-volume offset printing, product dissemination (newsstand and subscription models) with a comprehensive knowledge of postal requirements for periodicals.
• Strong problem solving and analytical ability to develop alternatives and analyze options to provide recommendations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills required. Ability to communicate with all levels within the company and within client/vendor organizations.

 

Experience Required:

• 5-7 years experience in a production or publishing environment with strong understanding of consumer magazine product lines, print reproduction methodologies and business processes.

Please apply online at: http://readersdigest.silkroad.com/epostings/submit.cfm?fuseaction=app.dspjob&jobid=209498&company_id=15964&version=5&jobboardid=595