K12 Content Project Manager

We believe in the power and joy of learning

At Cengage Group, our employees have a direct impact in helping students around the world discover the power and joy of learning. We are bonded by our shared purpose – driving innovation that helps millions of learners improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.  

Our culture values diversity, engagement, and discovery

Our business is driven by our strong culture, and we know that creating an inclusive and diverse workplace is absolutely essential to the success of our company and our learners, as well as our individual well-being. We recognize the value of diverse perspectives in everything we do, and strive to ensure employees of all levels and backgrounds feel empowered to voice their ideas and bring their authentic selves to work. We achieve these priorities through inclusive programs, benefits, and initiatives that are integrated into the fabric of how we work every day. To learn more, please see https://www.cengagegroup.com/about/inclusion-and-diversity/.  

Sr Content Project Manager: What You'll do Here!

The Sr. Content Project Manager (CPM) independently manages the production of complex and/or high profile projects, ensuring they are delivered on budget and on schedule and adhere to internal standards and market requirements. They provide support to leadership and build and maintain effective, collaborative relationships with all relevant departments, stakeholders, and vendors to ensure project objectives are met. Manages vendors through/by competitive bidding, monitoring workloads, and successful communication Acts as a mentor to less experienced staff.    

Responsibilities:  

Production Planning

Vendor Management: Assign appropriate vendor(s) in collaboration with Production management based on scope of project complexity and budget requirements. Effectively manages vendors, and collaborates with team members to meet batching, workflow, schedule, quality, ability, and cost requirements. May participate in the bid creation process including creating bid or scales documents, scheduling bid meetings, awarding work, and providing information for creation and execution of contracts.

Focus on Results: Creates detailed production schedules with attention to component dependencies and needs for various delivery formats (state versions, technology, etc.). Maintains focus on end-goal, while solving problems and removing potential blockers throughout project timeline.

Process Management: Leads or participates in creation and enforcement of program guidelines (including production specs, projects systems, subject line protocol, Project file folder structure) and suggests updates to best practices and standards as needed. Facilitates production launches.

Financial tracking: Accountable for managing aspects of project budget, including projection of project complexity and cost estimating, tracking, and reporting.   

Product Development

Collaboration and Communication: Proactively keeps all relevant team members informed of any updates to project details, scope, risk, or schedule. Works effectively with vendors and across functional departments (including senior leadership) to achieve production goals, implement appropriate workflows, and regularly communicate schedule, quality, and budget updates. Facilitates component status meetings. Responsible for building strong interpersonal networks.

Quality control: Ensures adherence to quality standards, both internally and externally, by spot-checking project development against specs and by reconciling requested changes.

Change Control: Leads or participates in ongoing negotiation of project scope changes, including assessment of the impact to budget and schedule. Maintains vendor contact throughout project development. Works with Vendors to reconciles final invoices.

Data Integrity: Ensures that all Production information is kept current in IPS (Integrated Publishing System; a proprietary database used to track the production and manufacturing of print and digital products).   

Post Production

• Organizes information and coordinates with Content Workflow & Tools for end-of-project activities (archiving, NIMAS, server clean-up, etc).

• Requests and reviews reconciliation documentation from vendor against budget projections, requests and codes invoices.   

Other Essential Responsibilities

• Ensures that new or existing processes and approved standards are implemented within assigned projects

• Champions and may lead the implementation of process efficiencies for quality assurance. Ensures integrity and quality of data delivered through application of appropriate in-house tools/external resources

• Participates in and/or leads cross-functional project meetings

• Acts as a resource and mentor, providing input and training. May review staff work and provide feedback to team and manager. Participates in developing training materials as needed.

• Provides regular feedback on vendor performance to management.

• Perform additional responsibilities as needed to achieve company goals.   

A great Sr Content Project Manager will:

• Have a minimum of 5 years relevant experience in print and/or media production, which may include but is not limited to scheduling, copyediting, proofreading, composition, prepress, design, and permissions.

• Possess a minimum 3 years project management experience; able to successfully manage, organize, prioritize, and handle multiple projects and tasks including complex interdependencies between projects.

• Have experience with formal project management software and/or techniques.

• Be familiar with financial models and demonstrate ability to accurately analyze financial data and create recommendations as relevant to production activities.

• Possess a working knowledge of contracts, forms and agreements; ability to manage negotiations.

• Demonstrate an ability to manage change and ambiguity

• Demonstrated ability to provide training, constructive feedback, and mentorship

• Demonstrated experience working effectively in a team environment and to direct outside vendors and freelancers.

• Have advanced knowledge of Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft applications, including spreadsheet, database and word processing skills

• Possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to appropriately tailor communication for various audiences and settings.

• Work collaboratively, provide feedback in a constructive manner and relate product requirements succinctly and effectively.

• Demonstrate proven problem-solving and critical-thinking skills; able to predict, identify, and independently resolve issues in a timely and effective manner.

• Ability to establish, adopt and implement new processes, procedures, and standards in an environment of continuous improvement and innovation.

• Strong attention to detail.   

Preferred

• Previous experience working in publishing industry, EdTech, Cengage Learning, or related field.

• Knowledge of current digital prepress and publishing technologies and publishing software such as Adobe Creative Suite, Dropbox, JIRA, Workfront, and Content Authoring Tools.

• Knowledge of database creation and functionality, typecoding, and XML tagging.   

Cengage Group does not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, parental status, cultural background, organizational level, work styles, tenure and life experiences. Or for any other reason.   

Cengage Group is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at accommodations.ta@cengage.com or you may call us at +1 (617) 289-7917.   

About Cengage Group

Cengage Group, a global education technology company serving millions of learners, provides affordable, quality digital products and services that equip students with the skills and competencies needed to be job ready. For more than 100 years, we have enabled the power and joy of learning with trusted, engaging content, and now, integrated digital platforms. We serve the higher education, workforce skills, secondary education, English language teaching and research markets worldwide. Through our scalable technology, including MindTap and Cengage Unlimited, we support all learners who seek to improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.    

Compensation

At Cengage Group, we take great pride in our commitment to providing a comprehensive and rewarding Total Rewards package designed to support and empower our employees. Click here to learn more about our Total Rewards Philosophy.

The full base pay range has been provided for this position. Individual base pay will vary based on work schedule, qualifications, experience, internal equity, and geographic location.  Sales roles often incorporate a significant incentive compensation program beyond this base pay range.