Kaplan Director of Production Position

Kaplan K12 Learning Services Now Hiring:
Director of Production

As part of the Product Development group’s leadership team, the Director of Production shares responsibility for establishing a vision for Kaplan K12 product print and technology product, and then overseeing the application of Production resources and processes that enable the company to achieve its product and brand vision on-time and on-budget.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities Include:

• Manage and supervise the timely and cost-effective production of multiple programs/projects for multiple grades, maintaining high standards of excellence as well as competitiveness and profitability.
• Establish project goals, procedures and systems, and then determine necessary resources and allocate accordingly to meet deadlines cost-effectively.
• Identify project roles and responsibilities, and manage and coordinate the efforts of project personnel, in-house departments, and outside vendors to achieve project goals.
• Supervise a team consisting of a Production Manager, Production Artists, and a Print Manager, to ensure adherence to project guidelines, schedules, and budgets
• Recruit and retain exceptional talent, and actively manage performance of all Production staff through clear goal-setting and constructive feedback
• Manage workflow to and from production artists, assessing staff strengths, development needs, and deficiencies in order to utilize the best talent for each task
• Along with Production Manager, establish and manage relationships with production vendors, providing specifications, files, templates, etc. so that work is produced within stated timeframes and budget
• Stay abreast of the newest technology tools and applications, identify those appropriate for K12’s product development needs, conduct or sponsor training, and implement processes to expedite work flow
• Lead the department’s migration to a content management system, instituting workflow and processes that maximize the value of the CMS to produce efficiencies of scale and cost
• Work closely with Creative Director to develop and consistently apply design templates, ensuring a high quality product in line with the K12 product vision
• Collaborate with other department heads, particularly Operations and Managing Editorial, to develop efficient interdepartmental processes, identify critical bottlenecks, and resolve quality control issues in order to manage project schedules and budgets.

Qualifications Include:

• At least a B.A. in Publishing or Technology-related field
• 7-10 years experience in a Publishing (Production or Design), with at least 3 years experience leading a team
• In-depth knowledge of production technologies and content management systems (e.g., most recent versions of Adobe Creative Suite, Photoshop, Quark)
• Thorough understanding of production requirements for both print and non-print products (e.g., manipulatives, games, tech-based tools)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and proven ability to negotiate, and strong management and problem-solving abilities
• Creative and future-oriented, with knowledge about application of publishing technology to solving current and anticipated publishing problems (versioning, state-specific components)

Preferred Qualifications Include:

• Web design/production experience a huge plus
• 10 + years experience in Publishing, with a minimum of 5 years leading a Production or Design team.

Please email your cover letter and resume to K12HR@kaplan.com. Be sure to put “Director of Production” in the subject line.