Senior Media Project Manager

Description

Global Production and Manufacturing Services (GPMS), a shared services division of Cengage Learning, supports our business unit customers in their goal of supplying education and training solutions to their customers across the globe by providing world class production and manufacturing services.

POSITION DESCRIPTION: Responsible for managing production and fulfillment of multiple, high visibility, complex Cengage Learning media courseware-related products and projects, which may include ExamView, CengageNOW, WebTutor, Distance Learning, and other types of courseware products, for proprietary and third party platforms. Primary responsibilities include managing detailed project plans and securing resources in collaboration with appropriate functional managers, providing training and support for content preparation and product development teams in collaboration with appropriate managers. Conducts regular, ongoing status meetings with the project team, key stakeholders, functional support teams, and senior management to establish strong communication regarding project status.


ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Creates and manages overall production schedule and plan for assigned projects, which may include scope and resource plan, communication plan, change control process, and budget. Monitors milestone and completion dates, updates schedules and project plans and communicates status. Notifies project team members, functional management, other stakeholders, and senior management of schedule changes that will affect delivery dates.
• Advises the production tool development process, recommending changes that will support enhanced application functionality. Oversees the implementation of programmatic solutions. Works with and responds to tool development QA teams and vendors to conduct first pass QA of produced content and address issues regarding content/structure needs.
• Participates in content-related testing/QA during pre-launch testing of media production products. Ensures that overall product quality standards are maintained.
• Collaborates with Cengage Learning technical teams to ensure successful deployment of projects. Independently resolves 95%+ of content-related product application errors and defects. Coordinates content testing for platform migrations and enhancements.
• Identifies and resolves conflicts in priorities and resources with managers and escalates as appropriate to key senior stakeholders and managers. Identifies, engages and manages qualified vendors and freelancers as needed.
• Champions process efficiencies and improvements and routinely leverages best practices. Facilitates cross-functional process improvement teams, as needed, to implement time and cost saving measures. Develops training materials and leads training for stakeholders responsible for preparing content for production.
• Supports online course fulfillment, access key management and basic user support, working with team members to meet process service level agreement as needed.
• Acts as a resource and mentor, providing input and training designed to improve performance. May review deliverables and provide feedback to team staff and manager. Develop training materials and document relevant processes, data structures, and data flows.
• Coordinates effective planning and communication with key stakeholders, vendors, and other cross-functional team members as necessary, including written communication via ongoing status reports, and verbal communication via status meetings. Identifies and resolves conflicts in priorities and resources by directly negotiating with key senior stakeholders and managers.
• Participates in cross-functional product development teams, representing the Media Production team as needed. During the product evaluation phase, provides expertise to product management related to quality, cost and schedules.
• Perform additional responsibilities as needed to achieve company goals.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:
• Bachelors degree in discipline related to publishing, or equivalent combination of relevant education and 2-3 years relevant work experience required.
• Minimum 1 year experience in working with structured content and the electronic management of data required. Knowledge of various file content formats, especially XML, including inputs and outputs, required. Training in or experience with XML, HTML, or relational databases strongly preferred.
• Minimum 1 to 2 year experience managing projects using formal project management techniques, including experience with project management software or programs required.
• Good knowledge and understanding of standard office software applications required.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly master new technical skills, software programs, and production processes; knowledge and understanding of new technologies strongly preferred.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects under deadlines simultaneously, including driving a substantial workload/large volume of simultaneous projects to completion at certain points in the year.
• Ability to build alignment across functional areas within cross-functional project teams.
• Experience in participating in process improvement initiatives is preferred.
• Strong organizational, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management skills and orientation to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; experience creating technical documentation preferred.
• Ability to manage work assigned to outside vendors strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of publishing industry and familiarity with Cengage Learning digital products a plus.

** There are two openings**Please apply online at: http://tbe.taleo.net/NA1/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=LEARNING&cws=1&rid=1726