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https://illinoisjoblink.illinois.gov/jobs/12682230 Department
Press Journals Production
About the Department
The University of Chicago Press Journals Division publishes more than 90
scholarly publications that cover a wide range of disciplines, from the
humanities and the social sciences to the life and physical sciences.
The Journals Division Production department is comprised of the
Production and Operations Manager, with a staff of five professionals
that work as a team to guide all our publications through the production
process.
Job Summary
Reporting to the Production and Operations Manager, the Assistant
Operations Manager will assist in the day-to-day operations of the
Production Department and publication operations activities related to
the print, online, and e-book publications of 90+ scholarly journals.
Specific responsibilities include assisting with budget tracking, vendor
management, and publishing issues online using in-house tools. A key
aspect of the role is identifying opportunities for process optimization
and efficiency improvements, as well as monitoring journal schedule
performance to proactively address potential delays. This position
requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the
ability to collaborate with internal teams and external partners to
maintain high operational standards.
Responsibilities
Production staff reports schedule performance and page budgets
directly to the Assistant Operations Manager on a weekly basis. The
Assistant Operations manager\'s responsibility is to oversee the
performance of the entire journal portfolio and identify potential
delays or bottlenecks and implement corrective actions to maintain
timely publication. Reports quarterly to Production and Operations
Manager on page budget performance. Leads weekly Production meetings
on schedule performance and fiscal year goals. Relays information to
the Production and Operations Manager.
Assists Production and Operations Manager with managing vendor
relationships. This includes participating in RFPs, bi-yearly vendor
performance evaluations, requesting estimates for special projects,
and onboarding new vendors. Production staff relays vendor problems
to Assistant Operations Manager for resolutions.
Assist Production and Operations Manager to organize and execute
portfolio wide projects, including communications to 90+ journal
offices, tracking of project schedules, and ensuring key milestones
and deadlines are met. Production staff reports directly to
Assistant Production Manager on completion of special projects.
Responsible for processing and uploading full journal issues in JATS
XML using in-house tools and troubleshoot article posting errors.
Assists in onboarding new journals, including processing and loading
previously published content to the website.
Maintains production budget tracking sheets, processes and updates
invoices, pulls monthly accrual reports. Creates purchase orders in
financial tracking systems and tracks invoice payments to vendors.
Responsible for Statements of Ownership program, identifying new
journals that qualify for periodical status, handling new
applications.
Manages print runs, print-on-demand program, and inventory, working
with Production team, Subscription Fulfillment team, and vendors.
Identifies opportunities for process optimization and efficiency
improvements, providing strategic recommendations to enhance
workflow effectiveness and operational performance.
Direct back up when Production and Operations Manager is out of the
office.
Assists with other administrative projects as needed and acquire
higher level guidance and skills.
-Assists with researching funding opportunities, preparing grant
proposals, and drafting and/or editing other written materials with
moderate guidance
Performs other related work as needed.
Minimum Qualifications
Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related
field.
Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5
years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Certifications:
Preferred Qualifications
Education:
Bachelor\'s degree.
Experience:
Minimum 3 years of experience in publishing, project management, or
production.
Technical Knowledge or Skills:
Proficient in Excel, Word, Acrobat Professional, and basic HTML.
Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Creative Suite,
specifically Photoshop.
Basic understanding of JATS XML.
Familiar with Adobe Creative Suite.
Preferred Competencies
High degree of organization and the ability to handle several
overlapping projects.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills in relating to peers and super
