Publishing Manager

**PURPOSE**:
Manage and lead the content development team, to deliver all aspects of content creation and adaptation of multi-format content for products and services. The Content development Head will be primarily responsible for the overall publishing plan and delivery of content for products and services.

**Key responsibilities**
- Manage and lead the content development team to ensure a timely and consistent service by continuously improving the team’s production capacity and capabilities
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders in the development of the Publishing plan, and ensure that all relevant stakeholders are informed of any changes to the plan
- Interpret all educational policy documents and cascade the policy review to the publishing team and all relevant stakeholders, and provide guidance on how to implement policy requirements that are related to content development
- Own, lead and drive the strategy and expertise for content development in line with market trends
- Manage the creation and updating of content development training materials for the publishing team, for both the internal and external team
- Ensure that company policies for content development, Editorial and Rights and Permissions are upheld
- Negotiate licensing agreements, and author contracts
- Liaise with key stakeholders in the education sector to inform the strategy for content development
- Stay up to date with the current trends in the education sector, and ensure that the publishing team is up to date with relevant policy changes and developments
- Collaborate with the Design and Digital team and the Editorial team to ensure that projects are well staffed, successfully delivered within budget and timelines
- Liaise with procurement to ensure that compliance is adhered to in the author and vendor selection process
- Collaborate with the Design and Digital head and the Editorial head to set up project budgets, and work with the team to ensure that project budgets are correct. Sign off project budget spend as per procurement policy.
- Explore and guide the development of publishing processes, to successfully integrate print media with digital experiences

**Core Competencies**
- A deep understanding of content development processes in the creation of commercially applicable products for the education market in South Africa
- Business acumen, financial and analytic skills - experience in managing a P & L.
- Negotiation skills and adaptability to encourage recognition of joint concerns, collaboration, and to influence success of outcomes.
- Strong analytical skills
- Ability to support and develop people and cope with competing demands and prioritise tasks
- Strong Leadership capabilities
- Empathy
- Strong decision-making skills
- Excellent communicator
- Able to give and receive feedback
- Creative thinker
- Innovative
- Problem solver
- Customer focused
- Ability to work within deadlines
- Adaptability to changing environments
- Knowledge on backlist maintenance of published products and services

**Experience**
- Currently Senior Manager of a business area or business unit, managing multiple complex projects
- Can demonstrate a successful track record of strategic implementation and commercial judgement in previous roles
- Knowledge of the South African Education sector including policy formulation and development
- Understanding of digital learning trends and knowledge of e-learning
- Can demonstrate collaborative management and leadership skills
- Experience working in both creative based areas and organisations
- Prior experience working as an Educator is advantageous

**Qualifications**
- Relevant Hons degree
- 3-5 years in a Publishing Manager role or similar
- Solid understanding of the South African Education sector
- A solid background in educational publishing
- Understanding of the teaching and learning process
- Experience in working in a matrix structure
- Prior working experience in the South African Education environment

Pearson is committed to the principles of employment equity and in accordance with our Employment Equity goals and plan; preference will be given to suitable applicants from designated groups as defined in the Employment Equity Act and subsequent amendments thereto.

**Job**: PUBLISHING

**Organization**: International

**Schedule**: FULL\_TIME

**Req ID**: 7982