KENTUCKY SOCIETY OF ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVES INC is hiring: Manager, Publishing Wo

The Manager, Publishing Workflow is responsible for coordinating with vendors and consultants, along with the Director, Digital Technology, and Director, Books Editorial to develop and maintain digital-first workflows that affect editorial and production of books. It also oversees standards for the production of books in BITS XML for digital publication, reviews all digital book content output of XML and other formats supplied by vendors, and maintains the integrity of validated structured content. The role includes designing interior text, serving as the primary point of contact for vendors to maintain output quality and ensure workflows meet editorial needs, and coordinating prepress/production aspects to maintain schedules and deadlines for timely publication. The position also involves creating and ensuring graphics standards for Books Department publications, including page layout with specialized desktop typesetting software, working closely with Senior Editors throughout the production process to produce final reproduction-quality pages or electronic files, archiving all computer files for completed projects, and designing book covers (or managing the cover design process with in-house staff and outside designers). DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Work as a key player in managing how content evolves from editorial process to final delivery in print and digital forms. Bridge communication and workflow between editorial, prepress, print production, and digital/web teams, acting as the central point of contact for content handoffs. Develop expertise in the editorial digital workflow process to become the main point of contact for the production platform vendor, troubleshoot XML-compatibility issues with the production platform and with InDesign. Develop, implement, and refine efficient processes for content repurposing and delivery, ensuring optimal asset utilization across print, web, and other digital platforms. Manage the preparation, optimization, and delivery of all assets for both high-resolution print and web-ready formats, including structuring and transformation of XML for various outputs. Collaborate closely with external vendors, managing relationships to ensure timely, high-quality, and cost-effective production. Troubleshoot technical issues related to file compatibility, color management, digital asset delivery, and XML-based content integration. Ensure brand consistency and rigorous quality control across all print and digital outputs. Stay current with industry trends in prepress, printing technologies, digital publishing, and XML workflows. Project Management and reporting of all aspects of books editorial and production workflow. Continuously monitor progress on platform issues and projects and report to Director, Publishing Technology. Prioritize workload to ensure high-priority schedules are met. Ensure quality standards of all output from vendors is maintained. Ensure that the quality of graphic design elements for multimedia applications is maintained. Promote communication among production, editorial, and publishing technology staff to avoid and resolve composition and manufacturing issues. Develop cover and interior designs and take the primary role in composition of new DSM editions and ancillary products and multimedia products. Provide production support to Associate Director, Digital Platforms to keep the department informed of design and production trends and opportunities. Manage in-house metadata for books used to create records for librarians. Manage font and graphics library. Design covers, interior text layout, and other graphic design elements for printed books and multi-media products. Work with the Marketing Department, Editors, and Authors to determine an initial cover concept. Use specialized graphic design software to create an appropriate cover design based on a book’s content and specifications. Create cover artwork or coordinate with freelance artists. Assign covers to Production Managers and supervise the design process, providing feedback and final approval. Solicit and work with outside designers while managing overall development of the cover and maintaining schedule. Coordinate with Marketing to ensure book cover copy is supplied on schedule. Incorporate marketing copy and quotes into the book cover design. Circulate the cover to publications group and authors and respond to feedback. Create other graphic design elements related to books, packaging materials, and collateral such as labels, stickers, and logos. Provide cover images and design solutions for use in marketing campaigns and book prospectuses. Design and set up typography styles for the interior, choosing fonts and elements to achieve a cohesive layout. Produce cohesive graphic design concepts and multimedia elements for published applications. Maintain familiarity with multimedia formats and incorporate design tools for application development as they become available. Use specialized desktop typesetting software and graphic software to lay out pages; coordinate with Editorial on correction passes and indexing; and create figures to produce final reproduction-quality pages and electronic files for manufacturing. Utilize type styles to maintain a consistent style throughout front matter, text body, and index. Coordinate with the Director, Books Editorial to meet each deadline in the production schedule. Determine placement of tables and figures within layout. Evaluate quality of submitted figure art for production standards. Use graphic software to scan, draw, or manipulate figures. Edit figures for consistency. Generate Postscript files and provide PDFs, laser proofs, fonts, graphic files, and prepress instructions to the book manufacturer. Supervise training of production and editorial staff in platform software and XML workflow. Provide training and support for XML workflow to Production and Book Editorial departments. Provide direct training in typesetting software and design programs. Arrange for third-party training in conjunction with the Director, Publishing Technology. Monitor typesetting and design software developments. Perform additional duties as assigned. COMPETENCIES The Manager, Publishing Workflow performance on these duties and responsibilities will be measured using the following competencies: Scope & Impact: Responsible for the daily activities of all aspects of books production workflow. Requires thorough knowledge of typesetting software, design programs, and workflows for electronic deliverables. Success is measured by metrics related to devising, implementing, and executing strategy to meet targets and foster an effective work environment. COMPLEXITY, PROBLEM SOLVING & DECISION-MAKING Identifies novel and complex problems and issues and considers alternative solutions. Designs and implements solutions with management approval. Escalates complex problems as needed. RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT & AUTHORITY Relationships span internal and external partners, including APA Publishing colleagues, consultants, and vendors. Coordinates with Acquisitions, Editorial, Production, Marketing, Sales, and other teams to deliver titles. Uses diplomatic skills to gain trust and cooperation to resolve issues and manage projects. ORGANIZATIONAL KNOWLEDGE Demonstrates knowledge of APA Publishing’s processes, relationships, and internal interactions. REQUIRED SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, AND QUALIFICATIONS BA/BS and 5-7 years of relevant experience or equivalent Proven experience in prepress and digital content management Demonstrated experience with XML. Knowledge of InDesign, FrameMaker and graphics software (Illustrator, Photoshop) with at least 7 years in editorial production Experience managing vendor relationships Familiarity with content management systems and web publishing platforms Strong production skills with attention to detail Ability to work independently to set priorities and meet deadlines Ability to maintain high productivity Excellent communication skills to collaborate with platform vendors, site hosts, and other vendors Ability to work well with editorial and other APA departments EOE, including disability/vets #J-18808-Ljbffr