Production Coordinator II

Johns Hopkins University Press seeks a Production Coordinator II who will be responsible for managing all stages of production for up to 100 journal issues a year. The Production Coordinator will join a team of exceptional professionals committed to bringing the benefits of discovery to the world by providing global access, impact, and influence for the scholarship that we publish and distribute. This position will help to ensure that the Press is a leader in selecting and developing innovative ideas and scholarship, creating and embracing transformative technologies to enhance discovery and learning, and connecting people to the most trusted knowledge from global researchers, scholars, and educators.

The Production Coordinator will serve as project manager for up to 100 journal issues a year, overseeing complex titles and workflows. This role will manage all stages of production"copyediting, page layout, printing, and mailing, producing final files suitable for print and online publication--and ensure adherence to schedules, budget, and quality control. The incumbent will develop effective working relationships with editorial teams, vendors, Societies, production group, and other Press colleagues. This position reports to the Journals Production Manager.

The Press is committed to honoring every person's inherent dignity as human beings and making that the foundation of our organizational culture. We proactively find ways to ensure opportunities that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. We strive to publish courageously, giving voice to groundbreaking ideas. We support each other and our stakeholders and envision a future where knowledge enriches the lives of every person. The successful candidate will join a welcoming community that is inclusive and values the contributions and perspectives of individuals from all backgrounds.

The starting salary range for this position is $46,200 to $63,500. Actual salary is based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training, and skill level.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Manage all production logistics for up to 100 issues annually; including quality control of vendors' work, setting or revising schedules, and problem-solving in collaboration with vendors and editors. Good decision-making skills are essential.
• Manage pre-press; review files for rights & permissions issues and solve them, castoff as needed, apply art & typography knowledge to develop specs for new jobs, oversee copyediting or collate authors' corrections for selected titles.
• Proactively manage manufacturing budget for your titles; understand contract terms, enforce limits, predict and prevent cost overruns. Set print runs accurately and adjust them throughout volume.
• Establish effective relationships with publishing partners; 20-25 editorial teams; 20+ vendors, and Society officers. Offer solutions to technical questions about production/distribution, rights, etc. Inform editors of policy changes/updates.
• Coordinate special projects (hardcover books, conference programs, online supplements) within established parameters.
• Develop an area of expertise; e.g., copyediting, mailing regulations, art file troubleshooting, etc. to benefit the department.
• Research and recommend freelancers.
• Stay current with production and software knowledge.
• Embrace change and be a role model or mentor.
• Recommend workflow changes and work with vendors or colleagues to accept and implement.
• Research possible solutions to recurring problems and present to management.
• Document processes and procedures for departmental or editorial group distribution.
• Assist in training new or student staff, and in training teammates in secondary responsibilities.
• Back up other team members as required.
• Assist marketing and circulation on divisional projects such as catalog proofing.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Weave diversity, equity, inclusion, and access principles into all aspects of the work.

Special Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• An ability to manage multiple production and department deadlines is essential. This is an "outward-facing" job. Most of our over 200 journal titles are published by organizations outside the JHU community.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills; use of persuasion and tact in interactions with professional scholars on a daily basis is important.
• Strong recent knowledge of typesetting, printing, copyediting and familiarity with stylebooks, copyright law, understanding of acceptable files and fonts for printing, USPS rules for publications, an ability to research technical questions on the internet and in handbooks.
• Foreign language skills helpful.
• Proficiency with MS Word, Outlook, Excel, and Adobe Acrobat Pro.
• Basic familiarity with databases.
• Excellent proofreading skills.
• Excellent critical thinking and communication skills.
• Outstanding problem-solving skills including using analytics to drive decisions.
• Creative thinker, embracing new ideas, passionate about developing the potential of Hopkins Press.
• Inclusive in decision-making and problem-solving.
• Excel in effective use of resources; keen self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses.

• High School Diploma required.

• Three years' experience in journals or books production.

• Some college or BA/BS in liberal arts or graphic arts strongly preferred.
• Professional-level proofreading preferred.

Classified Title: Production Coordinator
Job Posting Title (Working Title):Production Coordinator II
Role/Level/Range: ATP/03/PB
Starting Salary Range: $23.69 - $41.43 HRLY ($52,000 targeted; Commensurate w/exp.)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: M - F 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
FLSA Status:Non-Exempt
Location:Homewood Campus
Department name: Journals Design and Production
Personnel area: Academic and Business Centers