Associate Publications Director, TRB

Job Description Summary:

Assists the Director of Publications in developing and managing a publications unit that serves several divisions. With the Director, establishes, monitors, and evaluates publication policies, personnel, workflow processes, technologies, and priorities to ensure high-quality, cost-effective, and timely dissemination of research products. Supervises in-house publications staff (and temporary personnel) in the editing, design, and production operations required to accomplish the print and electronic publication of a large volume of scientific/engineering reports, magazines, and brochures. Helps oversee vendor typesetting, graphics, alternative text, printing, and electronic-publication production services and contracts as needed, monitoring product quality and ensuring competitive pricing. Works with technical program staff and authors to adhere to established standards for editorial, print, and web content. May act as lead editor for evolving Internet products for specific projects and develops staff to understand and work within web platforms.   


Works independently on publishing activities of breadth and complexity. Brings professional experience to provide innovative solutions to functional problems to impact success. Position requires proven ability to coordinate special projects, which may require additional communication with designers, compositors, and web developers/IT staff to produce nonstandard products. Position requires the ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically in electronic, written, and oral formats with all organization levels. 

Job Description:

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

• Plans, staffs, and co-manages the publication operations from manuscript through book or electronic product.

• Recruits, hires, trains, and evaluates employees as needed. Supports publication staff in achieving division goals and encourages innovative approaches to work challenges in general. Mentors employees and supports skills development.  

• Establishes and implements editorial and production policies, standards, and procedures to ensure technical accuracy and final product quality; determines appropriate level of edit and design for each publication/series according to audience, sponsor expectations, and funding levels; and ensures timeliness of published reports by overseeing office workflow and production schedules to meet report release deadlines or program staff requirements.

• Monitors vendor typesetting, graphic design, alternative text, printing, and electronic publication production services. This may include management of some annual contracts and ensuring quality work, competitive pricing, and adherence to publication deadlines. Ensures fulfillment of contractual requirements, including product delivery deadlines and adherence to established funding levels. May approve invoices.

• Provides guidance, advice, and recommendations to TRB management and program staff on report content, manuscript preparation, editorial and production requirements, design and use of graphics, scheduling, costs, and copyright issues as needed. Communicates publication policies, procedures, and format requirements to program staff and contract authors.

• May coordinate planning for electronic publications with program staff--identifying, managing, and editing Internet projects, as needed. May conduct strategic planning and problem-solving for web-based publishing workflow. 

• May serve as lead editor of series titles or other special projects.

• Identifies and recommends--as appropriate--updated publication technologies and editorial and production procedures; evaluates and recommends editorial and software trials or purchases.

NONESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

• Related duties as required.

• Special projects as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In-depth knowledge of all aspects of book/magazine publication, including editorial and production procedures and current prepress, print, and electronic publishing procedures and technology. Excellent project management skills to simultaneously manage projects with varying requirements and different schedules amid changing priorities, while ensuring efficient workflow scheduling, publication quality, and product delivery deadlines. Ability to work independently, undertake tasks broad in nature that require ingenuity and originality, exercise discretion and good judgment, and resolve complex problems. Ability to work effectively with technical program staff and authors. St