K12 Content Project Manager

We believe in the power and joy of learning

At Cengage Group, our employees have a direct impact in helping students around the world discover the power and joy of learning. We are bonded by our shared purpose – driving innovation that helps millions of learners improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.  

Our culture values diversity, engagement, and discovery

Our business is driven by our strong culture, and we know that creating an inclusive and diverse workplace is absolutely essential to the success of our company and our learners, as well as our individual well-being. We recognize the value of diverse perspectives in everything we do, and strive to ensure employees of all levels and backgrounds feel empowered to voice their ideas and bring their authentic selves to work. We achieve these priorities through inclusive programs, benefits, and initiatives that are integrated into the fabric of how we work every day. To learn more, please see https://www.cengagegroup.com/about/inclusion-and-diversity/.  

Sr Content Project Manager: What You'll do Here!

The Sr. Content Project Manager (CPM) independently manages the production of complex and/or high profile projects, ensuring they are delivered on budget and on schedule and adhere to internal standards and market requirements. They provide support to leadership and build and maintain effective, collaborative relationships with all relevant departments, stakeholders, and vendors to ensure project objectives are met. Manages vendors through/by competitive bidding, monitoring workloads, and successful communication Acts as a mentor to less experienced staff.    

Responsibilities:  

Production Planning

Vendor Management: Assign appropriate vendor(s) in collaboration with Production management based on scope of project complexity and budget requirements. Effectively manages vendors, and collaborates with team members to meet batching, workflow, schedule, quality, ability, and cost requirements. May participate in the bid creation process including creating bid or scales documents, scheduling bid meetings, awarding work, and providing information for creation and execution of contracts.

Focus on Results: Creates detailed production schedules with attention to component dependencies and needs for various delivery formats (state versions, technology, etc.). Maintains focus on end-goal, while solving problems and removing potential blockers throughout project timeline.

Process Management: Leads or participates in creation and enforcement of program guidelines (including production specs, projects systems, subject line protocol, Project file folder structure) and suggests updates to best practices and standards as needed. Facilitates production launches.

Financial tracking: Accountable for managing aspects of project budget, including projection of project complexity and cost estimating, tracking, and reporting.   

Product Development

Collaboration and Communication: Proactively keeps all relevant team members informed of any updates to project details, scope, risk, or schedule. Works effectively with vendors and across functional departments (including senior leadership) to achieve production goals, implement appropriate workflows, and regularly communicate schedule, quality, and budget updates. Facilitates component status meetings. Responsible for building strong interpersonal networks.

Quality control: Ensures adherence to quality standards, both internally and externally, by spot-checking project development against specs and by reconciling requested changes.

Change Control: Leads or participates in ongoing negotiation of project scope changes, including assessment of the impact to budget and schedule. Maintains vendor contact throughout project development. Works with Vendors to reconciles final invoices.

Data Integrity: Ensures that all Production information is kept current in IPS (Integrated Publishing System; a proprietary database used to track the production and manufacturing of print and digital products).   

Post Production

• Organizes information and coordinates with Content Workflow & Tools for end-of-project activities (archiving, NIMAS, server clean-up, etc).

• Requests and reviews reconciliation documentation from vendor against budget projections, requests and codes invoices.   

Other Essential Responsibilities

• Ensures that new or existing processes and approved standards are implemented within assigned projects

• Champions and may lead th