APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

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POSITION SPECIFICS​

Penn State University Press seeks a Production Manager to play a central role in the production of scholarly books and digital publications.

Penn State University Press is renowned for publishing groundbreaking scholarship in the arts and humanities, as well as regional trade titles.

This position oversees the production workflow for books across all imprints, ensuring projects are delivered on schedule, within budget, and to established quality standards. This position manages production planning, cost estimating, scheduling, and print vendor coordination.

The Production Manager works closely with vendors and internal staff across departments to ensure projects meet the Press’s standards for quality, schedule, and budget.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Print Estimating, Specifications & Bidding

• Prepare print estimates and detailed manufacturing specifications for offset and short-run digital printing, in consultation with the Art Director.

• Solicit, collect, and evaluate printer and vendor quotes.

• Process vendor invoices and maintain expense data in FileMaker.

Print Management & Manufacturing Oversight

• Serve as the primary contact for printers for offset and short-run digital printing projects.

• Manage routing, correction, and approval of printer proofs.

• Identify opportunities for cost savings; seek out new vendors, evaluate print samples, and check references.

• Track print and delivery progress and resolve production and shipping issues to avoid schedule delays.

• Advise on reprint decisions for backlist titles based on design, production, and manufacturing specifications.

Composition & Prepress Oversight

• Coordinate composition and prepress with external vendors, preparing and transmitting materials and specifications.

• Route proofs, samples, and correction sets between compositors, the Art Director, and the Production Coordinator.

• Request and post final packaged InDesign files and printer PDFs.

Scheduling & Workflow Management

• Create, monitor, and revise production