Product Manager/Developmental Editor

SummaryThe Thomson Career and Professional Group (CPG) was recently formed as a result of the integration of Thomson Delmar Learning and Thomson Course Technology.

The Product Manager is responsible for the development activities necessary to see assigned projects through from author-contract stages to delivery to production of complete materials needed to produce a quality, customer-satisfied product. The Product Manager will work with authors to resolve problems in the writing/revising process; communicate to them CPG's expectations and requirements for art, permissions, deadlines and releases; and negotiate changes and compromises to ensure a complete, production-ready manuscript submitted within all deadlines.
Description1. Establish a schedule with the assigned authors (in agreement with the team leader and/or sponsoring editor and the dates on the approved publishing proposal), monitor that schedule, and take the necessary steps to keep the author/project on the schedule.

2. Conduct and/or prepare market research such as phone surveys, questionnaires, and collecting and analyzing recommendations for changes from current adopters of the current editions of books being revised. Assess key needs and goals in each market segment to determine both commonalities and unique features. Identify developing market trends as well as potential new markets

2. Locate and make arrangements with expert reviewers to provide market feedback on manuscripts for new and revised books. Analyze the comments from reviews, review with sponsoring editor and, if appropriate make changes or instruct authors to make changes as necessary to ensure that each product will satisfy the needs of the marketplace to the fullest extent possible.

4. Compare CPG's products with their competitors and prepare detailed comparison documents, including recommendations for improving Delmar's products.

5. Prepare complete manuscripts ready for release to production. This includes checking the manuscript to ensure that all changes (market-oriented and production-oriented) identified during project analysis have been made, ensuring that all art work, photographs, and permissions files are complete, and completing all necessary paperwork.

6. Guarantee that every project stays within the budget stated in the Publication Proposal. The number of pieces of artwork, photographs, length of manuscript, delivery of camera-ready art, permission expenses, and camera-ready preparation of supplements should match the specifications in the proposal.

7. Provide information and support as necessary to sales and marketing staff to help maximize each product's market potential and customer satisfaction.

8. Assist production and manufacturing team members in the design, production procedures, use of color, and other important factors to guarantee the desired appearance of our products.

9. Prepare all necessary reports and documents, and perform all other duties as assigned by supervisory staff.
Qualifications1. College graduate with related publishing experiences.

2. Strong organizational skills to gather all the pieces and elements of a project into a cohesive whole.

3. An interest and knowledge in the subject area.

4. Creativity, by suggesting ways to enhance our products for a competitive edge.

5. Interpersonal skills required to work constructively with team members, as well as diplomatically and professionally with authors.

6. The ability to work well under the pressure of schedule deadlines.

7. Basic computer skills to write clear, effective memos, reports, documents, correspondences, and parts of manuscripts.

SPECIFIC JOB-RELATED PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Willingness to travel to industry-related shows, conventions and schools, with the goal of keeping up-to-date with industry trends, establishing good customer relations and providing customers with quality products.