Content Commissioning Lead

Oxford University Press; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays

Discretionary annual payment

Pension scheme up to 12%

Employer loan and savings schemes

Access to local discounts

Job summary

A prominent educational publisher in the UK is seeking a Content Commissioning Lead to oversee the planning and management of ELT products. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of ELT pedagogy, proven supplier management experience, and strong negotiation skills. This role offers a hybrid working model with a focus on efficiency and quality, along with a comprehensive benefits package including 25 days' holiday and pension schemes.

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of ELT content development and pedagogy.
• Proven experience in commissioning and managing outsourced suppliers.
• Strong negotiation and commercial awareness.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.
• Familiarity with digital content workflows.
• ELT qualification or teaching experience.
• Experience in global markets and multilingual environments.

Responsibilities

• Commission and manage global and regional suppliers to deliver high-quality ELT content end-to-end.
• Maximise supplier allocation and negotiate contracts for efficiency.
• Create briefs and lead quality assurance of supplier outputs.
• Pipeline & Capacity Management: Maintain visibility of supplier capacity and project pipelines to prevent bottlenecks and ensure smooth delivery.
• Financial Oversight: Estimate budgets, apply fixed-rate cards, and manage costs to improve margins.
• Process Innovation: Drive workflow improvements and support adoption of automation and AI tools for scalable outsourcing.

Skills

Understanding of ELT content development

Supplier management

Negotiation skills

Communication skills

Knowledge of digital content workflows

Pedagogical quality

Global & multilingual markets

Education

ELT qualification or teaching experience

Job description

Apply for the Content Commissioning Lead role at Oxford University Press.

This role is responsible for planning, commissioning, and managing fast‑track ELT products via strategic supplier partnerships, ensuring efficiency, scalability, and pedagogical quality.

Key Responsibilities

• Supplier‑Led Delivery: Commission and manage global and regional suppliers to deliver high‑quality ELT content end‑to‑end.
• Strategic Outsourcing: Maximise supplier allocation (90% of content outsourced) and negotiate contracts to ensure cost efficiency and timely delivery.
• Briefing & QA: Create clear, actionable briefs and lead quality assurance of supplier outputs against pedagogical and editorial standards.
• Pipeline & Capacity Management: Maintain visibility of supplier capacity and project pipelines to prevent bottlenecks and ensure smooth delivery.
• Financial Oversight: Estimate budgets, apply fixed‑rate cards, and manage costs to improve margins.
• Process Innovation: Drive workflow improvements and support adoption of automation and AI tools for scalable outsourcing.

Hybrid working policy: minimum 2 days per week in the Oxford office.

About You

• Deep understanding of ELT content development and pedagogy.
• Proven experience in commissioning and managing outsourced suppliers.
• Strong negotiation and commercial awareness.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Knowledge of digital content workflows.
• ELT qualification or teaching experience.
• Familiarity with global markets and multilingual environments.

Benefits

25 days’ holiday that rises with service, plus bank holidays and a 3‑day Christmas closure, and a 35‑hour working week.

Discretionary annual payment and participation in pension scheme up to 12%, employer loan and savings schemes through Salary Finance, travel to work schemes, and access to a wide range of local discounts.

EEO Statement

We are committed to supporting diversity in our workforce, and ensuring an inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive. We seek to employ a workforce representative of the markets that we serve and encourage applications from all.