Production Manager (contract)

Macmillan Publishers; New York (NY); On-site; USD 41,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Macmillan Children's Publishing Group is seeking an experienced Production Manager for a contract position to oversee approximately 45 paperback conversions per year. You will own the full print production lifecycle for children's books—from estimates and schedules through PO, proofs, and final delivery—working with printers and suppliers to ensure quality, cost-effectiveness, and on-time delivery.

The role involves managing budgets, timelines, proofs, and vendor relationships, with

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of 4c and 1c book production experience, children's books preferred
• Strong knowledge of 4-color printing processes, prepress, and digital file preparation
• Understanding of publishing business and production impact on success
• Able to prioritize and stay organized

Responsibilities

• Oversee the entire lifecycle: composition, prepress, printing, binding, final delivery
• Manage paperback conversions for 1-color and 4-color titles
• Route PDFs for text and covers; oversee color and text corrections
• Review digital and physical proofs and address issues
• Ensure products meet safety and testing requirements
• Manage title budgets, purchase orders, and invoices
• Track production schedules and deadlines across stages
• Negotiate pricing and monitor vendor performance
• Collaborate with editorial, design, and teams to solve production challenges
• Provide regular updates on production status and progress

Skills

Book production

4-color printing

Prepress

Attention to detail

Team collaboration

Tools

Adobe Acrobat Pro

Biblio

RSuite

Google Workspace

Job description

Macmillan Children's Publishing Group is seeking an experienced Production Manager for a contract position managing approximately 45 paperback conversions a year across the Feiwel & Friends list. You'll own the full print production lifecycle for children's books—picture books, chapter books, novelty books, and graphic novels—from cost estimates and schedules through purchase orders, proofing, and final delivery, working closely with internal teams and domestic and overseas printers and suppliers to ensure quality, cost-effectiveness, and on‑time delivery.

This is a temporary contracted position.

What You'll Do:

Production Management

• Oversee the entire lifecycle: composition, prepress, printing, binding, and final delivery
• Manage paperback conversions for 1-color and 4-color titles
• Route (PDFs) for text and covers, managing color and text corrections as needed
• Review digital and physical proofs (color, text, quality) and address issues
• Ensure all products meet safety and testing requirements

Project & Budget Control

• Manage title budgets, cost estimates, purchase orders, and invoices
• Track production schedules and deadlines across all manufacturing stages
• Identify cost‑saving opportunities and suggest alternative materials or processes
• Source and manage relationships with domestic and overseas printers, binderies, and component suppliers under the supervision of the Associate Director
• Negotiate pricing, monitor vendor performance, and ensure quality standards are met under the supervision of the Associate Director

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Managing Editorial, Design, and various teams to solve production challenges
• Provide manufacturing insights and options to internal stakeholders

Reporting & Communication

• Provide regular updates on title progress and production status
• Maintain clear, concise reports for senior management

What You'll Bring:

• 5-7 years of 4c and 1c book production experience. Experience with Children's Books is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of 4-color printing processes, prepress, and digital file preparation
• Excellent knowledge of all facets of book production and manufacturing
• Must have basic understandings of overall business of publishing and how production issues affect the success of a publishing company
• Ability to prioritize
• Must be highly organized and detail minded
• Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness in work
• Works collaboratively with others in a professional manner
• Able to adapt to changes, delays and unexpected events
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a rapidly changing, deadline‑driven environment
• Anticipates, identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner
• Working knowledge of Adobe Acrobat Pro
• Working knowledge of Biblio (desirable)
• Working knowledge of RSuite specifically or experience with Digital Workflow Systems and Digital Asset Management Systems (desirable)
• Knowledge of the Google platform (desirable)

Salary: $30-$35 per hour

Macmillan Publishers is the U.S. trade company that is part of the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, a large family‑owned group of media companies headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Holtzbrinck Publishing Group's publishing companies include prominent imprints around the world that publish a broad range of award‑winning books for children and adults in all categories and formats.

U.S. publishers include Celadon Books, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Flatiron Books, Henry Holt & Company, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, The St. Martin's Publishing Group, and Tor Publishing Group. In the UK, Australia, India, and South Africa, companies in the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group publish under the Pan Macmillan name. The German publishing company, Holtzbrinck Deutsche Buchverlage, includes among its imprints S. Fischer, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Rowohlt, and Droemer Knaur.

Macmillan is proud to be an equal opportunity employer consistently striving to foster a culture where everyone belongs. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and identities. Qualified applicants are evaluated without regard to race, color, religion, age, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status, physical ability, neurodiversity, genetic information, protected veteran status, family and economic status and background or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We prohibit discrimination of any kind and will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law.

Equal Opportunity Employer
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