Penn State Job Catalog

Additional levels that exist for this job profile can be seen below.
Missing levels within the leveling matrix can be added based on business need.

The defined natural career progression within or between job profiles.

University Press

The University Press Manager plans, directs, and oversees the acquisition, editorial, production, publication, promotion, and distribution activities of the University Press to ensure the successful publication of high-quality scholarly and general interest books, journals, digital publications, and related materials; provides strategic and operational leadership for one or more functional areas of the University Press, such as acquisitions, publishing, journals, editorial services, or production operations; plays a key role in manuscript acquisition and publication decisions; develops publishing partnerships and long-range publishing strategies; oversees editorial, production, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution activities; ensures compliance with editorial, copyright, accessibility, financial, and institutional standards; collaborates with authors, editors, faculty, vendors, professional organizations, and institutional leadership to advance the mission, visibility, and reputation of the University Press.

• Manage and oversee one or more functional areas of the University Press, including publishing, journals, acquisitions, editorial services, production, or related operations
• Plan, direct, and coordinate the acquisition, publication, promotion, and distribution of books, journals, and digital publications
• Develop strategic plans, operational goals, publishing priorities, and initiatives that support the growth and mission of the University Press
• Evaluate manuscripts, journal proposals, and publishing opportunities; participate in acquisition, editorial, and publication decisions
• Build and maintain relationships with authors, scholars, faculty, editors, professional associations, vendors, distributors, and publishing partners
• Identify, negotiate, and manage publishing partnerships, collaborative agreements, and strategic initiatives that expand publishing opportunities and institutional visibility
• Oversee editorial, production, and manufacturing workflows, including copyediting, design, composition, proofreading, indexing, printing, digital publishing, and reprints
• Manage production schedules and coordinate staff and external vendors to ensure timely, high-quality publication of print and digital products
• Ensure compliance with editorial standards, copyright and licensing requirements, accessibility standards, and institutional publishing policies
• Review and approve publication materials, including proofs, layouts, graphics, and final production files, to ensure quality, consistency, and brand alignment
• Manage vendor relationships and contracts for printing, design, composition, manufacturing, and related publishing services
• Monitor budgets, production costs, royalties, contracts, and operational expenditures to ensure fiscal responsibility and cost-effective operations
• Analyze publishing trends, market conditions, sales performance, and industry developments to inform publishing strategies and program growth
• Collaborate with marketing, sales, communications, and institutional partners to increase publication visibility, audience engagement, and revenue opportunities
• Evaluate and implement improvements to publishing technologies, workflows, metadata practices, and digital publishing platforms
• Develop and implement publishing policies, procedures, standards, and best practices
• Prepare reports, analyses, forecasts, and recommendations for institutional leadership and stakeholders
• Oversee staff, including recruitment, onboarding, training, performance management, professional development, and workforce planning

Level:

– Senior Manager

Base Description:

– Manages direct reports where primary duty is the management of a working unit.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates advanced skills in critical functions related to unit's success. Demonstrates advanced knowledge of emerging technologies and processes. Monitors completed work of others to ensure effectiveness and adherence to requirements. Sets clear expectations and holds team accountable. Establishes a shared team/unit vision. Demonstrates ability to evaluate and enhance team/unit practices that promote a strong commitment to inclusionary practices. Coaches others using appropriate strategies. Demonstrates diplomacy. Demonstrates ability to serve as liaison between senior-level management and staff. Resolves complex, controversial, or unprecedented issues and problems.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Oversees large team or teams of individual contributors and/or supervisors/managers
– Leads a department or functional area

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– Monitors and tracks large budgets
– Plans, forecasts, and/or develops budgets
– May approve budgets for specific area
– Typically has final signature authority for specific area

Problem Solving:

– Encounters highly varied and complex problems that impacts the team and possibly the unit
– Develops creative and/or novel approaches to resolve problems that are difficult in nature
– Independently resolves complex and/or unprecedented issues and problems

Independence of Action:

– Work results are not clearly defined
– Generally sets own goals and determines how to accomplish results with few or no guidelines to follow
– Monitors completed work of others to ensure soundness of approach, effectiveness of meeting requirements, the feasibility of recommendations and adherences to requirements
– Delegates more advanced tasks to others

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates with both internal and external audiences
– Collaborates closely with team members and various areas across the University
– Fosters collaboration between units and engages others' coordinated efforts to reach desired outcomes with broad scope

• Comp Grade – 13
• Minimum – $91,488.00
• MidPoint – $114,384.00
• Maximum – $137,280.00

• Adaptability
• Brand management
• Communication design
• Content creation
• Critical reading
• Customer Service
• Editorial workflows
• Marketing research