Associate Director of Production & Manufacturing

Responsibilities

Oversee manufacturing for Adult frontlist titles across assigned imprints.
Lead, mentor, and develop staff.
Partner with leadership on workload planning, title allocation, and departmental priorities.
Monitor project timelines and ensure risks are identified, escalated, and mitigated as early as possible.
Support new imprint launches and ensure operational readiness.
Troubleshoot complex scheduling, manufacturing, vendor, and workflow issues.
Guide the creation and maintenance of accurate title specifications in internal systems.
Oversee purchase order issuance, cost tracking, and budget awareness across projects.
Build and maintain strong relationships with domestic and international vendors.
Identify opportunities to improve workflows, increase efficiency, reduce costs, and reinforce best practices.
Partner with internal stakeholders across Production, Demand Planning, Sales, and Operations to align on priorities and strategy.
Support consistency of manufacturing practices across imprints and title types.

Requirements

10+ years of book production or manufacturing experience, including experience with complex and illustrated titles.
Proven experience leading, mentoring, or managing staff.
Deep knowledge of book printing, binding, scheduling, costing, and manufacturing workflows.
Experience managing domestic and international vendors.
Strong project management skills and the ability to oversee multiple high-priority initiatives.
Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to make sound decisions under pressure.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and title management systems preferred.