Publications Director

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How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position. Resumes submitted without cover letters will not be considered for the position.

Job Summary

The Director, Online Resources and Publications plans, directs, and manages the publication and distribution of online content and print publications for ICLE. This includes the budgeting, writing, design, production, and distribution of highly complex, subscription-based products and service lines. This position is responsible for the supervision of ICLE Staff Lawyers and provides functional supervision over copywriting and editing staff.

Responsibilities*

40% - Direct the creation and production of online content and print publications and develop critical content related relationships:

• Under general direction from the Chief Learning Officer, develops, documents, tracks and reports status on a coordinated content plan that anticipates and meets the needs of Michigan lawyers.
• Oversees and assesses effectiveness of overall plan and individual initiatives. Adjusts and recalibrates as necessary. Reports results.
• Uses customer feedback (interviews, online and seminar surveys, advisory boards, and focus groups) to identify and respond to user needs for education services.
• Plans and allocates resources and staff to create print and online content, including new products and services developed through strategic initiatives.
• Creates and manages policies, systems, and schedules to maximize efficiency, productivity, and quality of ICLE products and services.
• Ensures staff are developing and maintaining effective working relationships with contributors.
• Responsible for advisory board assignments for staff lawyers and for leading selected advisory boards.
• Collaborates with the Director of Marketing on marketing for online and print products.
• Create strategies, under the direction of the Chief Learning Officer, for outreach, expansion and nurturing of extensive network of lawyers and related professionals, customers, and State Bar Section leaders to meet ICLE content and product planning and development needs
• Lead, nurture and oversee ICLE law school relationships under direction of the Chief Learning Officer.

15% - Responsible for Institute-wide quality and curation system:

• Develops and monitors quality standards and an Institute-wide system for ICLE's products and services.
• Ensures the products and delivery options are regularly evaluated and meets customer needs.
• Coordinates with tech and design staff and ICLE's instructional design experts to ensure online quality and functionality meets customer needs.
• Ensures Institute-wide understanding and application of quality standards including communicating regularly regarding changes and updates.
• Periodically reviews entirety of system for effectiveness and needed changes or upgrades.
• Ensures that all new products have defined and documented purpose and quality standards and all that all standards are applied.

15% - Budget and financial management:

• Makes business decisions in consultation with the Chief Learning Officer and the administrative team that are financially responsible, accountable, and justifiable within ICLE's mission, vision, and strategic goals.
• Collaborates on preparation of the annual online and print budgets that reflect ICLE's strategic goals. Monitors and reports status including regularly providing variance explanations and year-end projections. Approves invoices over $5,000.
• Develops, tracks, analyzes, and reports on key performance metrics, information, projections and other meaningful data. Prepares forecasts. Prepare reports for the Chief Learning Officer, Executive Director, and Executive Committee on budget and finances.
• Develops and implements products and policies that meet sales goals and ensures strong subscription renewals.
• Reviews and manages contracts related to ICLE's products and services.

15% - Management and supervision of department staff:

• Provides administrative and functional management of seminar planning attorneys and Event Support Specialists (interview, hire, discipline, fire, set work schedules, train, evaluate, coach, mentor, and develop staff).
• Develops and documents systematic onboarding, training, and staff engagement/development plans. Monitors, coaches and provides regular candid feedback. Includes annual review of job descriptions and regular performance reviews.
• Plans and directs departmental resources, personnel, and processes to ensure that projects are delivered in a timely manner meeting agreed upon design and business goals and objectives.
• Collaborates with ICLE's instructional design experts to create compelling education in a variety of formats.
• Systematizes work and recommend and develop efficiencies. Ensures productivity meets or exceeds service and quality standards.
• Empowers employees to be responsible for their own work and goals; delegates responsibility, requires accountability.
• Ensures customer and contributor issues are resolved quickly and to the satisfaction of the customer or contributor.
• Communicates and ensures team understanding of the Institute's purpose, mission, vision, culture, and strategic plan.
• Fosters teamwork among ICLE staff and departments through regular and consistent cascading communications.
• Coordinates vendor review, bid, and selection process consistent with University and Institute policies and procedures. Monitors and manages relationships.
• Ensures application of all University and Institute policies, procedures, internal controls, and security measures. Ensures staff are well trained and understand significance of non-compliance.
• Develops and implements approved process and/or operational improvements.
• Selects and manages ongoing relationships, in accordance with the Institute's management methodology, with external contractors so that the organization receives satisfactory standards of service.
• Member of ICLE Administrative Team. Reports monthly to Core Management and periodically to Executive Committee

10% - Under general supervision, responsible for management, performance, and completion of moderate to complex strategic projects:

• Manages execution of projects in accordance with Institute's strategic project management methodology. Develops, prioritizes and submits strategic planning documents (business case, guiding principles, vision, etc.), project plans, and budgets, across assigned projects.
• Defines needed project resources, assembles project teams, assigns individual responsibilities, ensures timely completion of project.
• Monitors progress and performance against the project plan; identifies and resolves problems and minimize delays.
• Evaluates and authorizes changes that significantly impact the scope, budget, or timeline of a project.
• Conducts performance reviews and post implementation evaluations.
• Regularly reports status, outcomes, and issues to senior Institute staff using Institute reporting templates and procedures.

5% - Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications*

• Juris Doctorate degree and member of the State Bar of Michigan
• Minimum of 3 years of law practice experience
• Minimum of 10 years of experience with professional education or publishing organization, including developing and managing subscription-based product lines
• Minimum of 10 years of experience supervising and delegating effectively to professional staff and working effectively in teams
• Demonstrated ability to manage a several million dollar budget and major projects
• Thorough knowledge of intellectual property law; ability to negotiate and draft contracts
• Thorough understanding of Internet-based products and services, database-driven products, website architecture and navigation, and search design and functionality
• Technologically savvy; extensive knowledge and use of the Internet, databases, spreadsheets and word processing
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and delegate effectively to professional staff and work effectively in teams; hiring, training, coaching, developing, evaluation, delegation, discipline; giving feedback and monitoring progress; ability to develop and leverage the skill of others
• Understanding of key marketing principles
• Ability to develop and implement policy decisions
• Understanding of customer interview, survey applications and techniques, and user testing methods
• Able to clearly communicate, and apply the strategic vision to the work of the department.
• Familiarity with the principles of customer research and the ability to analyze and translate research findings and customer need to others.
• Experience creating, tracking, and projecting annual budgets including revenue and expense. Ability to create variances and accurately read and understand financial reports.
• Strong leader who understands strategic planning, prioritization, can problem-solve, collaborate, negotiate, and collaboratively direct the work of others.
• Ability to reflect long range organizational goals and targets into effective marketing, content strategies, tactics, and plans. Along with establishing appropriate KPIs.
• Highly organized, excellent project management, administrative, and presentation skill.
• Highly motivated self-starter able to learn and apply new concepts quickly including those outside established role.
• Comfortable with and interested in technology. Able to learn and apply concepts related to e-commerce, business systems, credit card security, relational databases. Highly proficient on a computer and at ease operating in common professional software systems.
• Excellent verbal communication skills

Desired Qualifications*

Familiarity with ICLE products, practices, and customer groups

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.