Job Description: Associate Producer

About Pearson

At Pearson, we're committed to a world that's always learning and to our talented team who makes it all possible. From bringing lectures vividly to life to turning textbooks into laptop lessons, we are always re-examining the way people learn best, whether it's one child in our own backyard or an education community across the globe. We are bold thinkers and stand- out innovators who motivate each other to explore new frontiers in an environment that supports and inspires us to always be better. By pushing the boundaries of technology—and each other to surpass these boundaries—we create seeds of learning that become the catalyst for the world's innovations, personal and global, large and small.

Role Summary

The Associate Producer partners with the Content Product Management team to execute on a competitive product strategy for both digital and print products based on analysis of market conditions. Product delivery platforms include Digital Courseware (MyLab and eText), learning apps and tools, printed books and supporting supplements; strategy evolves with changing market needs. The Producer must be able to pivot quickly as market needs dictate.

The Producer leads and manages assigned programs that are comprised of multiple program components (projects), through strategic planning and controlling the program scope, budget, costs, schedules, quality, and timely delivery of all program components. The Producer manages dependencies and is accountable for all program components—digital and print—from end to end.

The Producer communicates the program plan to a cross-functional team and demonstrates leadership and collaboration in implementing and executing the plan. The Producer identifies and escalates risks and creates risk-mitigations plans.

Job Duties

• Planning: Collaborates with Content Strategy and Product Management teams to finalize program plan, with particular attention to product delivery strategy, resource and budget needs, and schedule requirements.

• Content Plan: Clarifies deliverables for each program component. Communicates requirements for each program component to cross-functional team, and ensures final content achieves approved content plan.

• Resources: Identifies and secures resources as necessary. Guides and monitors work from all resources to achieve content, schedule, and budget requirements.

• Vendor Management: Manages relationship with multiple vendors, actively monitoring for quality compliance and adherence to schedule, budget, and technical specifications.

• Schedule: Establishes coordinated high-level schedule for all program components; monitors and controls schedule dependencies for program components.

• Budget: Responsible for budget monitoring of the program, communicates budget to all parties, maintains overview of budget performance against approved plan/signed P&L.

• Quality: Communicates quality control plan to program team and monitors implementation of plan.

• Communication: Plans, organizes, and leads periodic meetings for the program team to evaluate status, problem-solve, and mitigate risks.

• Problem solving: Collaborates with decision makers and stakeholders to resolve conflicts between plan and execution of various aspects of program plan.

Skills

• Ability to take active ownership of projects, proactively assessing and mitigating risk.

• Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills based on collecting and analyzing available, relevant, and reliable information, learning who to ask for opinions and input, and acting upon the analysis in a timely and effective manner.

• Developing and maintaining constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, seeks out contrary perspectives and is approachable.

• Ability to respond confidently to conflicts and manage situations in a positive way, proactively escalating on-going issues.

• Exceptional attention to detail and strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple complex programs with interrelated asset and timing dependencies.

• Highly effective verbal and written communication skills.

• Ability to balance thinking with action; able to redefine problems when working in ambiguity.

• Flexible and adaptable in navigating roadblocks and creating innovative solutions.

• Identifies areas of improvement, plans a strategy, and acts independently to create or promote improvement.

• Takes initiative and leads change.

• Exhibits curiosity and learning agility to discover and understand market and customer requirements.

• Ability to collaborate with key stakeholders and lead cross-functional teams.

• Should be able to work well in a geographically dispersed team environment.

• Behaves ethically and with integrity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree desirable.

• Minimum of 3–5 years job experience required, preferably in higher education academic publishing (editorial, digital strategy, end to end project management).

• Digital content/product management experience preferred.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Smartsheet, JIRA/Confluence, or other project management tools.

• Basic knowledge of HTML/JavaScript/CSS is a plus.

What to expect from Pearson

Did you know Pearson is one of the 10 most innovative education companies of 2022?

At Pearson, we add life to a lifetime of learning so everyone can realize the life they imagine. We do this by creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are on a journey to be 100 percent digital to meet the changing needs of the global population by developing a new strategy with ambitious targets. To deliver on our strategic vision, we have five business divisions that are the foundation for the long-term growth of the company: Assessment & Qualifications, Virtual Learning, English Language Learning, Workforce Skills and Higher Education. Alongside these, we have our corporate divisions: Digital & Technology, Finance, Global Corporate Marketing & Communications, Human Resources, Legal, Strategy and Direct to Consumer. Learn more at We are Pearson.

We value the power of an inclusive culture and also a strong sense of belonging. We promote a culture where differences are embraced, opportunities are accessible, consideration and respect are the norm and all individuals are supported in reaching their full potential. Through our talent, we believe that diversity, equity and inclusion make us a more innovative and vibrant place to work. People are at the center, and we are committed to building a workplace where talent can learn, grow and thrive.

Pearson is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. We want a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We strive for a workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities.

To learn more about Pearson’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce, navigate to: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Pearson.

If you are an individual with a disability and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career site as a result of your disability, you may request reasonable accommodations by emailing ppsmhr@pearson.com.

Note that the information you provide will stay confidential and will be stored securely. It will not be seen by those involved in making decisions as part of the recruitment process.

Job: PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

Organization: Higher Education

Schedule: FULL_TIME

Req ID: 14145