Editorial Services Director

Reporting to the VP of Strategic Programmes & Delivery, the role holder is accountable for the strategic direction, service performance, successful development and day to day operations of the Editorial Services function, in order to drive and deliver centralised processes in a standard, efficient manner.

Key Accountabilities:

• Design and deliver strategic direction for the Editorial Services function providing clear business planning and objectives for the team on e.g. process and efficiency improvements and customer satisfaction for Editors.
• Ensure effective and consistent service delivery across the Editorial Services function, establishing appropriate service levels and performance measures and maintaining oversight of operational performance, quality, capacity and customer experience to ensure services meet agreed business needs.
• Maintaining a strong leadership presence and being an exemplar role model of high standards.
• Provide oversight of service performance and operational risks across Editorial Services, working with Editorial Services Managers to address performance issues, capacity constraints and service risks, and escalating or initiating corrective action where required.
• Maintain oversight of demand, capacity and capability across Editorial Services, ensuring resources are aligned to business priorities and taking action to address material or emerging service risks.
• Define the governance arrangements for process and efficiency improvements for Editors in close liaison with the Head of Programmes & Process Improvement and Books Editorial Directors.
• Use service performance data, customer feedback and operational insight to identify opportunities for continuous improvement, ensuring that changes deliver measurable improvements in service quality, efficiency and customer experience.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders in the business to ensure process and efficiency improvement strategies for Editors are understood, that stakeholders are engaged through all parts of the operational excellence process, and that the work supports the wider business strategy and priorities.
• Deliver effective change management through active engagement with the business and use of change management techniques working closely with business stakeholders to provide effective solutions to overcome challenges and resistance to change.
• Assess the expected outcomes and estimated benefits of process improvement programmes and projects, and track business and financial impacts against these objectives.
• Proactively monitor the progress of initiatives, resolving issues and initiating appropriate corrective action, supporting and empowering the Editorial Services Managers to clear blocks to progress.
• Provide strong coaching style leadership to the Editorial Services Managers with a particular focus on coaching for process improvement and agile skills to ensure that process improvement delivery standards and good practices are adhered to and that process improvement progress is clearly communicated to stakeholders.
• Working closely with the VP of Strategic Programmes and Delivery to develop strategies and plans to develop the Editorial Services team in line with business demands
• Take the lead on large, strategic or more complex project work as required.

Function: Management
Experience Level: Director