Associate Publishing Director – Legal and taxation

This position is for the India operations of the global leaders in the legal and taxation publishing and knowledge vertical.

It is based in Gurgaon and reports to the Managing Director.

Purpose

The  APD – Legal & Tax Publishing drives performance against the agreed legal and tax publishing schedule within budgeted costs. Performance includes delivering budgeted revenue for scheduled publishing events, managing within assigned product/editorial cost targets and providing effective leadership for the editorial teams.

The APD ensures the integrity; utility and currency of editorial content are maintained across the editorial teams. The APD is responsible for ensuring that the editorial teams’ portfolio responsibilities are met or exceeded including strict adherence to the publishing schedule and compliance with standards, including editorial benchmarks and quality assurance measures.

Primary responsibilities of the role include: integration of publishing process of any assets/titles acquired; managing the publishing programme; maintaining financial performance of the portfolio by actively managing key cost drivers and individual product margin; leadership of the legal and tax editorial dept; and working with marketing in the formulation and implementation of strategy for the development of new and existing products within the portfolio through the annual product review cycle and product development process.

Responsibilities also include: reporting monthly results and formulating budget/RF; overseeing process and quality improvement initiatives within the team to achieve best practice; managing key author and customer relationships; and managing key relationships with other departments.

The APD is required to formulate and drive necessary change programmes to improve performance and/or reduce costs and is required to promote and instill company values.

The APD will contribute as required to the formulation of market entry or acquisition opportunities for example, providing any necessary support and input into the creation of product concepts, editorial resource planning and author acquisition for new markets or other revenue generating opportunities.
Accountabilities

•    Publishing Schedule – Deliver the legal and tax publishing schedule as agreed at Budget or revised forecast.
•    Financial Accountability – Set budget/RF cost targets, manage production and editorial costs within forecast, drive productivity improvement and provide thorough financial reporting of progress against plan on a monthly basis.
•    Leadership – Provide strong leadership and management of legal and tax editorial teams to promote ownership, common vision and objectives to support strategic goals for Indian markets.
•    Portfolio Management – Actively manage the product portfolio including identifying key profit drivers and diluters and overseeing the implementation of a robust and sustainable product development pipeline designed to meet the growth expectations for each market as determined in consultation with the Content Manager and MD.
•    New market opportunities – Provide all necessary input and support, as required, for new market opportunities including for example: the formulation of product concepts for market testing; editorial resource planning;
•    Performance Management – Responsible for performance management and development for first-line supervisors, including regular coaching and mentoring and delivering formal performance evaluations.
•    Best Practice – Implement any necessary change programmes to achieve best practice work processes and ensure adherence to guidelines, policies, procedures and checklists.  Embed into organizational measures of performance.
•    Communication – Build effective relationships with colleagues, customers (internal and external) and senior management to ensure efficient execution of day-to-day operations and strategic plans.
•    External Relationships – Provide effective guidance and management of key external relationships, including contract negotiation, as required.

Qualifications, Competence and Experience

QUALIFICATIONS:
•    University degree or equivalent in law, qualified lawyer
•    Significant senior management experience
•    Publishing experience will be an advantage
•    Strong relationship-building and performance management skills
•    Strong commercial/business acumen
•    Demonstrated financial and budget management skills, including experience in financial reporting
•    Understanding of printing
•    Sound level of computer literacy
•    Computer skills in Microsoft Word, MS Excel, MS Powerpoint
•    Working knowledge of technologies used in the publishing process such as SGML/HTML/XML
•    Working knowledge of publishing workflow from idea conception through to receipt by customer
•    Excellent communication, organisation and problem-solving skills.

COMPETENCIES:
•    Build successful team
•    Coaching and mentoring
•    Developing people
•    Leadership
•    Business/commercial acumen
•    Decision making
•    Planning and organising
•    Drive for results
•    Change leadership
•    Communication
•    Leading through vision and values
•    Balance between quality and production

EXPERIENCE :
•    At least 15 years work experience, with at least 5 years experience at a senior management level.
•    A proven track-record in the successful application of law qualification, either as an advocate at a minimum High Court level or within a large organisation as legal advisor / counsel
•    A proven track-record in developing and maintaining relationships at a high level ( judges, senior advocates, CEOs, directors ) within either the corporate or legal market

How to apply

Write to sanjeev@bullzi-inc.com in confidence OR call Sanjeev roy at 0124-4042994