Production Manager

Overview

Elite Editing is a full-service editing and writing firm dedicated to producing high-quality content for a wide variety of clients. Along with our sister company, Elite Authors, we edit everything from academic papers to corporate and government reports to full-length manuscripts (nonfiction and fiction). 

We are seeking a Production Manager to drive projects from kickoff through delivery, owning production timelines, coordinating freelance teams, and serving as a primary point of contact for clients. This role requires strong attention to detail, problem-solving ability, and a passion for building and refining efficient processes, all while leading teams to deliver high-quality editorial products on schedule.

In addition to delivery ownership, the Production Manager plays a key role in strengthening client relationships by understanding client needs, identifying opportunities to enhance services, and contributing to long-term account growth. This role is responsible for surfacing and influencing expansion opportunities, while partnering with leadership on scoping and execution.

This is a full-time remote role that requires availability Monday thru Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time or a portion thereof (if based in a different timezone). Compensation is commensurate with experience and includes competitive base pay, company-paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, and a health reimbursement arrangement, in addition to a great culture and work environment!

Responsibilities

Production Management

• Drive end-to-end project execution, establishing timelines, assigning work, and ensuring timely delivery across freelance teams
• Monitor progress across projects and proactively manage risks to keep work on track 

Process and Asset Ownership

• Establish clarity on project requirements, ensuring all assets and inputs are complete and aligned before work begins
• Maintain ownership of deliverables, including understanding what is required to successfully execute and deliver the final product
• Maintain and continuously improve workflows, partnering with leadership to enhance efficiency and scalability
• Ensure process documentation is accurate, up to date, and accessible across the service line
• Keep service line operations organized with clear, current information

Operational and Financial Management

• Support invoicing processes, including confirming rates and closing out projects accurately
• Track and report on past, current, and projected work volume
• Prepare and deliver billing reports to leadership or accounting on a regular basis

Client Management

• Attend and lead client meetings (with the exception of subject matter expert interviews).
• Oversee all client-facing communications regarding project production.
• Escalate any issue that may cause a deliverable to be off process, delayed, or out of scope. 

Account Management & Growth

• Build and maintain strong client relationships through proactive, consultative communication
• Develop a working understanding of each client’s business goals, priorities, and success metrics
• Identify opportunities to expand services based on client needs, gaps, and upcoming initiatives
• Proactively surface ideas and recommendations that add value to the client experience
• Partner with the Director of Editorial Production to scope, price, and close expansion opportunities
• For designated accounts, independently manage smaller-scale upsell opportunities from identification through execution
• Monitor account health, including engagement levels, workflow efficiency, and potential risks to retention
• Escalate risks and recommend solutions to improve client satisfaction and long-term partnership

A successful candidate will:

• Be a strong communicator. You have clear and effective communication skills, written and verbal, which help you to connect well with others.
• Have excellent organizational, time management, and critical thinking skills.
• Have an innate ability to prioritize and adapt to recognize when something goes off process and communicate quickly.
• Have a decisive nature. You have a sense of urgency and the ability to interact with a diverse group of people.
• Be focused on client satisfaction and on excellent customer service by listening to the customer’s needs and clearly communicating.
• Be tech savvy and able to learn new programs and software quickly.
• Be proud of finely crafted, friendly emails to clients or fellow freelancers when handling delicate situations.
• Get excited about a good process document.
• Demonstrate strong client awareness, with the ability to understand business needs beyond immediate project scope
• Be comfortable initiating conversations that explore additional client needs or opportunities
• Show sound judgment in identifying when to escalate opportunities or risks to leadership
• Balance delivery excellence with a proactive, forward-looking mindset toward client growth and retention
• Build trust with clients through credibility, responsiveness, and thoughtful recommendations
• Demonstrate familiarity with go-to-market (GTM) strategies, account-based marketing, and sales enablement concepts, with the ability to align project delivery and client conversations to broader client objectives

Experience and Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in the development, production, and integration of editorial products
• Strong technology skills, especially MS Word and Excel, as well as programs supporting electronic publishing and file preparation (Adobe Creative products), and experience with Project Management tools (Smartsheet, Dropbox, Google Drive)
• Mastery of English language (grammar, usage, and spelling) and superior attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to shift focus quickly and juggle multiple priorities under pressure
• Experience managing client relationships in a service-based, agency, or consulting environment
• Exposure to identifying or supporting upsell, cross-sell, or account expansion opportunities preferred
• Experience working with recurring clients or long-term accounts strongly preferred

Compensation

Compensation is based on experience, skillset, and ability to operate across both production delivery and client partnership responsibilities.