Cokesbury Kids Director

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

Essential Job Functions

PRIMARY

• Leads the Cokesbury Kids team in developing and implementing an annual publishing, marketing, and promotional plan to assure achievement of financial budgets, targets, and objectives for sales, expenses, cost of goods, inventory levels, and net contribution.
• Directs and guides the editorial stages of production for the 100-plus components of VBS from development through point of delivery of the product to the printer. Writes original content, directs editing of manuscripts, and manages their development through the editorial production process by analyzing structure and content, comparing formats and appeal to competitor products, and appraising and improving readability and format. Leads the editorial team in monitoring the biblical and theological quality and consistency of within Cokesbury Kids resources (with an emphasis on VBS), looking for both compatibility with United Methodist teachings and breadth that allows broader use by other mainline denominations.
• Leads the theme and content development process for VBS and related programs, including customer summits and focus groups, story consultations, and other forms of research.
• Coordinates with the Business Manager, Marketing Manager, Buyer, and editorial staff to create business plans that present product lines designed to meet sales and cost-of-goods targets, optimize inventory, and offer new products that fit audience market interests.

SECONDARY

• Works with the Marketing Manager to plan and implement competitive promotion and sales campaigns for Cokesbury Kids programs.
• Conducts or supervises product-related workshops and training events as needed.

These essential job functions are not intended to cover all work details or the occasional performance of other tasks as assigned by the supervisor. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

Common or Complex Problem-Solving Challenges

• Achieving the financial objectives for Cokesbury Kids programs in all areas
• Keeping abreast of current trends in Christian education and children’s programming within The United Methodist Church, other constituencies and markets, and secular education markets in order to produce user-friendly resources that sell and are consistent with United Methodist theological and educational standards
• Planning and developing, with the Cokesbury Kids team, dynamic programs and resources to meet or exceed customer expectations and specific UMPH sales and market-penetration goals
• Directing time and available resources to manage more than 100 VBS components through development and production, on time and within budget, while maintaining positive relationships with creators, contract editors and content developers, and internal support units and assuring a high-quality product line
• Working within UMPH-approved policies and business plans to establish schedules, achieve quality standards, and meet sales objectives for the team
• Leading the Cokesbury Kids team in developing general product-line strategies and specific proposals for Cokesbury Kids publishing
• Applying needs and interests of Cokesbury Kids market segments identified through research to product-line development

Authority & Accountability

• Authority to collaborate, plan, develop, acquire, and market a range of Cokesbury Kids products to meet editorial, financial, and sales objectives
• Authority to maintain knowledge of customer segments and marketplace trends and to cultivate specific segments in order to increase the customer base
• Authority to develop, implement, and/or review annual strategic plans and individual product-line business plans in consultation with appropriate team members and leaders to support overall UMPH operational objectives
• Accountability for collaborating, developing, and implementing an annual plan to achieve objectives for revenue, expenses, cost of goods, inventory values, inventory turn, net contribution, and other key operational and financial objectives
• Accountability for collaborating with marketing and sales as they develop and implement marketing and promotional plans to achieve financial budgets, targets, and objectives for Cokesbury Kids programs
• Accountability for meeting the editorial, financial, and sales objectives of Cokesbury Kids programs

Regular Contacts & Stakeholders

INTERNAL

• Cokesbury Kids team members and other UMPH cross-functional personnel from various units; Business/Buyer team; Marketing team; Sales team; Allied Products team; Digital Production Services; Core Function Managers – provides indirect direction to the Cokesbury Kids leads, media editor, editors, production and design managers, business manager/buyer, and marketing manager

EXTERNAL

• Contract writers, editors, content developers, and producers; internal and external reviewers/evaluators; United Methodist Curriculum Resources Committee; other external partners and teams as assigned

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Education, Experience, & Certifications

REQUIRED

• Bachelor’s degree in business, English, journalism, communications, education, religion, or a related field
• At least five (5) years of experience in publishing, religious education, business management, product development, marketing, or a related field

PREFERRED

• Master’s degree
• Current or previous participation in Christian education programs within a local congregation

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities