Associate Content Manager, Humanities & Social Sciences

Role Description

The Associate Content Manager is responsible for driving the successful execution of a wide range of projects – from core text revisions to continuous courseware updates to the development of new courseware. The Associate Content Manager will lead their assigned projects and support Content Managers with complex revisions and other initiatives. This role manages project schedules, budgets, handoffs, and cross-functional communication to keep development work moving smoothly and efficiently throughout the development phase. Associate Content Managers also recruit, contract, and manage contributors and vendors responsible for producing core text content, animations, videos, and assessments, ensuring all deliverables meet Macmillan's requirements and standards.

This role is ideal for individuals who thrive on making things happen. If you’re someone who instinctively keeps teams aligned, timelines on track, and potential issues resolved before they escalate, the Associate Content Manager position offers the opportunity to lead complex content initiatives from idea to execution. Success in this role requires a blend of logistical expertise, creative problem-solving, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate effectively across teams. It formalizes and elevates this work – giving you the tools, authority, and focus to help deliver a unified, high-quality learning experience. This role does not have managerial responsibilities.

Major responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Project Planning & Scheduling
  • Lead assigned projects and support Content Managers in project tasks for complex revisions and other initiatives.
  • Build and maintain detailed project schedules for core text and course-related deliverables (e.g. NGA items, LearningCurve, iClicker/lecture slides, test banks, interactives, videos/animations).
  • Define milestones, dependencies, and critical paths in partnership with Content Developers, production's Content Project Managers, Course Product Managers, and Media Project Managers.
  • Create and maintain project trackers, dashboards, and documentation (e.g., media grids, art/permission logs, JIRA maintenance).
  • Project manage technical remediation efforts.
• Execution & Coordination
  • Facilitate handoffs and collaboration between content creators (authors, vendors, contractors), Content Developers, Media Project Managers, and Content Project Managers for core text and course-related content.
  • Maintain existing content as needed, including responding to customer feedback and tickets, adjusting content for technology upgrades, and ensuring content meets required standards for accessibility and customer delivery.
  • Delegate to Content Developers or contractors as needed for content remediation.
  • Manage internal and external stakeholders and contributors, keeping everyone aligned and informed.
  • Flag risks and obstacles early and develop mitigation plans with Content Managers and leadership.
• Resource Management
  • Assign tasks and deliverables to content creators to deliver on all aspects of the content development plan, as defined by the Content Developer and ML standards.
  • Recruit, hire, and manage vendors or freelancers to work as content creators, assessment authors, accuracy checkers, and animation/video producers.
  • Track and manage project budgets.
• Process Improvement
  • Identify and implement opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce rework, and streamline operations.
  • Implement new tools or systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree.
• 1–2 years of experience in project management or a related role, preferably with exposure to print or digital educational products.
• Demonstrated ability to manage schedules, milestones, and handoffs for concurrent tasks in a deadline-driven environment.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with a high degree of attention to detail.
• Strong critical-thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a proactive approach to identifying and escalating risks.
• Foundational understanding of or exposure to vendor and contractor coordination, including negotiating with vendors and contractors, managing contracts, and ensuring delivery within approved budgets.
• Ability to coordinate and support a diverse network of external resources, such as freelancers and contributors.
• Eagerness to learn and adapt to new tools and technologies within a continuous improvement mindset.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively across functions and roles, including authors, content creators, freelancers, vendors, and all internal team members.
• Clear and effective communication skills for sharing complex information to a variety of stakeholders verbally, in writing, and in presentation.
• Ability to work within a structured workflow while maintaining accountability at all stages of a project.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat Pro.
• Familiarity with project management interfaces such as JIRA/Confluence.
• Interest in or experience using AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, NotebookLM) to assist with project workflows or communication efficiency.

Requirements

• Familiarity with HTML and XML, Google Apps Script, and programming languages a plus.
• Ability to adapt to changing systems.
• Curiosity and enthusiasm for emerging technologies, automation, and AI-enabled workflows, with a willingness to explore and adopt new tools that improve team productivity.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and implement process improvements that increase efficiency, reduce manual effort, or improve project visibility and communication.
• Proven ability to balance structure and flexibility, adapting quickly to changing priorities while maintaining progress toward project goals.

Salary

This is an entry level role and the salary is $50,000/ year.

Exemption status

Non-Exempt

Physical Requirements

Requires periods of close concentration. The employee must be able to multitask, must be able to sit for long periods, must be able to concentrate in a noisy/busy environment.

The position is eligible for remote employment, excluding the following locations: Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Mississippi, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming.

Benefits

• Regular full-time and qualifying part-time employees and their dependents are eligible for Macmillan benefits, effective on the employee’s date of hire.
• Macmillan also offers health benefits coverage to qualifying same-sex and opposite-sex domestic partners (may require additional documentation) of active employees.
• Competitive pay and bonus plan.
• Generous Health Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision).
• Contributions to your 401k retirement account through Fidelity.
• Generous paid time off, sick time, discretionary days, and paid holidays (International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Juneteenth, Indigenous People's Day, and more!).
• Employee Assistance Program, Education Assistance Program.
• 100% employer-paid life and AD&D insurance.
• And much more!